I Met You On LJ

Get out the tissues, at least if you're V! This is the final episode of I Met You On LJ. Maggie and V mark the occasion with a deep discussion about discourse and then count down their respective top five episodes of the show. We love you.

Polish your lance! (Heh.) In ye olde penultimate episode of IMYOLJ, Maggie and V discuss all things knight-in-shining-armor, especially Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale, Dev Patel and his fancy chest in The Green Knight, and the travesty that is the DCOM Avalon High. Plus, why knights are totally relevant to fandom and fanfiction, and Maggie sings an original song from high school that totally doesn't rip off Enrique Iglesias' "Hero."

Words have meanings! This week, Maggie and V have a chat with the delightful four-time Hugo Award nominee Foz Meadows. They discuss Dune, BTS, Call Me By Your Name, and the ravages of purity culture on fannish spaces. Foz brings their well-known thoughtful consideration and love of words to a heavy discussion with, of course, some spots of ridiculousness. Plus, the phrase "Twinks Unwrangled."

Waaaaalt! In this episode, Maggie and V take a trip further back down memory lane than they've ever gone before and talk about fandoms they participated in before they really got into internet fandom (or before there was an internet at all). V waxes poetic about American Girl, and Maggie tells stories about Lost viewing parties. Plus, spoiler-free excitement over Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Matrix Resurrections.

Someone sat on us again! This week, after our unplanned mini-break, Maggie and V are back with four tales of New York City girls who are some stripe of American royalty and experience miracles to great soundtracks. V is bringing you The Princess Diaries book series and 1999's Annie, while Maggie reps A Little Princess and the 1982 Annie. Plus, Paul Rudd is the sexiest man alive, Maggie's love Jon Bernthal was lighthearted in King Richard, and V does not spoil Eternals or Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Pause before posting that meta! This week, Maggie and V are joined by Violeta @morethanonepage​, winner of 2021′s Fandom March Madness, to talk about coding. Why do so many Black characters in scifi have purple or blue skin? What's the difference between queerbaiting and queer-coding? Is Kylo Ren really a femme? Does Loki represent white supremacy or transracial adoption narratives? Plus, Violeta joins in on “What Are You Into This Week” with a rec of her own!

Hello, Donnie! Join your sestras Maggie and V for a deep-dive into Orphan Black (2013-2017), because they finally finished the entire show. Maggie weighs in on Sarah Manning's parenting skills, V has feelings about the Castor clones, and unfortunately both of them are probably the most like Alison. Plus, the fandoms of the week are on theme as both Maggie and V recommend some talented lady DIYers.

Think before you tweet! This week, Maggie and V are joined by Stitch of Teen Vogue and Stitch's Media Mix to discuss the current state of fandom, cyberbullying and harassment in fandom spaces, Loki, A/B/O, BTS, and so much more. It's an episode that's been requested by more than just our Patrons, and we're so excited to be able to share it with you!

Watch your eBay bids! This week, Maggie and V answer a fan-picked question: what is the deal with curatorial fandom, and how is it different from transformative fandom? Since Maggie and V are both fanfic writers, they turned to the biggest collector and non-fanfic-person they know to speak to curatorial fandom: V's dad. Plus, two adults in their 30s lose their whole minds over Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in The Sandlot.

Tag your posts! This week, Maggie and V are joined by the illustrious Meme Librarian Amanda Brennan to discuss all things Tumblr, tagging, metadata, and fandoms-by-proxy. But before they get to the interview, Maggie and V discuss what fandoms they've had by-proxy and V gets Supernatural and The Punisher very, very wrong. Or right. You be the judge.

Celebrate good times, come on! I Met You On LJ is a year old, so join Maggie and V on a journey back in time to the forgotten mega-fandom: Twilight. After discussing the vampire saga's racist, misogynistic origins, they get into the weeds over the franchise's 150,000+ fanfictions, why people like Edward Cullen, and the strange appeal of Bella Swan. Hold on tight, spidermonkeys!

Fire up the grill! This week, Maggie and V explore the wondrous topic of great father figures and surrogate-dad characters in the media they love: Jim Hopper, Frank Castle, Dr. Alan Grant, Sirius Black, and Din Djarin/Mandalorian (with some honorary special mentions like Tony Stark, Mr. Feeny, and Geralt of Rivia). They tell bad jokes! They make cheeseburgers! They fix your problems, kind of! Hats off to the father figures who make our favorite characters' lives brighter. Plus, Maggie has an existential crisis and V loves television.

Keep your friends close and your mutuals closer! This week, Maggie and V delve deep into the world of parasocial relationships and their impact on fandom. From the Aubrey Plaza/Elizabeth Olsen stalker film Ingrid Goes West to the differing cultures of LiveJournal, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter, parasocial relationships are all around us and we all have them -- whether we like it or not. Plus, Maggie found a new TV show in The White Lotus, and V has a parasocial relationship to Paul Rudd lately.

Embrace accessibility! This week, Maggie and V are joined by Queerty writer and former Grey's Anatomy superfan Josh Galassi to discuss disability and fandom, whether it's the positive way that fandom fosters open community or the negative effects of Hollywood's ableism. Plus, frank discussion of how disability intersects with queerness on the dating and love scene -- even in our own imaginations with fanfiction.

Filter your AO3 search! This week, Maggie and V return to the panoply of fave fanfiction tropes and how they work for different types of canons. From bed sharing to dead dove do not eat, the world of fanfiction really runs the gamut. Plus, a scathing critique of Tumblr's new Post+, and V shares a humiliating story.

Why the hell is there an alligator in here?! Join Maggie & V for a special bonus episode featuring their friend, certified Loki Girl(™) @dracosollicitus, for a trip through the Jeremy Bearimy of the MCU's newborn multiverse with Loki (Disney+). They wonder where Time Criminal Steve Rogers is now, ponder the moral implications of self-cest versus queerness, and applaud the spellbinding Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. Plus, do Maggie and/or V like Loki (the character) now?

Boo! Join Maggie and V for a creep through some very different haunted houses as they discuss BBC's Ghosts, the movie Ghost (1990), and Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House. What makes ghosts horrifying? Why are women never believed? What was up with Demi Moore's hair? What's making that bump in the night? Plus, Maggie gets her dream interior decorator by proxy on, and V recommends a spooky summer read with Maureen Johnson's The Box in the Woods.

You're such a poser! Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that heads into the wild past of Natasha Romanov with Marvel's Black Widow (2021). They discuss how belated this entry to the MCU canon really is, the horror of the Red Room, and Maggie's crush on David Harbour. Plus, some iffy but fun Russian accents.

And they were actually just roommates! In this fan pick episode, Maggie and V talk about platonic relationships, the ways they are and aren't represented in fandom, and how they're represented in the 90s TV sitcom sensation, Friends. And because it's Maggie and V, there's also a fair amount of romance. In the intro, Maggie talks at length about Sarah Wilson, and V got to stand in front of Captain America's costume!

Cheers to enthusiastic consent! This week, Maggie and V interview sex and culture critic Ella Dawson about erotica, bad boys, and STIs. From the effects of loving Draco Malfoy on her college dating life to the lack of positive STI+ representation in media and fanfiction, Ella shares her expertise on writing with personal bravery and the consequences of being extremely online. Plus, V tried a TV musical and Maggie watched Monday just to see Sebastian Stan's weiner.

Examine your biases! This week, Maggie and V talk about writing, or not writing, characters of color; conversations around diversity in media and publishing; and the myriad reasons why fandom writes two white guys all the time. Things get personal. Plus, a first impression of Loki and a monsoon of drabbles.

Grab the goods and run! This week, Maggie and V talk about ladies of crime, from Good Girls who are terrible at money laundering to the fabulous women of Ocean's Eight, who are very good at heists. Plus, Maggie has mixed feelings about Mare of Easttown, and V recommends a classic 1930s detective series—and gives props to the ultimate lady of crime, Carmen Sandiego.

Settle in for some rollercoasters! This week, Maggie and V break down three epic tales of power, deceit, and downfall in fandom--Msscribe, Rose Christo, and hivliving. From an army of sockpuppets to cannibal mermaids, if you can imagine it, someone's tried it in order to keep people clicking on their fanfiction. What happens when power and community trust go to someone's head? Join us as we plumb the depths of bad behavior.

Watch out for tarantulas! This week, V and Maggie interview Hugo-Award winning author and lifelong fangirl Seanan McGuire about gender politics, the meaning of transformative works, Disney Channel Original Movies, dystopian writing during a pandemic, and one very unfortunate incident at the Circle K.

Fandom is not a community in a lawless space! This week, Maggie and V talk about the platforms used by fandom over the last two and half decades, and how the limits and capabilities of those sites inform how fan communities work. They discuss purity culture, common sense rules, safe spaces, Release 88, and of course, Sexy Times With Wangxian. In the intro, V is rewatching Psych, and Maggie is seriously considering an Olivia Rodrigo Halloween costume.

Not everything has to be a franchise! This week, Maggie and V explore an essential classic, a fun sequel, and an awful remake through the absolute rollercoaster that is Dirty Dancing. They break down the beautiful and ridiculous costumes, the effective and terrible storylines, and of course the bangin’ soundtracks. Plus, Tanya Saracho excels with the phenomenal Starz series Vida, and Tina Fey continues to not evolve through Girls5eva.

Open a private browser! This week, Maggie and V are talking about a panoply of fave fanfiction tropes and how they work for different types of canons. From A/B/O to xeno fic -- aliens! -- the world of fanfiction really runs the gamut and so does this Patreon fan-picked episode. Plus, Maggie continues her descent into the depths of Bin Bons love and V recommends two podcasts and a sitcom.

Quick, find a goat! Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that dissects the manipulative villainy of The Darkling (but drools over Ben Barnes/Bin Bons), admires Alina and Inej, and invents the best Titanic-meets-the-Grishaverse-AU that no one’s written yet. No mourners, no funerals: it’s the Shadow & Bone (Netflix) Thoughts’n’Feelings episode!

Grab your BFF! This week, Maggie and V interview titans of Twilight fandom, LolaShoes and tby789, professionally known as NYT Bestselling romance author Christina Lauren! Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs talk co-writing, pulling to publish, Fandom Gives Back, and of course Rob Pattinson’s airbrushed abs. Check out their sage advice about balancing work with friendship and what their new book The Soulmate Equation would be tagged if it were a fic, with bonus squeeing about BTS. Plus, V discovers AO3 bookmarks and Maggie recounts Lizzo shooting her shot at Chris Evans.

Move your seat up! Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that squees over Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, questions which of the show's antagonists deserved redemption, and recoils in disgust and horror from the sh*tshow that is John Walker. You knew it was coming... this is the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier thoughts'n'feelings episode.

Not all fourth wall breaks are bad! This week, Maggie and V discuss two very different shows where the female protagonists keep it real only with the audience: Fleabag and Lizzie McGuire. They break down these shows’ relationships to best friends, crushes, likability, and cruelty. And, of course: fashion montages and iconic hairstyles. Also, Maggie and V admit to their most embarrassing moments in school and discuss the wide wide world of MCU fanfiction.

Let’s talk about racism in fandom! In this fan pick episode, Maggie and V discuss the complicated topic of how fandoms ignore and vilify their characters of color, most notably Finn, Poe Dameron, Sam Wilson, and Scott McCall. They also get into it about the explicit white supremacy around the characters of Kylo Ren, Snape, and Loki. There are no easy solutions.

What time travel paradox? For the first time in thirteen years, Maggie and V share a pairing and whaddya know, our Patreon donor of the week shares it, too. This week, we’re discussing the fandom juggernaut of Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes (Marvel’s Captain America and the Winter Soldier) through the lens of heroic male love--and no great hero ever ends up happy. Plus, lots of love for fictional lady Darcy Lewis and real-life woman Jenny Slate, some silly fannish terms, and one very cute dog.

Grab your patent leather trenchcoat! This week, tumble down the rabbithole with Allison Stock from the It’s All Fandom podcast, who gives V and Maggie the download on early Matrix fandom, and we all reminisce about Web 1.0. Plus, this episode features the best freestyle rap about The Matrix ever composed.

Uncork your vial of oil! This week, Maggie and V break down three slash ships where one side is a foreign invader--Marcus/Esca, Ragnar/Athelstan, and of course Joe/Nicky. Apparently, the only enemies-to-lovers ships that Maggie and V like existed in far-off centuries? Maggie discusses the ethics of shipping when the Two White Guys pairing is canonically master/slave, while V questions how in the world Joe and Nicky got together. It all culminates in discussing fandom’s internalized biases and the only battle more ancient than the three our pairings fought in: the Top Wars.

Don't forget your disclaimer! Maggie and V are talking all things swoonworthy celeb as they explore the thorny topic of RPF (real-person fiction) in this Patreon Fan Pick episode. They compare and contrast the writing techniques of RPF with those of media-based fanfiction, talk painful moments when they outed themselves as RPF writers and were judged by fellow fans, and detail some fannish history that doesn't get enough attention. Plus, two Stucky fic recs from V and a music rec from Maggie.

You asked for it, and Maggie answers! To replace the dramatic reading of "My Immortal," our very own Maggie becomes Dear Maggie and answers your questions about life and fandom. Only Patreon donors can ask questions, but everyone can hear sage advice (because we all need it, right?).

What is fandom if not love persevering? Join Maggie and V for a special bonus episode that detangles the many strands of a multiverse that didn't happen (yet), begs Marvel for more of the Hex Trio, and celebrates how it was Agatha all along. This is the requisite WandaVision thoughts'n'feelings episode.

He’s the sexy, beefy guy who’s not scary! This week, in their first Patreon Fan Pick, Maggie and V dive into the oiled-up dreamworld of the himbo, from Central Perk to the Bad Place. Get ready for Joey, Jason, George, Ethan, Kevin, Eric, Keanu, and Brad--they’re the chaotic, smiley, guileless, sensitive princes of comedy and we love them for it.

Larries and Charmies and QAnon, oh my! This week, Maggie and V discuss how conspiracy theories have infiltrated real person slash fandoms and the US government with Skye from the aptly-named podcast Shit Larries Say. They cover the erosion of the fourth wall, the rise of social media, fandom’s persistent problem with internalized misogyny, and why it’s so difficult to get your loved ones out of a conspiracy theory. There’s no such thing as a fake baby, folks.

We’ve connected the dots, and we want to believe! Join Maggie and V as they explore the spooky world of opposites-attract pairings with The X Files and Buzzfeed Unsolved. They discuss the ancient etymology of some key fannish phrases, search out the elusive Tol & Smol, and invoke a cursed quiz to find out whether they are A Ryan or A Shane. Plus, V has an out-there theory about OTPs, and Maggie finally watched The Mandalorian! And… what’s that eerie sound that definitely is not whistling?

Y’all ready for this? Maggie and V run through a few of their favorite not-like-other-girls who do extracurriculars and/or should have been lesbians: Bring It On, Bend It Like Beckham, Stick It!, and Pitch Perfect. They break down how each movie deals with race, gender, ambition, and soft boyfriends. Some age well and some do not! And V raps the entirety of “Aaron’s Party.”

Whoa! Happy Valentine’s Day! For this joyous holiday, Maggie and V celebrate the catalogs of two stars who just may, kind of, perhaps, be married (in Romania, possibly) -- Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. This episode could also be called “Maggie and V watched Bram Stoker’s Dracula So You Don’t Have To.” Join in a rundown of two beautiful people’s illustrious careers with a whole lot of thirsting all around, and lick it up, baby. Lick. It. Up.

This week, Maggie and V are joined by Drew and Cassie from the Of Slippers and Spindles Podcast to talk about fanfiction, fairytales, and folktales! They discuss centuries of stories, ridonkulous plotlines, anonymous pen pals, and of course, the ways that transformative works of all kinds help humanity hold onto its soul through dark and troubled times.

Females are strong as hell! This week, Maggie and V discuss two shows about women who get kidnapped and put in bunkers, The OA and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. They cover ideas about therapy, fear, dancing, mental and literal escapes, and awful men. Plus, Maggie and V are finally watching the same TV show—WandaVision—and we get a short update on Maggie’s rage against Armie Hammer.

Sharpen your pencils! This week, Maggie and V discuss the evolution of their beta-writer relationship and psychoanalyze their vastly different writing styles. They discuss their oldest writing, their current WIPs, and how they’ve helped each other grow their skill with each work they write. Plus, some thoughts on co-writing, cybersex, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s penis. In the intro, IMYOLJ denounces Armie Hammer in the strongest possible terms (no graphic detail included, just rage). The podcast stands beside the brave women coming forward with their stories. If you have suffered sexual violence, please know that you are not alone and that you can find help and support at RAINN.org.

Zedus lapedus! This week, Maggie and V compare and contrast two films with shockingly similar themes surrounding feminism, technology, and self-discovery: Alex Garland’s sci-fi masterpiece Ex Machina and the metallic spandex classic Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. Also, Maggie gushes about meeting Jon Bernthal.

Bamm, join the zombie jam! This week, Maggie and V are joined by their LJ friend Sherell Williams to talk about the undead--and thank god, because V can’t do The Walking Dead and Maggie had a hard time with the DCOM Z•O•M•B•I•E•S beyond appreciating the politics. Plus, a discussion of the benefits of LiveJournal-era fandom and a mourning for times past.

Trust your gut! This week, Maggie and V analyze their favorite transgressive lady detectives through the decades: Nancy Drew, The Bletchley Circle, Veronica Mars, and Jessica Jones. They compare and contrast the ways each of these women navigate the sexism of their time, respond to sexual assault, and struggle to ever grow emotionally. Plus, V self-comforts after The Mandalorian season finale, and Maggie quibbles with The Queen’s Gambit.

Get on the truck! This week, V and Maggie discuss two road trip movies that couldn't be more different -- except that they're both good examples of sequels better than the original films. Maggie forces V to watch Magic Mike XXL and V is never surer of being a huge lesbian, then both pals discuss the masterpiece that is Mad Max: Fury Road (and V remains a huge lesbian for Charlize Theron). They also give props to Oscar Isaac's butt in Triple Frontier and Diego Luna's face in the Andor sizzle reel.

Grab your backstage pass! This week, V and Maggie recount their Best Fandom Days Ever: two different but totally unforgettable person-to-person experiences they had with their favorite artists. V tells the story of interviewing Dream Street’s Greg Raposo backstage at the House of Blues when she was 17, and Maggie talks about meeting one of her personal heroes, musician and drug counselor Bob Forrest at a tiny solo show in 2015. Plus, a very special celebrity's lunch makes an appearance.