Shippers for dummies

[Aissy]

I was over replying thanks to a post by Island Breeze (http://majiksfanfic.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... 1522#21522) where he kindly summed up a load of Roswell facts for the complete Roswell laywoman that I am and I started drifting into a different topic which didn't really belong there so I'll post it here instead because it's to do with fans, fanfic writers and readers:

You know what else I've been wondering though? What the hell the whole Roswell fandom jargon is all about. :D Had a quick look on the net but I couldn't find any clear definitions on "stargazer", "dreamer" (which you've explained here), "lamptrimmer" , "polar" and there's more which I can't remember but mainly I'd like to know why those words are used.

I mean, Bangel, Spuffy or Spangel, you don't have to be the sharpest tool in the box to work out.

And are some Roswell fans none of those things? I mean, is the show particularly prone to relationships or are some fans not bothered?

By extension of that, I'm questioning my own viewing and, more crucially, my own fanfic-writing, and potential readership. Are some fanfic readers fundamentally non-shippers? Do some readers only see the ship as a secondary aspect of the story?

Because personally, I'm neither a Spuffy fan nor a Bangel fan. Nor a Spillow fan. (That comment was for Angie, if she ever reads this. ) I am, however, a keen Jesry fan, for you Gilmore Girls and boys reading this. (Actually, I'm not, I just like Jess.) But, mainly, what I'm wondering is, do we always watch, write, or read with the expectation that romance is going to be at the centre of the story? Without even knowing it???

The more I think about it, the more I realise that maybe, in my heart of hearts, I'm not a shipper at all. Because, to be honest, I'm not sure I like another woman (on a TV show) nicking the bloke I fancy. Is that basic?

That was my newbie philosophical question of the day. And now, after ages spent looking up "shippers", "fandom", "fanfiction" and various related terms, and to get away from romance and disappointment and hurt and the hardships that love for another person causes, I've decided, I'm in love with Wikipedia. :D

I'd like to have your views, though, if you wish to babble for a few minutes. (Also, I'd like an end to my quest for the definitions of the Roswell words above . )

[Island Breeze]

Hey, Aissy! I saw this and thought I'd have a go at it! I sometimes do think that people get too into ships; that is, they get too emotionally involved in only one couple. To me, the whole cast made Roswell what it was. I loved them all! Having said that, though, I'm a Dreamer first and foremost, but also a Candy person and sometimes Stargazer. Oh what the heck... and Lamptrimmer, now, too, I guess. But for some reason, Roswell fans tend to "adopt" a couple more than other fandoms do it seems.

Okay "Dreamers" are those who like Max and Liz together or primarily Max and Liz. That one's kind of self-explanatory, I guess. Liz was always writing in her diary and dreaming about Max and he about her. They were the hot, kissing, all-over-each-other, romantic couple. I think fans just see them as dreamers. Michael and Maria are Candy (Michael/Maria... M&M's... Get it? It's as simple as that. But it fits. They're a fun couple, arguing a lot but lovable. Isabel and Alex are Stargazers. That comes from a trip they made to Frasier Woods one night, where they danced together and gazed at the stars. Alex later died, as you now know, and Isabel married a guy named Jesse. But Stargazers are strictly Isabel with Alex. And that ship is the only one that is technically non-canon, since she wound up marrying Jesse, but is considered conventional on every fanfic board I know. Polars, I think, are those who like to see Liz with Michael, mixing up the couples. They're polar opposites. Michael is headstrong and impulsive... and failing in school. Liz is romantic and a straight A student who plans to be head of biological nuclear something or other some day at Harvard and just could do it. They're polar opposites. Lamptrimmers are Kyle with Tess. I'm not really sure why lamptrimer. Loyalists are Kyle with Liz. That is because she was supposed to have been going with Kyle the year before she started going with Max on the show. So loyal would be loyal to Kyle. There's a whole list of these things somewher. I'll see if I can get them for you. But the main ones are these, especially the first three. :D

[majiklmoon]

. Lamptrimmers are Kyle with Tess. I'm not really sure why lamptrimer. . :D

It comes from the episode EotW Gerry

TESS: I never asked to be his mate. He thinks I'm just gonna wait around until he comes to terms with his destiny? Well, I'm not. He can figure it out on his own. They all can. You know, they didn't even know where the pod chamber was until I came along. I hate this life. I feel better.

KYLE: You look really great when you're pissed.

TESS: Yeah, right.

KYLE: No, I'm serious. I feel, like, all this energy coming from you right now. In order to trim the lamp of wisdom, we must attend to our bodily needs.

TESS: Let me tell you something, Buddha-boy...I got a lamp that needs some serious trimming

And don't leave out the other UC ships

Groupies - Alex/Maria
Lanewalkers - Sean/Liz
Streetwalkers - Rath/Maria
Awakened Dreamers - Zan/Liz
Cliffhangers - Isabel/Micheal
GZ - Max/Maria - this was formally Ground Zero, but after 9/11 it got shortened to GZ

[Island Breeze]

Aha! I learned something! Thanks, Tracie!

Here's a longer list. But anyone who knows ALL of these, probably has way too much time on their hands!

Characters
Applesaucers....Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby)
Behrians....Max Evans (Jason Behr)
Pixie Chicks....Maria DeLuca (Majandra Delfino) - due to her pixieish looks
Wild One....Isabel Evans (Katherine Heigl)
Fehrians....Michael Guerin (Brendan Fehr)
Donors....Alex (Colin Hanks) - from the episode where he allows them to use a blood sample from him to save Max's secret, though they won't tell him why he needs it
Hussy....Tess (Emilie de Ravin) - And I would add "Gerbil" for Tess, on some ff boards - Dreamers don't like her because she went after Max)
Cheerleaders....Kyle Valenti (Nick Wechsler) - He was a football player in high school
Valentines....Jim Valenti (William Sadler)
Delinquents....Sean
Bob....Max's Jeep

Conventional Couples
Dreamers....Max and Liz
Candygirls/guys....Michael and Maria
Stargazers....Alex and Isabel
Lamptrimmers....Kyle and Tess (Or Rebounders, to some)

Unconventional Couples
Cliffhangers....Michael and Isabel
Creamers....Kyle and Isabel
Rebels....Max and Tess
Groupies....Alex and Maria
Loyalists....Kyle and Liz
Polarists....Michael and Liz
Ground Zero....Max and Maria
True Bluers....Alex and Liz
Fifth Wheelers....Alex and Tess
Rebound Team....Kyle and Maria
Pepperjackers....Brody and Maria

[Aissy]

This is so educational! :D No, seriously, it's mad. And there I was with my pityful "Spuffy". :D I love this stuff though. It just blows your mind. But apparently, judging by the length of the lists, I think my intuition was correct when I assumed that Roswell was very "shippable". For a start, it seems that there's loads of males and females, that helps somehow, form a lot of couples.

It's cool, I like learning new things. I like M + M = M&M = Candy, it's cute.

I'll definitely come back to this post when I wanna know what you lot are on about.

And all hope isn't lost for the non-so-majorly-shippers among us. Phew.

[majiklmoon]

Don't worry, there are plenty of non-ship stories out there. Or at least CC - conventional couples stories. They way it was on the show.

You should rent the dvd's and check it out. You will enjoy it i'm sure

[Angie]

There are a lot of different shipper titles out there - wow! I knew some of them, but not all of them by any means. I like reading stories with shippers I like because I like the possibility of romance - i.e. Jess/Rory, Alex/Tess, etc., because it gives me something to look forward to reading.

Most don't like Spillow, Aissy, so you're not alone! LOL! I prefer Spuffy though over Spillow, but I like both shippers. I guess I"m weird that way, lol, I like UC pairings to see what could have been...

[Aissy]

Heehee, I've come a long way since I wrote that post, so I'm a lot more up-to-date with ships these days.

I don't really have anything against Spillow, any more than any UC... I basically know what I like now, and that's ships that make sense. I have been known to pair Spike and Fred or Spike and Illyria, but only if it fits within my plot.

And as a reader, I enjoy anything that I deem "possible". Spillow can be right on the verge of that, for me, it all depends on how it happens. And I'm afraid, at the risk of being unpopular, slash is very much on the other side of possible, again, for me as a reader. I have nothing against people writing slash, I even read slash if I have to but to be honest I don't enjoy it cos it's too far-fetched for me. Probably my imagination is very limited - and I don't want to start an umpteenth debate about slash. I believe fanfic writers have every right to write slash. Just like fanfic readers have every right not to like slash.

But I think, yeah, fundamentally, I'm a non-shipper (still), or at least when I write a ship it's not usually the main story in the story. Although I do like having a secondary shippery story going on. I don't knoooow. I still think it's an interesting topic, anyway.

[Angie]

I agree with you, Aissy, I think this is an interesting topic! I think it's cool that you write a story plot as it is without it being focused on a main couple - I think it gives more freedom on writing what's happening overall and not just to the couple. I've read stories like this and enjoyed them as much as I do the ones that are couple-focused. As to slash, I have to say I have a tough time reading it, with the exception of Tara and Willow - I liked them together. I am not against those who write it or read it, I just personally can't get into it myself.