General Ship ( Relationship) Discussion

[ToasterOnFire]

I think it all comes down to common courtesy.

I do ship on Atlantis (McKay/Weir) and I enjoy and support the ship, but I know that there are many other fans that don't. As such, out of politeness for others, I keep my shippy comments in my thread for those who truly enjoy them, and tend to not make such comments in the "general" threads. And I would never insinuate that there is something wrong with fans who don't like or don't see my ship. Shipping is way too subjective for that.

In the end, it's important to keep in mind that shippers support a relationship between fake characters on a fake show. While it's all well and good to enjoy and promote the ship, I think the trick is to not take it too seriously. Life's too short.

[SGLAB]

I completely agree with everything you've said ToasterOnFire. That's what I like about GW. Every type of interest one might have in the show has its place and I usually don't have to worry about conversation that has nothing to do with the subject of the thread I'm looking at or participating in.

While I consider myself something of a Sheppard/Weir shipper I can understand other people not interested in it or wanting it at all. I go back and forth on it myself. Sometimes I like the idea of it. Sometimes I fear what the ptb would do if they ran with it.

I think for me it comes down to mostly the enjoyment of the thread and the people on the thread than the ship itself.

[Willow'sCat]

Please no!!!!! I can't face smouldering looks between Shep and Rodney - its just ..... euwwwwww! Except for the ones where Shep's gonna kill him the minute they get out of the trouble Rodney's caused

Oh, and if anyone called me a Sack or Jam fan I'd have to pelt them with rotten tomatoes and abandon them in depths of cyber space. Just so that's clear

I love McShepp/McBeck and all the slash!

I think if someone does not like a thread they should bloody well stay out of it! DO NOT lurk simple. You need never know about it. That is why I stopped going to the McKay/Weir shipp I just don't get it. I do them the courtesy of not going there (much) anymore.

The only problem I sometimes have and I am working on it, is when I get all excited and start posting things everywhere about my shipps. Please feel free to rep me, it probably won't stop me but at least I will know.

Just have fun, my god what happened to having fun!

[Shep'sSocks]

I think it all comes down to common courtesy.

I do ship on Atlantis (McKay/Weir) and I enjoy and support the ship, but I know that there are many other fans that don't. As such, out of politeness for others, I keep my shippy comments in my thread for those who truly enjoy them, and tend to not make such comments in the "general" threads. And I would never insinuate that there is something wrong with fans who don't like or don't see my ship. Shipping is way too subjective for that.

In the end, it's important to keep in mind that shippers support a relationship between fake characters on a fake show. While it's all well and good to enjoy and promote the ship, I think the trick is to not take it too seriously. Life's too short.

As I said somewhere (this thread or elsewhere, don't recall now), non-shippers can carry on decent conversations with shippers because the majority don't take it too seriously. It's the over the top lunatics that I wanna stomp on. And I do, as people know - woof!

[Shipperahoy]

Oddly enough most of my online friend are ardent anti-shippers and we manage to have some very lovely conversations. It all boils down, as has been mentioned, to respecting other people's opinions. It's when phrases like "I can't believe you can't see it are you blind?", "You must be bitter and lonely", or "You obviously have no respect for the show because that pairing would ruin the show" and the like pop up that the proverbial doo doo hits the fan.

I also think that there are ways to express dislike of something. Sometimes people seem to go out of their way to inflame people. If there's something like "X and Y together is so vilely disgusting that I want to hurl." then it's bound to bring about responses in kind. Of course I'm all for freedom of speech and I'm not saying that people can't say things like that but then they can't be surprised when people get up in arms and things get ugly.

As far as shipping goes I think that the reason pairings are almost always between two main characters is because they're both there full time so you can develop it. If it's between a guest character and a main character then it's usually a one shot deal. I am obviously not one of those people who thinks that romance doesn't belong in science fiction. I think that people fall in love on Earth, in the Pegasus Galaxy, in the past, in the future, on space ships, in a boat, in a moat...sorry I got carried away. I happen to really enjoy romance with my t.v. shows, movies, and books. I'm one of those people that will actually watch something because there looks to be a good romance in it. But that's just me. I realize that not everybody feels the same way that I do.

[ShadowMaat]

How about Lorne? And Zelenka? And that German scientist lady? And Cadman? They aren't in every ep but they ARE recurring characters. I'm not saying have a Romance of the Week with some guest star, I'm saying use what you already have but don't see every day.

As far as I'm concerned, main character ship detracts from the show and soon instead of getting REAL storylines, you're getting ship instead.

And I will say that if people don't give me the basic courtesy of respecting my opinion and can't help questioning my intelligence/eyesight/whatever, I WILL be... upset. And I will react accordingly.

[Chrysalis]

And Teyla... *shakes head* Poor Teyla. She isn't allowed to have any choice at all, is she? She's supposed to fall in love with Shep because that's what sexy alien females do?

Haha! Nice take on "poor Teyla". The idea had probably been thrown around before Rachel was even cast as the sexy alien female. Having said that, I am a Shep/Weir fan. I don't think that's quite so 'predictable' (for want of a better word) because usually the good looking male lead will go for the hot alien chick, not the totally covered up brainy girl!

[ShadowMaat]

Haha! Nice take on "poor Teyla". The idea had probably been thrown around before she was even cast as the sexy alien female. Having said that, I am a Shep/Weir fan. I don't think that's quite so 'predictable' (for want of a better word) Because usually the good looking male lead will go for the hot alien chick, not the totally covered up brainy girl!

Well, there's the Lead Male Love Alien Chick, yes, but there's also the Lead Male Loves Lead Female rule, and that's actually MORE common because it can happen on "general" television shows, too, where there are not "alien chicks" available. Thus, Shep/Weir is almost as inevitable as Shep/Teyla.

That's how I see it, anyway.

Like I said, I prefer ships that allow the characters to retain their own separate identities and storylines. If you have the two leads moping after each other, that's two characters with the same story, whereas if the two leads are moping after separate people, you wind up with at least two separate stories, and possibly four, since (theoretically) we know nothing about these mysterious "others" and can spend some time getting to know them and finding out why they're important to the leads. And it isn't IN YOUR FACE in every single ep, it can be brought out when it's convenient and it doesn't have to overwhelm whatever the main plotline is.

[Osiris-RA]

Please no!!!!! I can't face smouldering looks between Shep and Rodney - its just ..... euwwwwww! Except for the ones where Shep's gonna kill him the minute they get out of the trouble Rodney's caused

Oh, and if anyone called me a Sack or Jam fan I'd have to pelt them with rotten tomatoes and abandon them in depths of cyber space. Just so that's clear

ROFLMAO!! *nods vigourously in agreement*

[Linzi]

I believe everybody has the right to their opinions and we all should accept that whether we agree or not. Insulting people is just plain rude,and doesn't help one to get across the point trying to be made. Also I think when we say things we can hear the nuance and tone of voice, which tells us the intention of the person; in print things can come across differently!

I really have to agree with ShadowMaat about Ship between main characters. It can seem very unprofessional for a start and detract from the premise of the show. Take Sheppard and Weir for example, if Sheppard were to be romantically involved with his boss it would be totally inappropriate. In RL I've known many friends have to leave their jobs because of romantic involvement with their bosses. It is frowned upon in most working environments, for obvious reasons. It also, in my opinion de-values the characters . I have nothing against flirting etc, or romantic situations with new characters,(as long as Shep doesn't really become like Kirk!), but I think I've learned from SG1 what badly handled Ship can do to fans, it can divide them, which isn't very productive.
I do not see any sexual chemistry between Sheppard and Weir, but I see a very close friendship, with mutual respect and admiration and that I love. I love that they care for eachother deeply but if TPTB were to show lingering looks and AU kisses I think it would ruin it. I see more sexual tension between Shep and Teyla, but hope nothing happens there either.
I've been to the Shep/Weir and Shep/Teyla threads and they're lovely places, as are all such threads, (Shex is my favourite though hee hee), just because you don't agree doesn't mean you can't appreciate!

[Shipperahoy]

How about Lorne? And Zelenka? And that German scientist lady? And Cadman? They aren't in every ep but they ARE recurring characters. I'm not saying have a Romance of the Week with some guest star, I'm saying use what you already have but don't see every day.

Recurring characters are certainly a possibility. It's just my opinion that people tend to get invested more in the main characters and so would be more invested in a relationship between said characters. Of course there are some people (wink wink nudge nudge) who tend to get more invested in the recurring characters than the main ones and so a romance involving them would be more fitting. As has been said, it's all a matter of preferences.

As far as I'm concerned, main character ship detracts from the show and soon instead of getting REAL storylines, you're getting ship instead.

Fair enough. I don't feel that it detracts from the show and I feel that it can add to the storylines if done properly. Of course therein lies the catch. Anyway, we're clearly on polar opposite sides when it comes to ship and yet oddly enough there has been no bloodshed (although I have to say if it came down to a fight I'd clearly win ) and no name calling (if you don't count me inferring that you're a robot ).

And I will say that if people don't give me the basic courtesy of respecting my opinion and can't help questioning my intelligence/eyesight/whatever, I WILL be... upset. And I will react accordingly.

Which is a perfect example of what I was trying to say in my last post. When people post aggressively then aggression is what is posted in return. It's a vicious cycle.

[ShadowMaat]

oddly enough there has been no bloodshed (although I have to say if it came down to a fight I'd clearly win ) and no name calling (if you don't count me inferring that you're a robot ).

Oh please. I'd beat you with one antenna tied behind my back. You're too Miss Goody Two Shoes. Me? I fight dirty. And I fight to WIN. Just picture a tiny, female version of Ronon Dex. That's me.

Muahahaha.

And yeah, ship done properly CAN be nice. But when have the producers of Stargate EVER shown themselves to be remotely competent on those grounds?

[Shep'sSocks]

I give Firefly as the example where ship was done really well.

[Willow'sCat]

I believe everybody has the right to their opinions and we all should accept that whether we agree or not. Insulting people is just plain rude,and doesn't help one to get across the point trying to be made. Also I think when we say things we can hear the nuance and tone of voice, which tells us the intention of the person; in print things can come across differently!

Tell me about.

I've been to the Shep/Weir and Shep/Teyla threads and they're lovely places, as are all such threads, (Shex is my favourite though hee hee), just because you don't agree doesn't mean you can't appreciate!

Ah yes Shex the happiest place on Atlantis.

[Madeleine]

I give Firefly as the example where ship was done really well.

Firefly did two ships really well. The married couple were lovely to watch, and the Simon/Kaylee stuff was rather sweet. I didn't like the Mal/Inara stuff though. Too much of the Angsty Gaze type of ship.

There were Angsty Gazes between Zoe and Wash, but only when, say, Wash was watching his wife go off on a really dangerous job, or they both thought the ship was about to get broken to bits or something. That's a time when it makes sense for a couple to be looking angstily at each other. But there was more to their relationship than that. They chatted. Simon and Kaylee chatted too - usually with the result that Simon said something tactless and Kaylee went off in a huff, but even so they always looked to be enjoying the chatting until he put his foot in it.

Mal and Inara never chatted. They sparred, and once they bered a bit of soul each but that was all. And at the end of each bout they'd gaze angstily.

That sort of ship doesn't ring true to me.In my life I've found that the biggest part of couple-hood is chatting. Not gazing angstily and not getting smoochy, just chatting. Even if a couple isn't yet a couple but just a proto-couple or a shippers-would-like-to-see-them-coupled it still doesn't usually work for me without visible chatting.

And chatting isn't done on TV shows in proportion to its importance in RL because not many writers have time in the 41m to squeeze in anything that's not contributing to their main plot. Firefly was good like that, and used to bring us in on the ends of conversations (somehow the actors managed to act that they'd been sitting there nattering for ages) so we'd know that there was chatting without having to make very much room in the running time. But the general lack of chatting on TV is one reason why I'm more often a noromo than a shipper.

Yeah, I'm probably weird