Been thinking over the reasons for fandom. Here's my two cents.
To Be Continued -
For the urge to write fanfiction, this is one of the most important phrases around, that week or season spent stewing and wondering _what_ will happen - and coming up with your own answers.
Closely related to this are eps like Orbit, Blake, and Rumours where you have what seems like a very long time to consider the many ways a scene might work out (and are sitting on the edge of your seat wondering).
Interesting characters and situations? Yes, also important. I have to admit, however, a character could be relatively flat and, if there was the right 'hook' to them, I'd probably be sucked right into the show. Loose ends or those unsatisfactory explanations? Gotta love 'em.
Oh, and let's not forget shows that were flawed (NOT B7, of course) that could have been done better (I keep having this urge to 'fix' Return of the Jedi and Phantom Menace [and I'm not up to it, believe me]).
With a lot of 'realistic' shows, I don't get this. There's this part of me going, "Oh, it's one of _those_ stories." Besides, there are the inbuilt limits. Will Perry Mason ever be on the supreme court and seriously alter trial legislation? Dream on. Did Gomer Pyle end the cold war? Would the cast of JAG _fail_ to save the president? For that matter, do they ever get off the island on Gilligan or does Jethro go to school and get an IQ?
But _could_ Blake defeat the Federation? Or could Servalan win? And might Avon ever join the other side? Could we ever learn something about a character that would serioulsy alter how we view them?
I guess what it comes down to is something in the brain going, "Hmm, what if . . . ."
Ellynne ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.