Once Upon a Time... Is Now/Issues 021-022
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Once Upon a Time... Is Now (Out-In, Out/In, Out...In) |
| Publisher: | |
| Editor(s): | Jeanne Cloud and Joyce DeBoard (issues #1-#27), Jeanne Cloud, Loreen Vanderkrats, and Linda Lakin (issues #27-#33 -- tho perhaps as far as #45), Jeanne Cloud and Loreen Vanderkrats (issues #46-#60 -- tho perhaps as early as #34) |
| Type: | letterzine |
| Date(s): | 1988 to 1996 |
| Frequency: | sometimes monthly, sometimes bi-monthly, at the end much more infrequent |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | digest-sized |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Once Upon a Time... Is Now (Out-In, Out/In, Out...In) is a Beauty and the Beast letterzine. It is digest-sized.
See List of Letterzines for similar fanworks.
Contents
The zine is a collection of letters from fans (titled "From the Helpers") of the show discussing aspects of the show including the actors, characters, stories, and fanfiction. This zine also contains photos (both xeroxed and original), some original artwork, con reports, open letters, and sometimes clippings and interviews.
Some regular features were: "OK Good...OK Fine" (the editorial), "From the Library" (zine listings), and "On the Pipes" (fan clubs).
There were 60 issues published between 1988 to 1996.
Issue 21
Once Upon a Time... Is Now 21 was published in April 1990 and contains 32 pages.
It contains four open letters:
- Ok Good...Ok Fine: Editors' Soapbox by Jeanne Cloud
- This fandom is destroying itself and this has got to stop. by Pat Almedina
- I never thought I'd live to see the day when this fandom would be in such a state. by Kathy Cox
- I have wrestled long and hard with my conscience whether to reveal what went on behind the scenes of fandom itself during the last several months. by Stephanie Wiltse
For comments about these four letters, see "Once Upon a Time...Is Now" Open Letters (April 1990).
Issue 21: Excerpts from the Letters
My initial excitement over getting in contact with other B&B fans via this 'zine has palled greatly. If this is fandom, I quit.
B&B and the family are reality for me and I can't tolerate people criticizing people I love behind their backs. I feel hurt, angry, and defensive. I don't like those feelings so I won't put myself in a position to put up with so many people's selfish attitudes that they have a right to impose upon me to listen/read their opinions without any sensitivity to other people's feelings.
Life is a bitch sometimes. Painful things happen. People die. Bad people hurt good people. I've had my share of pain and loss. That's reality. I can't change what happened to Vincent, Catherine, Elliot and the others anymore than I can change my own past. I accept that they did the best they could under the circumstances. I can't criticize where I have no experience. I can only continue to love them for all the good inside than. I need this family, they saved my life, and I won't give than up for a happily-ever-after-fantasy. If loving them is insanity I'll take that over the empty black hole I had in my life before I met them.
I’m going to miss Gabriel. He was such a “wonderful” villain — truly evil, finely detailed, always consistent. McHattie is a grand actor and has fascinating features. I want to see his other roles....
.... To the fans who don’t understand why B&B was cancelled, I quote Linda Ellerbee: "...the product is not the program. The product is the audience." CBS isn't in the business of creating shows for fans. They are supposed to make money for their stockholders by delivering an audience to companies who pay them to show commercials. B&B didn't have much of an audience in any season. Maybe B&B will find a new home in a place where a small audience is OK.
Can I throw out the idea that Vincent’s madness in last season’s trilogy was caused in part by a premonition of Catherine’s death? We know he’s been precognitive before where she’s concerned (“Down To A Sunless Sea”) and maybe it just drove him around the bend. Maybe he didn’t know just what was causing his bad feelings, but subconsciously he knew something was up - and severed or buried their bond because of it. This is just a theory (and just one of my less crackpot ones-another is that Gabriel was actually a vampire!)
.... Does anyone have a clue about all that ring business? How does it connect Snow and Gabriel? Why was the dam thing so old? I thought it would be significant somewhere — I should have been watching the floor tiles.
Some of the LOC’s in last months issue made me cry. I can’t believe the way some people have turned on Vincent and the show. It took me a while to figure it out, to understand why our happy family of fans have split in two. It’s the “Vincent fans” against the “fans of the original concept”. “They” want the show “the way it was” or they don’t want to see it at all. Me-a Vincent fan—all I want is to see Vincent. I’m not a hopeless romantic. It wasn’t the love story that addicted me to the show, it was Vincent. As long as I can see Vincent, then I’ll be happy! I’ll take him any way I can get him!
I’m one of those viewers who was awestruck by the third season. Yes, I went to bed and cried the night Catherine died — and I’d love to see her come back somehow — but following the story arc was incredible. My VCR is hungry for the Lost Three Episodes! Does anyone else rewatch “Though Lovers Be Lost” and coach the characters, hoping that somehow the entire cast and production crew has entered the VCR and refilmed it? (“Catherine, give him the book. No, don’t make a copy — give it to him!”... “Vincent, get the driver! Then the car won’t move and you can pull Catherine out and...*Sigh*).
A friend of mine has come up with a very good analogy. She compared the difference between the first two seasons of B&B and the third season to the difference between Star Trek Classic and Star Trek-The Next Generation. Both are done by the same creative team, based on the same basic premise, but they aren’t quite the same show. I think this is a very good analogy and one which might take the sting out of the S3 controversy. Because just as there are some people who like both Trek Classic and ST:TNG some people who like Classic, but not the Next Generation, and some people who are fond of the Next Generation that they look back on the Classic and don’t like it as much as they used to, there are people in B&B fandom who feel the same way(s) about Beast Classic and “The Next Generation”.
We need a new way of looking at this because there’s a new and disturbing trend in fandom — complete intolerance of each other’s opinions. EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO THEIR OWN OPINION. If that opinion is that Season Three is the best thing to ever happen to B&B, that is a legitimate opinion. If that opinion is that Season Three is for the birds, that is also OK. What in NOT okay is anyone, ANYONE FOR ANY REASON, trying to force their own opinion down the throats of others. Suddenly there’s a lot of nastiness out there with some Classic-only fans saying that they are the only “pure” fans, and Next Generation aficionados loudly insisting that they are the only “real” fans, as if anyone who disagreed is made of polyester or has somehow mistaken what show we are talking about. Fandom doesn’t get graded like Ivory soap, people.
Ever heard of “united we stand, divided we fall??” We must find a way to “bury the hatchets” and work together through this present crisis. We are like a large family and, granted, are still all unique individuals with varied likes and dislikes...needs and wants. The only way we can reconcile our differences in any fashion is to “beat our weapons into plowshares” and strive to create a common bond of patience and forgiveness...perhaps even understanding....
.... The only thing that can possibly bring this phoenix up out of the ashes of ratings and network demands is our willingness to love one another despite our differences. Let’s appreciate the fact that we can even have such strong feelings pro and con. What else, but the impeccable quality of production, forceful storyline and truly believable characters could evoke from us such heart-rending emotions?
Whether you liked the third season or not, and whether B&B is resurrected again at a future time, it seems to me that now is an opportune time to stop and reflect on the B&B experience and on what it has meant to each of us personally.
I would like to commend you for your objectivity in presenting opinions on both sides of the third season controversy, regardless of your personal opinions. This is as it should be. Editors opinions belong in only one place, on the editorial page. I hope you will continue to publish uncensored letters, both pro and con, and that others in a similar position of authority on other publications will take a lesson from you.
Having B&B on in some form (more than one dimension) is preferable to not having it. So, anticipating a rich development continuing from the top-notch trilogy, I was shocked that the same team that has varied in quality between A- and A++ produced a D- in the movie and a C- in the next episode.
People say that CBS censors couldn't allow love scenes with Vincent. He's more human than most; for example, he’s the only hero to agonize over the deaths he has caused. His love and caring have been models for all. And he has to be human, because, genetically, he couldn't otherwise father Catherine's child.
Viewers expected, from well-written earlier episodes, that Vincent's concerns about intimacy would be handled in a "richly rewarding" way. Instead, a cop-out: Catherine kisses a dead Vincent (what magnificent drama, if his revival had been shown!). Then inadequate flames and roses replace sensitively and beautifully handled cuddling, Vincent's acceptance of Catherine's willingness, and the beginning of their spiritual or physical intercourse. Or did Catherine have sex with a dead body or with Vincent unconscious or too weak to object? Did Vincent block off his memory as the only way he could cope psychologically with his dark side, or because he was raped? Or did Catherine have an immaculate conception? Showing necrophilia and implying rape, and later showing the torture of a pregnant woman and her murder, are acceptable, but showing SOME intimacy between loving adults isn't?
I've been rewatching my tapes of B&B since it went off on Jan. 24th, just to keep from being too depressed. I have never been this upset with the loss of a show before. I've gone though $15 worth of stamps writing to networks, local stations, etc.. I made copies of B&B videotape pledge after signing one and sending it out. Left them in stores, post office, library, college, and any place I could find. Hope it will help; I feel like I've lost a whole family and don't know what to do.
Having lost my beloved fiancé around 30 years ago and having found love twice since — yes, it wasn't the same? why should it be? We’re talking about different people, after all. I'm appalled at the cruel, insensitive, narrow-minded, and utterly Gabriel - selfish folks who refuse (in their nasty little minds) to allow Vincent any mere feminine love in his life. Gabriel - like, they viciously condemn him: "You've had your ration of love, from our glorious, perfect, holy St. Catherine — AND THAT'S IT!!" No, I'm not anti-Catherine at all; only anti-her-idolaters who have learned NOTHING of real love, understanding, and compassion from B&B. And after all their whining, I've heard no complaints about Gabriel's torture of Vincent — first at a distance (starting with Cathy's apparent death) and culminating in the horrors of imprisonment, etc. in that cage. O.K. — let's look forward to a slightly easier future for this wondrous being, his little son, and all his friends and family.
Issue 22
Once Upon a Time... Is Now 22 was published in May 1990 and contains 28 pages.
From the editorial: "This issue will contain the last of the 3rd season debate. We are going to leave this subject for an Indefinite time." Despite this statement, the debate heartily continues in the next issues.
This issue contains the transcript of an interview conducted by Beth Blighton with Rick Baker (in charge of make-up on the show).
Issue 22: Excerpts from the Letters
I plan to stand by the show, no matter what and will take whatever is given to me. These people are experienced professionals!
Where do we go from here? Let me make it very clear that I am strongly, very strongly in favor of bringing Catherine back, but if it is decided that this is impossible, there are certain changes that must be made in order for me to feel the same warmth and love that I had for two seasons. First of all, Catherine should appear to Vincent in a dream (as her father appeared to her in “Orphans") and help him to reach out for love again, with Diana or someone else. If Diana is to be the new "love interest", she needs a shot of adrenaline to spruce her up. As is her look is so bland and unemotional. Her voice is a boring monotone. She needs a wardrobe that doesn't look like it came from the trash can behind that ramshackle loft where she lives. Once she has been made presentable and worthy of Vincent, the relationship must be developed slowly and very gently. The tunnel world must be brought back into the foregound with episodes featuring their myriad characters as well as Above adventures. (I have no desire to see Vincent become the Cloaked Crusader "Catman"). Love, romantic, filia, and fraternal, needs to be the central focus of the episodes. If these changes are accomplished, then there will be hope for the "new direction".
I really like Diana and I wish people would stop making comparisons. She's an individual and should be treated as such. She vent to Catherine's apartment to do her job. I liked her down-to-earth qualities, like the baseball cap she wore while waiting in the cemetery, her not-to-perfectly-clean loft and her jeans with the holes in the knees. I found her very easy to relate to.
...writing a love scene isn't the only thing the writers were suddenly ignorant of. For some strange reason, they had forgotten the cardinal rules of writing fiction: let your hero win his own battles, and if he brings up a question in the story, he must answer it. I still want to see a movie, or movies. I'm still a fan of the writers and the actors and the technical people, and the show. It really just takes Steven Larner, Margaret Besserra, and Ron Perlman to make me happy. But a logical plot would be nice.
Divide and conquer... .it happens every time! CBS has divided us by their ordered "retooling" of our beloved show, and conquered us by putting us at each others throats. We fell into their trap like most wild animals would, and we are caught there, helpless. I say that because, with all of the fighting, name calling, finger pointing and the like, the trap will never let us out! I can see it now,....Jeff Sagansky "bowing" before Howard Stringer and Lawrence Tish… them throwing him a bone, saying "atta boy, we knew you could do it to them! Good dog!"
I believe this was all planned, orchestrated by them, knowing how united this fandom was, how organized. They did it on purpose, and now we are all losing because of the many different reactions.
Recently I have heard, to my dismay, that a small segment of "fandom" has been actively attempting to sabotage efforts to return B&B to TV and to undermine the sales of stories presented via other mediums (ie., graphic novel), just because the 3rd season did not suit their ideas of what should have happened. This small group would attempt to dictate to the producers of the show, the writers of the stories, what tales should be told. No matter what they felt about the third season storyline, the only right they have is to inform the producers of their disappointment/disapproval individually. They DO NOT have the right to claim they speak for the rest of the fans....
I too was upset by the decision to kill Catherine: casting another actress rather than killing the character would have been my preference. However, this did not occur and Catherine was apparently lost, not only to her Vincent, but also to us, the fans of the show. ("Apparently" because we don't know what the final two episodes would have given us: Catherine may have been actually alive, though in a coma, and part of the story we got a dream.) What we did get was an intricate, well-told story, with a truly corrupt villain and some of the best acting and dialogue to ever exist on commercial TV. Jo Anderson was a pleasant surprise as "Diana", and a slowly developing relationship between her and Vincent would have been interesting to watch, if Catherine is really dead (the loss of a loved one does not mean one can never love again, and anyone who would wish that upon Vincent truly has no heart!) Diana's style of investigating may have provided an opportunity to show Vincent helping her investigate with less violence. Also, it would have been interesting to see Vincent as a father. This small group would deny the rest of B&B fandom all these possible stories.
Hopefully, the true fans of this marvelous show can offset any damage this small group of dictators (who obviously learned nothing from the show's many storylines about coping with life and its many knocks) might do. It may mean we have to work harder to accomplish the return of the show, in whatever format: does NOT speak for the rest of us and continue to strive to let the producers, networks, etc., know that there is still a large audience out here for the show, that we want it back (preferably) with or without Catherine.
I watch an episode a night, much to the chagrin of my husband who, to this day, still can't figure out what the heck's the matter with me. Heck, I can't figure it out EITHER.
Just before retiring, my better half always says, as he's climbing the stairs, "I'm going to bed. You can put the hairball on now."
Men! Who can figure'em?
I refuse to give up hope. I still read the paper hoping to see an article saying B&B is coming back. I hope when it does, Linda Hamilton will just consider coming back. If she doesn't, I will still watch but I hope the poetry is back and the violence is gone.
What happened to Catherine? It was excessively terrible, horrible, and too unfair for description. I think it's safe to say it had the vast majority of us screaming "No, no, you can't DO that to her!" And the explanation that it "served to illustrate Gabriel's evilness and lack of soul" really doesn't hold up. He could have been shown picking on someone else besides Catherine and it would have done the same thing. So, why? My theory: the writers must have perceived a lot of dissatisfaction in the mail they got toward Catherine, the "Catherine Bashing" I've read references about. (If someone would be so kind as to define and explain about this bashing, I'd be so grateful.) And anyone who's ever spent any time watching the soaps probably knows this formula by heart — what do the writers do, when they want to convert a hated character into a loved character? The fastest way (you guessed it) is to have something real terrible and real unfair happen to him/her. Bingo, instant sympathy. Stop and think — how could anyone anywhere bash Catherine now, after what Gabriel did to her? On that score, I give them high marks? they achieved what they set out to achieve: audience manipulation. In fact, they may have succeeded too well — if it had been me and I was put in the position of writing a character out the way they were, I'd have done my darnedest not to create too much sympathy for that character. My goal would be to make the audience accept the loss, not generate a new wave of devotion and attachment to her.
I would like to set the record straight about certain accusations the pro-season three advocates have made against the anti-season three people. I'm getting a little bit tired of being called by epithets such as nay-sayers, anti-fan, and unprintably worse. I do not condone hate mail/threats, demands, or any of the other heinous crimes "we" have been accused of. I doubt that any of the serious hard core fans are responsible for these acts; more likely some from the "lunatic fringe" of fandom of which there always are some. But neither can I blithely say "lead me where you will" if I am violently opposed to where I am being led.
Desert Vincent? How dare anyone say such a thing!!! That is the last thing in the world I would ever do. But, to employ an analogy, if someone I loved suddenly went down the wrong path, began talking drugs, held up a liquor store/ or ran numbers for a mobster, I would not close my eyes and say "if I ignore it, everything will be all right", I would not desert him, but would do everything in my power to lead him back to the path of righteousness. That's how I feel about B&B. It has gone down a dark, evil path that is threatening to destroy everything that is good and beautiful in its heart and life and I want only to bring it back to the light and good.
Suffering,. ...that is me, and plenty of you as well I think. I cannot watch my episodes, ....the pain is unbelievable ....my sense of loss too great a burden! Why has this happened?
...And Cancellation Shall Have No Dominion. That about says it all for the B&B fans, doesn't it? Actually, at the Creation Con in NYC March 10, 11, it basically was the theme. Everywhere I looked, I either saw it on shirts or buttons, or someone was saying it. Maybe we should write a haunting theme to CBS? You know, just to remind them of what maggots they really are?
Anyway, on to the con — MANY B&B fans attended! The Dealer's Room wasn't that bad. The hot spot for the day was the table that was loaded down with new B&B pictures. It took me nearly an hour to get all that I wanted (bodies were left bloodied & broken — grin). There was a table full of B&B shirts, one with artwork, one with posters and one with the pewter B&B chess set. It is gorgeous and it will be at Tunnel Con. We were entertained with a video of the costume call that was held in L.A. last year (to DIE for!), then we got to see a video of Ron Perlman's first con appearance in L.A. in June of 1988. Lastly, we got to see B&B music videos. They were great. The main entertainment and Guest of Honor was Jay Acovone. If anyone ever gets the opportunity to see him, do so! He is a riot! What I would give to see him, Ron P., and Roy on stage together (hint, hint). The three of them combined would leave all of us in stitches! Jay was great. He did announce to us that he was not too good with crowds and to prove his point, he held up a shaking hand. However, you would have never known otherwise. He was charming, funny, and absolutely wonderful to talk with. He right away opened the floor to questions. Of course, the biggie was what was the status of the show. He didn't know anything. He seems to be just as much in the dark as we are? actually, I think HE is more in the dark than we are! He didn't seem to know much about the video tape pledge and he came right out and said that he didn't (HE DIDN'T) think the show would return (???). That kind of stunned the audience, but as we continued to question him, we soon realized that he has not really been in touch with anyone as to what is actually going on, so judge from there.
[...]
Jay was asked one question regarding the statement he supposedly made in LA regarding the real reason Linda left. He looked at the person like he didn't know what they were talking about. He did say that there was probably some things that were said that really shouldn't have been, that what was said probably was that particular person's feelings, and with all the hype that was going on at the time regarding the show, many may have taken the statements the wrong way. For all he knew (he DID EMPHASIZE he had nothing to hide from us), Linda left because she wanted to be a mom. As we all know, there have been many different rumors about "what Jay said in L.A." This is what he told us and this is what I will tend to believe.
The journalists seem to think that we should be grateful for the reruns and one local writer even had the nerve to write, “Beauty and the Beast fans, you can stop your campaigning. Please stop campaigning.” I suppose we should be grateful that Republic Pictures made and enormously profitable rerun deal with cable and NBC, but I just can’t seem to work up the enthusiasm, especially since Republic Pictures has not acknowledged the fact that they were flooded with video pledges for first-run episodes. Reruns were not the only thing I wanted. There are more stories about Vincent to be told, with or without Catherine, and I want them. Uh-oh, I’ve hit a sore spot now.
Yes, of course, I would like to see Linda Hamilton back, but truthfully, they could do anything they want. I'll be willing to accept any plausible explanation for Catherine's return, but I don't really care how they want to treat the "Beauty" role, I just want Vincent back. All of you who have refused to acknowledge the third season, or have watched it but hated it — and isn't the latter one a bit like the two old ladies who have just come out of a "R" rated movie saying, "That was disgusting, I couldn't wait until it was over so I could leave" — I'd like to say this: Would you really be happy never seeing Vincent again if B&B didn't return the way it originally was? I know I wouldn't. We all do have sane common goals, you know—we want Vincent back. Let's keep up the fight and keep the Dream alive. Yes, I did love the first two seasons, and I also loved the third one, but in a different way. In every show, there was always something that touched my soul. Every one of the characters were part of my life, and I need to know what happens next to them. No, it's more than a need, it's an addiction.
Fan-Out was a multi-media con, so there were other fandoms there besides B&B. George R.R. Martin was supposed to be a guest, but couldn't come, so we got to meet and talk with B&B writers, Linda Campanelli and M.M. Shelly Moore. They were very nice, but they didn't have any new info regarding the status of the show because they have no contact with Witt-Thomas. They said that they have heard what we have heard." They talked to us in general about their ways of writing and how they felt. Of course, we all know that these ladies are wonderful writers and they told us that they write according to how they would like to see the show progress. However, once they hand over their scripts, they no longer have say as to what will actually be filmed. That's a shame be cause they read us some sections of scripts that were mind blowing and would have been wonderful to see (i.e., in "Walk Slowly," they had V&C kiss — both were alive. After Catherine is gone, Vincent stands outside the Central Park tunnel entrance remembering her. He then sees Catherine running towards him and when she gets to him, she kisses him. Can't you imagine what that would have done to us? There were some controversial opinions made about the third season, but one major concept we did learn is that the cast and writers did put up a fight regarding the "retooling" of B&B. I finally asked Linda and Shelly if CBS was the major fault of this entire problem and they answered ...YES! They did tell us that they didn't like the third season simply because it wasn't the B&B that they wrote for in the past, that B&B was Vincent and Catherine. They did praise the writers and said the story lines were wonderful. They were asked why Linda's character wasn't recast instead of killing her off. They said that was an option considered, but that the spirit of B&B was Catherine played by Linda Hamilton. She was Catherine. Instead of everyone having to deal with "another", they simply decided to have an entirely different character, although they felt that we all would have eventually accepted someone else playing Catherine. They did say that Diana is not intended to replace Catherine as a love interest for Vincent. She is only a friend. Someone also brought up the scene from "Chimes" when Vincent said, "I'll come to you," making it sound as if Vincent was after Diana. They confirmed that that was NOT the case. The scene had been rewritten by someone else. Originally, the scene was more clear in its intentions—Diana wanted Vincent to let her know that he and the baby were safe. Needless to say, what we got left some folks in a panic. Another question brought up was would the show survive if Vincent or Ron would have left. We all know that answer, but Linda and Shelly firmly said no way. Ron Perlman is Vincent and to replace him would never work and to lose him would kill the show. Both writers agreed that there was lack of understanding when it came to deciding what the women fans would like to see (THAT'S an understatement!). They told us that the main reason we never got any kisses was because CBS didn't want it (figures, huh?). We can get scantily clad women in night time soaps but we can't get two romantic characters to kiss? Ah, the wonders of prime time! There were probably other things that could have been said, but. they made the statement that they would still like to continue to "work in that town," so who knows if we'll ever know all the truths? Maybe by Tunnel Con we'll have some more information to relate to each other? After all, we've been waiting this long... what's a few more months?
On the Phenomenon of Fandom: To begin with, I am a fan. This is not written by a disinterested critic. However, unlike the majority of fans, I'm embarrassed by my unusual involvement in a television show. (And a cancelled one, at that!) So I spend a certain amount of mental activity trying to explain to myself how I got into this category. I suspect there are a few others like me out there who have occasional twinges of worry about their sanity so see if this makes sense to you.
Everyone daydreams. A certain amount is healthy, too much is pathological. Mien's daydreams deal with achievement in sports or careers. The central drama in women's lives is love. (If you don't believe that, read magazines that are written for a single sex rather than a general readership.) Books sometimes satisfy this yearning for escape from the prosaic and romance novels are bought almost exclusively by women. B&B is another form of the romantic daydream. What makes it different and usually compelling is the technology by which the drama is transmitted.
Television, unlike the stage with its clear separation of actors and audience, or films, with their literally larger than life characters, is an intimate medium even though it reaches multitudes. Add to that the VCR which allows one to replay the story so often that every aspect of it becomes thoroughly internalized, and you have millions of people sharing the same images, living (vicariously) the same dream. This leads to the next step toward becoming a fan, subscribing to a letterzine. A letterzine is a sort of global slumber party where you get to talk about your latest infatuation with sympathetic friends.. .just like high school. So far, no more aberrant behavior than belonging to a club whose sole interest in common is the cultivation of African violets or saving the whales.
Where I begin to get uneasy about fandom is when I sense a certain loss of perspective, a blurring of the lines between fantasy and reality after the images fade. By definition, a fan is someone whose awareness and fondness for another is not reciprocated. That is, while we may have incorporated every detail of an actor's performance into our consciousness; that actor doesn't know us at all. Any rational person realizes the truth of this and accepts this one-way relationship. The bitterness occurs when this unyielding fact is forgotten. What may have happened with some of our group is this separation appeared to lessen when letters, written to CBS after the first cancellation, won the series a reprieve. We felt a sense of participation with the production staff and I'm sure they were grateful. Other crises followed, but now we knew what to do. This was no passive viewer whose only influence on the fate of the program was the remote control switch. A "Beastie" was practically a member of the company...or so we liked to think.
Then came the third season, and here's where I have to define for myself where harmless enthusiasm stops and borderline lunacy begins. I think it's OK to allow yourself to believe in the drama while it's playing, as long as you can applaud when it's over and figuratively speaking, put on your coat and leave the theater. If the current play is not to your liking, try another production. Fanzines, like The Shadow Knight, may be more to your taste. But to think that one is somehow entitled to a role in the creation or casting of a television series is a misinterpretation of reality, and the first down-payment on a rubber room at the funny farm.