I Met You On LJ

Examine your biases! This week, Maggie and V talk about writing, or not writing, characters of color; conversations around diversity in media and publishing; and the myriad reasons why fandom writes two white guys all the time. Things get personal. Plus, a first impression of Loki and a monsoon of drabbles.

Grab the goods and run! This week, Maggie and V talk about ladies of crime, from Good Girls who are terrible at money laundering to the fabulous women of Ocean's Eight, who are very good at heists. Plus, Maggie has mixed feelings about Mare of Easttown, and V recommends a classic 1930s detective series—and gives props to the ultimate lady of crime, Carmen Sandiego.

Settle in for some rollercoasters! This week, Maggie and V break down three epic tales of power, deceit, and downfall in fandom--Msscribe, Rose Christo, and hivliving. From an army of sockpuppets to cannibal mermaids, if you can imagine it, someone’s tried it in order to keep people clicking on their fanfiction. What happens when power and community trust go to someone’s head? Join us as we plumb the depths of bad behavior.

Watch out for tarantulas! This week, V and Maggie interview Hugo-Award winning author and lifelong fangirl Seanan McGuire about gender politics, the meaning of transformative works, Disney Channel Original Movies, dystopian writing during a pandemic, and one very unfortunate incident at the Circle K.

Fandom is not a community in a lawless space! This week, Maggie and V talk about the platforms used by fandom over the last two and half decades, and how the limits and capabilities of those sites inform how fan communities work. They discuss purity culture, common sense rules, safe spaces, Release 88, and of course, Sexy Times With Wangxian. In the intro, V is rewatching Psych, and Maggie is seriously considering an Olivia Rodrigo Halloween costume.

Not everything has to be a franchise! This week, Maggie and V explore an essential classic, a fun sequel, and an awful remake through the absolute rollercoaster that is Dirty Dancing. They break down the beautiful and ridiculous costumes, the effective and terrible storylines, and of course the bangin’ soundtracks. Plus, Tanya Saracho excels with the phenomenal Starz series Vida, and Tina Fey continues to not evolve through Girls5eva.

Open a private browser! This week, Maggie and V are talking about a panoply of fave fanfiction tropes and how they work for different types of canons. From A/B/O to xeno fic -- aliens! -- the world of fanfiction really runs the gamut and so does this Patreon fan-picked episode. Plus, Maggie continues her descent into the depths of Bin Bons love and V recommends two podcasts and a sitcom.

Quick, find a goat! Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that dissects the manipulative villainy of The Darkling (but drools over Ben Barnes/Bin Bons), admires Alina and Inej, and invents the best Titanic-meets-the-Grishaverse-AU that no one’s written yet. No mourners, no funerals: it’s the Shadow & Bone (Netflix) Thoughts’n’Feelings episode!

Grab your BFF! This week, Maggie and V interview titans of Twilight fandom, LolaShoes and tby789, professionally known as NYT Bestselling romance author Christina Lauren! Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs talk co-writing, pulling to publish, Fandom Gives Back, and of course Rob Pattinson’s airbrushed abs. Check out their sage advice about balancing work with friendship and what their new book The Soulmate Equation would be tagged if it were a fic, with bonus squeeing about BTS. Plus, V discovers AO3 bookmarks and Maggie recounts Lizzo shooting her shot at Chris Evans.

Move your seat up! Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that squees over Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, questions which of the show's antagonists deserved redemption, and recoils in disgust and horror from the sh*tshow that is John Walker. You knew it was coming... this is the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier thoughts'n'feelings episode.

Not all fourth wall breaks are bad! This week, Maggie and V discuss two very different shows where the female protagonists keep it real only with the audience: Fleabag and Lizzie McGuire. They break down these shows’ relationships to best friends, crushes, likability, and cruelty. And, of course: fashion montages and iconic hairstyles. Also, Maggie and V admit to their most embarrassing moments in school and discuss the wide wide world of MCU fanfiction.

Let’s talk about racism in fandom! In this fan pick episode, Maggie and V discuss the complicated topic of how fandoms ignore and vilify their characters of color, most notably Finn, Poe Dameron, Sam Wilson, and Scott McCall. They also get into it about the explicit white supremacy around the characters of Kylo Ren, Snape, and Loki. There are no easy solutions.

What time travel paradox? For the first time in thirteen years, Maggie and V share a pairing and whaddya know, our Patreon donor of the week shares it, too. This week, we’re discussing the fandom juggernaut of Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes (Marvel’s Captain America and the Winter Soldier) through the lens of heroic male love--and no great hero ever ends up happy. Plus, lots of love for fictional lady Darcy Lewis and real-life woman Jenny Slate, some silly fannish terms, and one very cute dog.

Grab your patent leather trenchcoat! This week, tumble down the rabbithole with Allison Stock from the It’s All Fandom podcast, who gives V and Maggie the download on early Matrix fandom, and we all reminisce about Web 1.0. Plus, this episode features the best freestyle rap about The Matrix ever composed.

Uncork your vial of oil! This week, Maggie and V break down three slash ships where one side is a foreign invader--Marcus/Esca, Ragnar/Athelstan, and of course Joe/Nicky. Apparently, the only enemies-to-lovers ships that Maggie and V like existed in far-off centuries? Maggie discusses the ethics of shipping when the Two White Guys pairing is canonically master/slave, while V questions how in the world Joe and Nicky got together. It all culminates in discussing fandom’s internalized biases and the only battle more ancient than the three our pairings fought in: the Top Wars.

Don't forget your disclaimer! Maggie and V are talking all things swoonworthy celeb as they explore the thorny topic of RPF (real-person fiction) in this Patreon Fan Pick episode. They compare and contrast the writing techniques of RPF with those of media-based fanfiction, talk painful moments when they outed themselves as RPF writers and were judged by fellow fans, and detail some fannish history that doesn't get enough attention. Plus, two Stucky fic recs from V and a music rec from Maggie.

You asked for it, and Maggie answers! To replace the dramatic reading of "My Immortal," our very own Maggie becomes Dear Maggie and answers your questions about life and fandom. Only Patreon donors can ask questions, but everyone can hear sage advice (because we all need it, right?).

What is fandom if not love persevering? Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that detangles the many strands of a multiverse that didn't happen (yet), begs Marvel for more of the Hex Trio, and celebrates how it was Agatha all along. This is the requisite WandaVision thoughts'n'feelings episode.

He’s the sexy, beefy guy who’s not scary! This week, in their first Patreon Fan Pick, Maggie and V dive into the oiled-up dreamworld of the himbo, from Central Perk to the Bad Place. Get ready for Joey, Jason, George, Ethan, Kevin, Eric, Keanu, and Brad--they’re the chaotic, smiley, guileless, sensitive princes of comedy and we love them for it.

Larries and Charmies and QAnon, oh my! This week, Maggie and V discuss how conspiracy theories have infiltrated real person slash fandoms and the US government with Skye from the aptly-named podcast Shit Larries Say. They cover the erosion of the fourth wall, the rise of social media, fandom’s persistent problem with internalized misogyny, and why it’s so difficult to get your loved ones out of a conspiracy theory. There’s no such thing as a fake baby, folks.