I've since avoided those places where the bashing occurs.
It's difficult, though, when the bashing leaks into stories. Especially because many authors are quite subtle about it so that you're never quite sure if it's bashing or not. I normally feel a story is character bashing when A) the author is not a fan of that character B) the character does something that is contradictory to what we see on the show and C) as is the case with a story I read a while ago, they'll write one character as though they can do no wrong (and if it's en episode tag, make excuses for the character so that they end up not being at fault), thus making the other character totally in the wrong and so a complete jerk.
It may not even be bashing per se, just an author venting frustration over the treatment of their favorite character - especially if said favorite character was chewed-out by a non-favorite character. The problem is, however, that in doing so they disregard the bigger picture. For example, in the story I read, it was a BAMSR tag that made it out as though Sheppard had totally been in the wrong for his reactions toward Teyla's news, and Teyla in the right for not telling him sooner. The story, IMO, was being completely unfair to John. It was totally a poor woobie-Teyla story. Also, after looking at other stories this person had written, I got the impression that they weren't a big Sheppard fan.
And end tangent. Sorry for that. I'm of the firm opinion that writers should have respect for all the characters, even if there's certain ones they don't like.
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chiming
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Date: 2008-01-18 06:47 am (UTC)From:It's difficult, though, when the bashing leaks into stories. Especially because many authors are quite subtle about it so that you're never quite sure if it's bashing or not. I normally feel a story is character bashing when A) the author is not a fan of that character B) the character does something that is contradictory to what we see on the show and C) as is the case with a story I read a while ago, they'll write one character as though they can do no wrong (and if it's en episode tag, make excuses for the character so that they end up not being at fault), thus making the other character totally in the wrong and so a complete jerk.
It may not even be bashing per se, just an author venting frustration over the treatment of their favorite character - especially if said favorite character was chewed-out by a non-favorite character. The problem is, however, that in doing so they disregard the bigger picture. For example, in the story I read, it was a BAMSR tag that made it out as though Sheppard had totally been in the wrong for his reactions toward Teyla's news, and Teyla in the right for not telling him sooner. The story, IMO, was being completely unfair to John. It was totally a poor woobie-Teyla story. Also, after looking at other stories this person had written, I got the impression that they weren't a big Sheppard fan.
And end tangent. Sorry for that. I'm of the firm opinion that writers should have respect for all the characters, even if there's certain ones they don't like.