Jaymee Donelson BFA Thesis Spring 2012
This Ain't Your Parents' Television
Fandom, as the community is called, derives from the cult following of television shows by the viewers. This following has become a large part of the viewing process, but not the only avenue. Note that not everyone participates in a fandom of a show. I will explore the community via the fandom through the show called Supernatural and look at how social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, are used by members in the fandom to create and interact as a community; I will use the example of a girl named Sashi as an extreme example of how a fandom can come together and how this is a valid to the evolution of viewing. I wish to show that a fan community or fandom can add to the experience of one’s viewing of a television show and also a way of creating a connection with other viewers that becomes deeper than just a dedication to a television show.