Misfits

From Fanlore
Jump to navigation Jump to search

For other uses of the term, see Misfits (disambiguation)

Fandom
Name: Misfits
Abbreviation(s): N/A
Creator: Howard Overman
Date(s): November 12, 2009 - December 11, 2013
Medium: TV series
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Misfits is a British science-fiction comedy television show about five young offenders who obtain supernatural powers after a mysterious electrical storm. The series aired on BBC E4 from November 2009 to December 2013. It is notable for its dark, irreverent tone and subversion of common tropes in superhero fiction.

Fanart of the original Misfits cast from season one.

Spoiler Warning: This article or section may contain spoilers. If this bothers you, proceed with caution.

Canon Overview

In the wake of a freak storm which imbues thousands of people with supernatural abilities, five delinquent teenagers must deal with the ramifications of their newfound superpowers. Although there is initially some animosity between the Misfits, they grow together over the course of the series.

The original Misfits crew:

  • Alisha, a promiscuous party girl, develops the ability to induce uncontrollable lust in anyone who touches her
  • Curtis, a former star athlete who was barred from competing after a drug scandal, develops the ability to travel back in time when he feels guilt
  • Kelly, a loudmouth always concerned with others' opinions, develops the ability to read minds
  • Nathan, a snarky and obnoxious jokester, initially does not appear to have a power but is revealed to be immortal in the Season 1 finale
  • Simon, a young man who has been bullied and ignored his whole life, develops the power of invisibility.

Later additions:

  • Rudy, a crude young man whose repressed emotions materialise in the form of his more emotionally intelligent clone
  • Finn, a talkative and naive boy who fails to realise the true extent of his telekinesis due to his own perceived powerlessness
  • Jess, an outspoken but troubled young woman who has x-ray vision
  • Alex, a charming but aloof bartender who has the ability to remove powers through sexual intercourse
  • Abby, a borderline alcoholic amnesiac who is revealed to be the physical manifestation of someone's imaginary friend

Fandom Overview

The fandom is somewhat small and exists primarily on Tumblr, although there is some activity on Livejournal. Popularity declined in the years after the show went off the air.

Pairings

The most popular pairing is the slash pairing of Simon/Nathan, followed by the canonical het pairing of Simon/Alisha. Less popular canon ships include Kelly/Seth, Curtis/Nikki, and Alisha/Curtis. Femslash pairings are rare; Kelly/Alisha and Alisha/Nikki fanworks are hard to find.

Common Tropes & Fanon

  • Dead Probation Workers: A running joke in the series is the death of the Misfits' probation workers. Over the course of the series, five different probation workers have overseen the Misfits, only one of whom survives until the end of the series.
  • The Umbrella Academy Crossover: Several fics explore the idea of Nathan meeting Klaus Hargreeves of The Umbrella Academy. Both characters are played by Irish actor Robert Sheehan.
  • Accidental Murder: The Misfits' kill count is somewhere in the double digits. The murders are only sometimes intentional.
  • ASBO Five: The original Misfits gang is sometimes collectively referred to as "the ASBO Five," a moniker given to the crew after they go public in S2E6.
  • Monkey Slut: In S2E1, a shapeshifter is on the loose in the community centre, and the gang uses this code phrase to distinguish between the "real" Misfits and the shifter.

Sample or Notable Fanworks

Fanart

Fanfic

Fanvids


Fanmixes


Meta

Where to Find the Fandom

References


Retrieved from "https://fanlore.org/w/index.php?title=Misfits&oldid=2654634"