Fanthropological
Exploring the weird and wonderful world of fandoms! Every week, we deliver fandom-related "fanalysis" complete with hard data, guests, and, of course, rampant speculation!
Episodes
October 16, 2020 • 50 mins
Wow. This it… the end of an era. How do you summarize four years of exploring the breadth of human fandom? This week, we talk about the journey from the beginning to the end of Fanthropological, what we learned, loved, and hated… and so much more!
## Where can I get updates?
If you want to follow us on social media, we’ve got you covered:
* Facebook: [facebook.com/thenickscast](h...
Mark as Played
October 9, 2020 • 30 mins
As we continue wrapping up Fanthropological, we talk about several alternate universes (AUs) of topics we could have covered.
Topics we would have liked to have covered
* Number 5
* Z’s Choice: Haruki Murakami, or
* T’s Choice: VTubers
* G’s Choice: Folk Music
* Number 4
* Z’s Choice: “Concept: Are there fandom archetypes?”
* T’s Choice: Dan Harmon’...
Mark as Played
October 2, 2020 • 36 mins
If you’re joining us for the first time, sorry to say this is the beginning of the end of Fanthropological. Join us as we revisit our favourite episodes (and maybe check them out)!
Our favourite episodes:
* Number 5
* [Z’s Choice: Zelda](https://fanthropological.com/zelda)
* [T’s Choice: Nier](https://fanthropological.com/nier)
* [G’s Choice: Galaga](https://fanth...
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July 31, 2020 • 23 mins
Inspired by our upcoming charity marathon, the Race Against Time, we’re back to talking about sequels and how they change fandom. A fandom can live off of very little material (e.g. Reboot, Chrono Trigger) … but what happens when there is a sequel? Is that a good thing?
In particular, we talk about:
* How sequels allow for the creation of new communities
* How sequels ‘change you...
Mark as Played
July 17, 2020 • 25 mins
What happens 30 years after a TV show finishes? Is the fandom … over? What is the relationship between a series ending and a fandom ending? And what happens if the creator turns out to be an _awful_ person. This week it’s all over as we talk about the role and effect of endings in fandom… and in life?
In particular, we talk about:
* How the peak of a fandom may have already passed ...
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July 3, 2020 • 19 mins
It’s all coming together people: the role of the artist, problematic works / creators, media criticism, consumerism and capitalism… and at the heart of it? Stans. As far as fandom goes, is it the stans who rule the roost? And is that for the better… or for the worse?!
In particular, we talk about:
* Take inflation and how hyperbole often destroys opportunity for nuance
* The unfo...
Mark as Played
June 19, 2020 • 18 mins
Everything you consume is political; 100%! _It cannot be avoided_ and, really, that point shouldn’t be avoided _anyway_! Why then do people insist that the fandoms and media that they participate in be apolitical? This week, we’ve definitely got things to say!
In particular, we talk about:
* How media normalizes certain behaviours and ideas, and makes them the default experience
* ...
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June 6, 2020 • 23 mins
Are you ready for the next… Labyrinth? _Stripes_?! Who is coming up with these remakes, and why can’t we get new material? This week, we’re talking all about the world of fandom, adaptations, reboots, and so on!
In particular, we talk about:
* How money is an important contributor in the sustainability and creation of remakes (and how franchises never die as a result)
* Where reb...
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May 22, 2020 • 22 mins
With the world in the middle of a global pandemic, it’s time to try to answer the question, as fans, do we _need_ to meet face to face? While it goes without saying that we don’t _have_ to meet face to face… how does that change the wide world of fandom?
In particular, we talk about:
* The limitations of online communication, including the role that conventions and other events pla...
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May 8, 2020 • 19 mins
Should we get emotionally attached to fictional characters? Of course we do, intentionally or not… but _should_ we? No guarantees that we get anywhere near addressing that, but we definitely dig into how and why people get attached to characters (for good reasons… and for reasons)!
In particular, we talk about:
* The (non-)distinction between fictional and real characters… and real...
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April 24, 2020 • 22 mins
Spoiler alert: You’ve been warned! We could spoil literally anything! That actor you like? They’re in this! That plot twist? Revealed! Deep lore?! … Probably?
In all seriousness, we’re talking about what exactly _are_ spoilers, and how they impact people’s experience with the media that they consume (and, in general, how people perceive media).
In particular, we talk about:
* The ...
Mark as Played
April 10, 2020 • 24 mins
The signs are all there, people! Have you heard the good word (of Firefly)? May the force be with you (and also with you)! Though there’re lots of superficial connections between fandom and religion, could there be a stronger link? Some sort of… divine connection?
In this episode, we’re all over the place, including:
* The appropriation of language from other sources (e.g. canoniza...
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April 1, 2020 • 11 mins
Tune in to our totally real television show! On this week’s episode, Shakespeare and Nick Frye (the fandom guy) really dig into fans of stamp collecting, and the fascinating history of the hobby and unique origins of its name (philately).
Oh drat, looks like Shakespeare is going back to jail again
Mark as Played
March 27, 2020 • 21 mins
Fandom has changed a lot, and over time has gone from something on the fringe of society to the forefront. Does that also mean that fandom has moved towards a key part, an integral piece of people’s personal identity?
In this episode, we dig a bit about representation and self-identification as well as:
* What does being a fan of something even mean?!
* The (non) importance of le...
Mark as Played
March 13, 2020 • 29 mins
It’s fair to say that fans can take things too far, right? To the point of taking certain facts of a series and canonizing (a _biblical_ term) them, deciding which elements are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’? Or even mixing up canon and tradition and requiring long-running media to follow old rules because that’s the way it’s always been!
In this episode, we dig a bit into what canon means, in fan...
Mark as Played
February 28, 2020 • 28 mins
Combined, we’ve been playing tabletop games (let’s admit it, mostly Dungeons and Dragons) for decades, but what is it about a game that takes it from a good one, to a great one? We try to answer the question “what makes a great tabletop experience?” (And the answer _isn’t_ everyone starting on time… though it should be!). We cover…
* The lack of importance of verisimilitude
* The ...
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February 14, 2020 • 21 mins
Hopefully, the phrase “Aren’t you too old for this?” has come up less and less as time goes on… but it still comes up! We dig into what it even means to be too old for fandom!
* Why do people try to relive their childhood (and is it just nostalgia)?
* Is it even a bad thing to be a fan of things as an adult?
* Why is it a problem to have fun as an adult?
And a lot more! All in ...
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January 31, 2020 • 22 mins
New year, new format, new episode! This week, we ask the question “Is it ok to be a fan of bad things?”. Disregarding what _bad_ means, we dig into:
* Solidarity in fans of bad media
* Bad media as a metaphor for life
* Bad media as a references for good media
And a lot more! All in under 30 minutes!
## Where can I get updates?
If you want to follow us on social media, we’ve...
Mark as Played
December 23, 2019 • 50 mins
How the heck do you summarize a fandom about eleven years of films… themselves spanning twenty-three movies so far?! We’ve reached the endgame of this infinity war of fandoms, folks… and it’s time to put everything in perfect balance.
## Episode Outline
**Topics:** Representation in media, fan entitlement, discrimination in fandom, death of the author, authorial intent, the role of fa...
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December 15, 2019 • 56 mins
Here we are in the future... and talking about the lessons, culture, and fandom of Steven and the Crystal Gems! Why is it so popular, especially among other contemporary animations?
_“Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It is Cartoon Network's first animated series to be created solely by a woman. It is the coming-of-ag...
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