The Rec Center #385
Hi all! This week we have articles about AI (ugh), the CW (RIP), and Robin Hood’s impact as a furry sex symbol (iconic!), along with some cool Star Wars fanart, multifandom fic recs and more! — Gav
new stuff
“RIP, The CW: Too Good For This World, Too Pure” by Alex Zalben at Decider
The CW is under new ownership and undergoing big programming changes. This piece looks at those changes, with a focus on how they betray the loyal and notably fandomy audiences the CW has relied on since it began nearly two decades ago.
“The Fanfic Sex Trope That Caught a Plundering AI Red-Handed” by Rose Eveleth at WIRED
This week saw the launch of (and massive backlash against) an AI tool from a company called Sudowrite. Months ago, someone testing Sudowrite’s model discovered it was spitting out specific omegaverse terms—and even though there’s been pro-published omegaverse for years now, it seems pretty likely this stuff was scraped from fanfic.
“50 years after release, Disney’s Robin Hood is still a life-changing furry phenomenon” by Josh Spiegel at Polygon
“I don’t know what would have become of me had I not found furry [fandom]. I’m only partly exaggerating when I say that Robin Hood saved my life. Love for this movie showed me a community of people like me.”
https://twitter.com/JillKrajewski/status/1653026773158842372
older stuff
“On Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, and Black Nerd Girl Culture” by Stitch at Teen Vogue
“Fandom, for many people, is transformative and allows us to challenge and change the source media to see ourselves and the people we know and love. It’s not just creating content and criticizing fandom—being visible in fandom as a Black woman helps other Black fans.”
tumblr & beyond
Star Wars fanart by symeona
“I tried to imagine Darth Vader asking Kendall Roy to brainstorm ideas post Death Star destruction”
every day the Succession discourse spirals further out of control.
“not what i came here for but im not about to leave”
fanfiction
Another grab-bag this week! Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“Work in Tandem” by MimiSpearmint. 23K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù | The Untamed (TV); Ship: Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian
Recced by: JamJarJumper
Backstory: In a modern-with-magic universe where cultivators fly on swords, the Lans fly like serious cross-country skiers, but Jiang instructor Wei Wuxian is more like a snowboarder. Single dad Lan Wangji just wants disability-led swordflight lessons as his son Sizhui approaches his flying licence test!
Rec: Positive representations of adaptations for people with disabilities, including sex scenes (and Lan Wangji’s patent horny grip as WWX is a great, inventive instructor while also being frustratingly attractive). Hilarious fury from Jiang Cheng overhearing them.
Content warnings: Near-drowning experience, references to injury and danger in the mountains
“A Special Place in Heaven” by giraffeter. 4.6K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Letterkenny (TV); Ship: Katy/Bonnie
Recced by: ninamonday
Backstory: Letterkenny is an extremely Canadian sitcom, including a standout episode about Canadian geese, which sets up a particularly ornery take on the soulmate goose trope. Katy’s bisexuality and crush on Bonnie McMurray are canon, and the goose helps them over hurdles including the fact that neither really seems like the soulmate type.
Rec: This story is so funny, really capturing the show’s humor, fast-paced dialogue, and Canadian jokes, and feels true to the characters while bringing them forward.
Content warnings: N/A
“Leave No Soul Behind” by whochick. 259K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Star Trek; Ship: Kirk/Spock
Recced by: anon
Backstory: What if Jim and Spock were Space Paramedics instead of Starfleet? What if they end up saving the world anyway?
Rec: I enjoy the plot, but really what I enjoy is 250K+ of romantic tension. Will they? Won’t they? Is the world going to explode first? A fun AU that looks at how the characters would work in a different setup. (Mostly based on the 2009 reboot.)
Content warnings: N/A
“(More Than) Enough” by Twisted_Mind. 6.1K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Teen Wolf; Ship: Chris Argent/Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Recced by: Fays
Backstory: Chris, Peter, and Stiles are in a committed relationship. While alpha Peter is unavoidable detained at work, beta Chris takes a medication that gives him a pseudo-rut for omega Stiles’ heat.
Rec: It’s a beautiful example of trope subversion from a beta’s perspective. The omegaverse orientation-altering drugs are also one of the most inventive things I’ve read.
Content warnings: N/A
“The Universe Needs More You” by AttilaTheHun. 87K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: BTS; Ships: Namjoon/Hoseok, Yoongi/Seokjin, Jimin/Yaehyung
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Namjoon is a university professor of philosophy who’s been in love with one Hoseok, one of his best friends, for years. Hoseok is always dating someone else, and Namjoon’s made his peace with that, until Hoseok is suddenly single and needs someplace to live.
Rec: The writing style is the number one seller for this for me, and let me tell you as a cold hearted B, I wept at multiple times reading this. The friendships are heartbreakingly beautiful, Namjoon’s introspection, Yoongi’s character development, the friendships, it’s all deeply personal and real and quite simply exceptional.
Content warnings: Indirect exploration of anxiety, mental health, internalized homophobia and coming out before being ready
And a podfic!
“Frame Story” by Jibrailis, read by bienenalster and Hananobira. 1:09:15 (10K words), rated Gen.
Fandom: Princess Tutu; Ship: Ahiru/Fakir
Recced by: Chestnut_filly
Backstory: Princess Tutu is a classic 90s anime which follows the story of a duck who becomes a girl who becomes a princess and saves her friends and their little world. It’s chock-full of ballet and metatextuality and has a holy heartwrencher of an ending.
Rec: This is an example of what happens when a podficcer gets ahold of a story and just elevates it to perfection. Jibrailis’ original fic is a beautiful fix-it future fic envisioning the future of Gold Crown Town, but this podfic makes it truly something else. Bienenalster and Hananobira voice the characters perfectly and knock the narration out of the park, the editing is fantastic, and the music choice simply inspired.
Content warnings: N/A
https://twitter.com/OkButStill/status/1655255399056982024
FINAL THOUGHT
Now in Week 3 of the WGA strike (with a SAG-AFTRA strike looming??), I wanted to share the newest episode of Fansplaining, a conversation with screenwriter Javier Grillo-Marxuach. Javi has worked in TV since the 90s, and I found our conversation really helpful not just for understanding the state of Hollywood right now, but also exactly how things have changed. (If you’re not a podcast listener, there’s a full transcript at that link as well!) — Elizabeth