On Character Bashing in Reviews

[kriadydragon]

Has anyone ever received a review that bashed your favorite character? Or if not bashed wasn't particularly kind to your favorite character? Did you come to the character's defense? Ignore the bashing? Not say anything at all?

There's this reviewer over on FF.net who I find both amusing an exasperating for this reason. Their favoritism is painfully obvious. They don't just come to their favorite character's defense, they practically woobify him, while at the same time... not bashing the other character per se... but not really saying too many nice things about them, either. What gets me is that they'll do this on stories that are obviously other-character centric, by other-character fans. But it won't be "poor other-character" it's always "poor favorite character, can't other-character see what they're doing to fave character?" Yes, I know this isn't new or anything, I've just never seen it done so much by a single reviewer, and it's made me curious as to what the authors (specifically the authors of other-character centric stories) have to say in response (but because it's FF.net, I don't know).

I recall an SGA story I did - I'm thinking it might have been Castles in the Sky - where someone reprimanded Carson rather harshly in their review and I was really uncomfortable about it (I'm pretty sure I, politely, came to Carson's defense. In fact I would be quite surprised if I didn't considering how defensive I can be, but I can't be sure since it was on FF.net). I also recall reading a story by an obvious McKay fan and a reviewer who kept bashing McKay. And I mean really putting him down. I was surprised by this since I thought it was obvious who the favorite character in the story was, but apparently it wasn't obvious enough for this person.

Comments

[ninja007.livejournal.com]

Wow.

I've seen it before and often wonder what color the sky is in that person's reality. On whether or not I would come to the character's defense depends on how psychotic this person seems, because responding won't make any difference. If they think they may respond like a rational adult, then yes, I would try.

There are too many loons on the internet nowadays...

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

The person I mentioned seems pretty intelligent, just really, really, really quick to defend. Which, okay, considering how defensive I can be when it comes to my favorite characters, I completely get it and can totally sympathize. But on the other hand, I think it's important to recognize your own personal favoritism and that it's coloring how you read fic, and most especially to recognize when an author's favorite isn't your favorite and to just leave well enough alone.

I often wonder how I would respond to this person if they ever went on the defensive with one of my stories. Knee-jerk wise I'd want to call them out on their obvious favoritism and ask why they're reading a story centered on this other character. Polite-wise... I'm not sure. Thank them for commenting, I suppose, but were they to keep at it I might end up having to get assertive.

[ninja007.livejournal.com]

yeah...nip it in the bud.

[aim2misbhave.livejournal.com]

I don't understand this. If I don't like characters, I just don't read fic that prominently features them. Which is hard because in some fandoms the characters I dislike make up one half of The Fandom OTP, but I mostly manage.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

If I don't like characters, I just don't read fic that prominently features them.

Yes, this. I mean, if the story is about "other character becomes suicidal!" don't go in and gripe about the grief other-character's issues are giving your favorite character, because the story isn't about your favorite character (which the person I mentioned did exactly just that, and it just... amazed me, and not in a good way, because they knew what the story was going in).

[nefhiriel.livejournal.com]

Character favoritism is something I've thought about a lot... While I usually find myself drawn to one character's defense, in particular, I've found that favoritism is very relative for me. For instance, in White Collar I'd automatically consider Neal my favorite. But I don't think that's entirely true--I think I like Peter equally. I just prefer angst for Neal, with Peter being the strong, steadying influence. I've noticed that trend with most fandoms. That doesn't mean I see the angstier character as weak, by any means--or like him more than the strong, steady one. I just prefer them in different roles.

So I do I have a pretty low threshold for character bashing. Even if I tend to defend Neal, I wouldn't be happy to listen to someone bash Peter, either. I especially dislike it when people are clearly bashing one character in order to make the other look good (often exaggerating something true of a character to the point where--Peter, for instance--who can be oblivious, is oblivious x10 because it provides more opportunity for Neal to suffer :P).

I can't say I've had too much bashing of that kind in reviews, though. But I can definitely see how annoying it would get. I hate woobification, especially of character I habitually champion.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

For me, there's always a character who I would call "the supreme favorite," because while I'll like all the characters, it's usually this one particular character I keep coming back for, and if they left I'd probably stop watching (which has happened). I'm incredibly focused like that. I think there's only been three shows where I had more than one ultimate favorite (Suits, for example, is currently one, as I like both Harvey and Mike equally).

But also for me my favoritism has been what keeps me open minded and respectful of other people's favorites. Plus that even if the other characters aren't my ultimate favorites I still like them. Add it all up and it just doesn't make sense to me to bash anyone. Even if I don't like a character (which is rare, but it does happen) there's no reason to waste energy hating on them, or attempt to convince others to dislike them (or see them as less than they are. It's something I came across recently in regards to Neal fans. Basically, someone was reprimanding Neal fans for refusing to look past Neal's hotness and acknowledge his criminal side. Which a lot of non-Neal fans seem to harp on a lot, and it bugs me on a lot of levels since, speaking for myself, I like Neal for a lot more than his good looks, and acknowledge his criminal side all the time).

[nefhiriel.livejournal.com]

"Basically, someone was reprimanding Neal fans for refusing to look past Neal's hotness and acknowledge his criminal side."

Like with any TV show character, I'm sure there are Neal Caffrey fans that could more aptly be described as Matt Bomer fans (and, of course, the two things aren't mutually exclusive). But if basher's can't imagine a Neal Caffrey fan who doesn't just like him for his looks...then maybe they're the ones blinded by his looks. Just sayin'. ^^

And, honestly? I find Neal's criminal side such a complex, fascinating aspect of who he is. It's his Achilles' heel--what makes him complex. Yes, he's a pretty face, but he's also an interesting character. And, maybe it's just my limited impression, but it seems to me like most Neal fans, if anything, focus a lot on his criminal-mindedness.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

And, maybe it's just my limited impression, but it seems to me like most Neal fans, if anything, focus a lot on his criminal-mindedness.

Oh, yes:D I would definitely say this is true. Because, as you said, it's such a fascinating, complex aspect of him. I prefer good Neal over bad boy Neal, myself but, darn it, I adore how he does things. I've always been a sucker for clever characters, and I love it when Neal is being clever and daring, even when it involves something illegal.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure if anyone likes a character simply because of their looks. I can't be sure, of course, but I know that for myself looks alone are never the deciding factor. It draws the eye, sure, but at the end of the day it still comes down to that character pushing all the right buttons for me. And if they don't, it doesn't matter how hot they are, I'm not interested in them.

[nefhiriel.livejournal.com]

"...it doesn't matter how hot they are, I'm not interested in them."

It's kind of funny, actually. Just recently I started watching the show "Flashpoint," and although I feel like I should like the younger, "heart throb" member of the team--I just don't. And I know it's because his character doesn't interest me. It's the older, (IMO much more multi-faceted) members of the team that I find complex enough to hold my interest.

(Actually, I have a habit of being more interested in the Aragorn/Viggo Mortensen type more than, say, the Legolas/Orlando Bloom type. So I guess liking Neal/Matt Bomer over Peter/Tim DeKay is kind of an anomaly for me. ^^)

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

I remember Castles and I don't remember your being harsh with Carson,
but I guess it is in the eyes of the beholder....
I remember seeing some reviews on other Sheppard directed stories where
some said it was impossible for Sheppard to whatever......the writer had provided in the story.
It is almost like they view him as some sort of impervious character....
It is probably why I am reluctant to share mine as it reflects a human being, not someone who is essentially above it all.

As far as reading a story which is directed at a particular character who the reader may not like. I don't do it. PERIOD. I see no reason to spend my time in reading about someone who is not likable to me, let alone blasting the writer who obviously cares for that individual.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I think readers felt I had Carson being a little harsh to Sheppard, or something, I can't completely remember. That's something that often bugs me about fanfic and reviews - when people... not bash necessarily... but get upset at a character for what they did in the story, as though the character is like that all the time when they're not (or not even doing anything wrong, in some cases).

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

I'm writing an HP fic where nobody is remotely nice (Marauders era) and my reviews are like a war between the Sirius lovers and the Snape lovers, and I just want to say to both of 'em, "Yeah, Snape's screwed up, and Sirius is on the right side, but hey, Snape's trying to join magical Nazis, and Sirius is a bully who almost got somebody killed, and neither of them are helpless little woobies, and neither of them are omg completely evil and should die, m'kay? That goes for Remus, Lily, James, and assorted side characters too!"

I brought it on myself. This is HP fandom, after all, so I've mostly just been letting it go.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Heh, I often hear stories of the HP kerfuffles, and the Buffy kerfuffles, and how they make other fandoms look pretty quiet and sane ;)

[sholio]

Urgh. I was just talking to someone on my flist about this recently - I don't remember who it was or what fandom, but they'd gotten a review bashing a character who wasn't even in the story.

I've been lucky enough not to receive those sorts of reviews, that I can recall, though I do get some reviews along the lines of "I hate this character/pairing/storyline on the show, but I like what you've done with them!" ... which is, er, flattering, and I know it's well-intentioned, but I wonder if the thought occurred to the reviewer that maybe I wrote about them because I like them, and don't care to hear how awful they are ...

Having said all of that - *facepalm* I'm not proud of this, but I remember that early in my time in fandom, I would occasionally leave sarcastic reviews - hopefully I didn't degenerate into outright character bashing, but I remember a time or two (well, okay, one time that I can think of) when I felt like a character in the story was being bashed and would do sort of a backwards, sarcastic way of "defending" them via hyperbole. ("Yes, isn't so&so *awful*!") Which, come to think of it, there's a little bit of that in the post-Countdown fic I wrote, too, so maybe I'm not as past it as I thought I was ... *facepalms again*

Character bashing, and character hate in general, is something that I don't really get, though. I just don't fan that way. When I don't like a character on a show (which is pretty rare for me anyway), I generally ignore them, rather than sitting around hating on them ...

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

but they'd gotten a review bashing a character who wasn't even in the story.

Ugh. I hate it when people use something as a platform to go off on a tangent that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with said something.

Heh, I think we've all had those... less than flattering reactionary days ;) In fact it wasn't all that long ago I gave someone a wee bit of grief over a spanking story, even though I knew it was a spanking story going in.

though I do get some reviews along the lines of "I hate this character/pairing/storyline on the show, but I like what you've done with them!" ... which is, er, flattering, and I know it's well-intentioned, but I wonder if the thought occurred to the reviewer that maybe I wrote about them because I like them, and don't care to hear how awful they are ...

See, this is the issue I'm having with the reviewer I mentioned, because the defense of their favorite character usually involves... not bashing the other character, but happily pointing out their foibles and how they should be so lucky that the favorite character is there for him. But they'll do this on stories written by other-character fans, or stories where you can't say for certain who the author's favorites are. This person is bound and determined to defend their favorite character but don't seem to realize that they're not being all that considerate to fans of the other character.

[ladyrose42.livejournal.com]

I may favor certain characters,but I tend to write good (encouraging)reviews. If I critize, it's usually made known upfront, while making my point. Hopefully I have never been harsh, mean, etc that it's sounds like you encounter. Recently someone had posted a story, and someone would not give up the ghost about spelling and spellchecking, etc. End result, thread closed by moderator, and story pulled by author. Geez, I tolerate more than occasionally the less than perfect grammar, the Mary Sues,you name it. And to my knowlegde, no one bashed them like this person did to this story. God bless the authors who must have very tough skins and give critics soft words.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Don't get me started on the spelling/grammar police. I think what bugs me about pointing out spelling mistakes is that it always seems like people are more than ready to point out mistakes in stories that don't need that kind of help, but if it's a story in desperate need of corrections no one says anything.