Individual tastes colour everything 

Toxic fandoms. I hate that phrase because people abuse it.

Maybe this is a generalization, but you typically hear it from liberal voices, particularly those hellbent on silencing criticism aimed at projects with liberal concepts. They seem to think that every complaint they receive is tied directly to the social messages in their films and TV shows as opposed to the quality of their art, which is annoying.

That said, toxic fandoms exist, and the noise they generate is bound to dominate the entertainment landscapes in the coming weeks as Hollywood’s summer season gets underway. If you frequent the internet, you probably thought things would get better, but they have actually gotten worse, and it makes you wonder whether you are better off consuming your favourite shows, games, movies, and novels in a vacuum.

That would be the saddest outcome because part of the fun of consuming your entertainment medium of choice is sharing the things you love with other people. Toxic fandoms ruin that experience. Take Rings of Power and Doctor Who as examples. I loved Rings of Power Season One. Have I gone to the many Lord of the Rings groups and forums on social media to discuss the Rings of Power Season 2 trailer?

Hell no! Will I discuss it once it finally debuts? Again, no. Why? Because Lord of the Rings fans are tiresome. They deliberately ruin every conversation about that show.

What do you think would happen if I left a post praising the Rings of Power trailer? I would do so hoping to gush about the foreshadowing we got with other fans of the show.

But do you know what I would get? Hundreds of comments insulting my taste and intelligence. And then even more comments calling me a troll that Amazon paid to improve the show’s optics. I don’t care about the insults, but they would scare every other Rings of Power fan away, killing any hope I have of engaging in a fun discussion about the show.

So, to me, the Lord of the Rings fandom is toxic, and many of its members are poop holes. Now, let’s flip that script. I don’t like Doctor Who. Don’t get me wrong. I love the franchise. But I haven’t enjoyed the show for a while. The 60th-anniversary specials sucked, and I only watched 20 minutes of the latest Christmas special before I switched it off.

So how do you think I reacted when I saw articles accusing diehard Doctor Who fans of being toxic? I laughed. I thought the claim was ridiculous. So many journalists blamed the show’s abysmal ratings on racist and misogynistic viewers who had supposedly revolted against the new season because of its strong social messaging.

I laughed because I wholeheartedly think this new era is failing due to the poor quality of the stories. Admittedly, Ncuti Gatwa’s second episode as the fifteenth Doctor was decent. But for the most part, I think the franchise deserves the hate it gets.

Do you see how individual tastes colour everything? You are unlikely to call a fandom toxic when you agree with its message. Then again, some people cross the line. For instance, any fandom whose members resort to personal insults and death threats is unequivocally toxic. So, you should take a moment to analyze your actions before assuming that your fandom is not as toxic as everyone claims.

Do you make the internet a terrible place for anyone that does not agree with you? Do you infringe upon the privacy of the actors and writers who supposedly ruined your favourite franchise?

Are you stalking people online because you think they wronged you? Are you a recognized troll/cyberbully? Take a hard look in the mirror. You might be surprised by what you see.

katmic200@gmail.com