Not getting it, here

[scarfman]

The first case of fannish entitlement I remember encountering* was when Tom Baker left Doctor Who. There were a lot of new U.S. fans at the time, and one of them told me people were upset that Baker was taking off just as they'd come along.

I was new too, but this confused me. I don't remember if I phrased it to myself this way, but: What did they think he owed them? He'd already been in the part longer than anyone else before (or since, either, counting by screen hours). Those programs weren't going away, and at the time they were all that was playing on this side of the Atlantic. What the hey?

(But then, to me one of the attractions of the character even then was the way he always changes while always staying the same. I'm always enthusiastic at the prospect of a new incarnation of the Doctor, to the point of incorporating the Curse of the Fatal Death and Scream of the Shalka incarnations into my fanfiction cartoons and stories. [Of the time. Since 2005, not so much.])

* As an observer. As a participant? I can't think of any, but then I wouldn't've thought it was entitlement would I? I was a Star Trek fan as an adolescent, I think we can take it as read there've been instances.

Comments

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Hrm, I think I know what you mean. This is the first regeneration story I've seen in real time, as it were. All the others, I knew they happened before they aired.

[rose-cat.livejournal.com]

I take it this is (at least partly) in response to the similar reactions to David Tennant's leaving?

I didn't notice that "entitlement" reaction to Tom Baker's leaving the part, but then I wasn't active in fandom at the time. I was disappointed at the change, but that was more of a "he's not my Doctor" reaction. I was already unhappy with the post-Leela Four episodes anyway. I was more shocked by Three into Four. Not only was Three "my Doctor" (and who was that bug-eyed nutcase?), but PBS hadn't aired "Inferno" or the latter Three episodes at the time, so I hadn't caught on to the backstory of Time Lords, regeneration, and traveling in the TARDIS.

I think I'm more accepting now of the fact that the Doctor does change while staying the same person at heart. (But I still can't stand Six. :p )

[kaffy_r]

but then I wouldn't've thought it was entitlement would I?

I think you've gotten one part of the phenomenon right there; people scream entitlement while believing they are simply airing valid artistic complaints.

Oh, and yeah, there are folks who are quite upfront about caring more for the actor than the Whoniverse. I'm not sure which of the two groups add more to the problem.

Me, I started with One, re-discovered with Four, re-re-discovered with Nine, and have loved the 'verse consistently. While I'm probably fondest of Three and Nine, I'm really not going to leave the party because they've left. I'm looking forward to Eleven.

On the other hand, I know the TARDIS interior is going to be redesigned, but I shall be very, very sad if they return Her to uninteresting white decor. Not mad, just sad. Does that avoid entitlement? Heh.

[scarfman]

Wishing things were different isn't entitlement. Expecting or demanding of the creators that things change the way you want, or go back to the way you want, is entitlement.

[kaffy_r]

That's probably the best one-paragraph description of the phenomenon that I've read lately.