Shows / This Week In Fandom History
This Week In Fandom History
A podcast about why fandom matters. Co-hosted by V. Arrow and Emily Jaye, This Week In Fandom History celebrates fandom culture's highest highs and weirdest lows. With which short-lived vampire cop drama was the very first X-Files fanfiction crossed over? Who is Tara Gilesbie? How recently did the Starsky & Hutch Lending Library rent out its last zine? What were Strikethrough, Racefail, LGBTFansDeserveBetter, and Conchobar, anyway? V and Emily trade off some deep-internet research each week to…
Episodes
This Week In Fandom HistoryFebruary 10, 2003: "Flesh Mechanic" Changes The Fic Game And We're Obsessed
God must have spent a little more time on Flesh Mechanic! (Actually, Kel and Lise did.) This week, V and Emily FREAK THE FUCK OUT over the single best…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJanuary 21, 2002: The First Time Someone Posted A Five Times Fic
+1! This week, Emily and V look at everyone's favorite fic format, the 5+1 fic. This humble story structure seems like it's always been a part of fandom, or…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 17-18, 2014: Makorra Bottles Never Popped, Korrasami Changes Cartoons
Well, this happened. This week, V and Emily take a look at two simultaneous fandom events in a fandom neither knows well: The Legend of Korra. And really, both…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 14, 2001: Save Daniel Jackson, And Other Fan Campaigns
Gate those stars! This week, Emily and V take a look at fannish campaigns to save beloved TV shows and beloved characters, focusing on one in particular: the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 5, 2023: #reylogate AKA #reviewgate AKA This Again
#reylos are at it again! This week, V and Emily dive headfirst into a HIGHLY requested event in fandom history: when reylo-turned-pro author Cait Corrain…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 24, 2015: Lexa Buys (a) Fish.
#relationshipgoals! This week, Emily and V look at a Incorrect Quotes post from The 100 fandom that broke containment in a big way, and how normies -- and…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 23, 1963: 11/23/63
No, not THAT historical event from November 1963! This week, V and Emily take a trip back in time to a notorious week to explore how a real-life major event in…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 3, 2017: Thor: Ragnarok Divides the MCU Fandom
And he was like, BLEGHGH! IT'S ME! Or rather, it's us! We're back. This week, Emily and V take a look at the ways that Thor: Ragnarok divided the MCU fandom as…
This Week In Fandom HistorySeptember 20, 2020: Heat Waves, Or: We Try to Understand MCYT
We don't know enough about this fandom to have a silly exclamation at the start of this summary, tbh! This week, V and Emily stumble along in the dark as they…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJuly 1997: Highlander [WAR!] II
They're on a boat! This week, Emily and V finally tackle a topic requested by one of our wonderful Patreon supporters, @elismor, who also wrote up an AMAZING…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 5, 2020: November 5! With Special Guest, SPN Writer Meghan Fitzmartin
Happy November 5! This week, V and Emily are joined by special guest, Supernatural writer Meghan Fitzmartin, who gives us the skinny on what it was like from…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJuly 19, 2019: Veronica Mars Kills Off LoVe... And Its Entire Fandom
KABOOM! This week, V and Emily discuss a fandom that V was very much in, and is very much no longer in. Because no one is. Because the showrunner used the Hulu…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJuly 11, 2016: Voltron Fandom Airs Its "Dirty Laundry"
Not again... This week, Emily and V look at yet another time that a fandom cannibalized one of its own because of popularity. This time, it's Voltron…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJuly 12, 2013: Pacific Rim Released, Pacific Rim AUs Invented
Into the drift! This week, V and Emily talk, once again, about a movie that V has never seen but that fandom loves: Pacific Rim. Topics include the Mako Mori…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJune 20, 1904: Saluton, Morojo! (The Invention of Cosplay)
Saluton! This week, Emily and V look at the life of one of fandom's under-appreciated heroes: Morojo, AKA Myrtle Rebecca Smith Gray Nolan (née Douglas), the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJune 14, 2021: The NSFW Episode (Thanks, Batman)
Holy lunch at the Y, Batman! This week, V and Emily just rate which, if any, superheroes are fuckable, because DC's editorial team made an edict in 2021 that…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJune 8, 2024: A Surprise for Emily! (TW Mentions of Suicide, Parental Grief, Religious Control)
Roll for initiative! This week, V and Emily use the actual "what happened this week in fandom history" event (the USPS released Dungeons & Dragons themed…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJune 3, 2011: Cherik Explodes the X-Men Multiverse
To us, our X-fandom-historians! This week, Emily and V venture once again into a fandom that has way too many moving parts to understand as they discuss the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMay 25: A Double Nerd Holiday!
Grab your towel and your hard-boiled egg, nerds! This week, Emily and V look at a double holiday once again, because May 25 is a big day for two big fandoms…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMay 19, 1997: Clan Denial Avenges Richie Ryan... On the High Seas
There can only be one! And that one better fucking be Richie Ryan! This week, V and Emily tackle a requested topic from lovely Patron @elismor and look at the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMay 1–31, 2020: The First VoiceTeam!
Let's get together, yeah yeah yeah! This week, Emily and V head to summer camp! That is, we discuss the podfic summer camp extravaganza that is VoiceTeam, an…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMay 6, 2001: BNF Leyla Harrison Appears on The X-Files
Grab your tissues, it's a crying episode! This week, V and Emily look at the short life and long impact of X-Files BNF (Big Name Fan) and BNA (Big Name…
- This Week In Fandom History
April 27, 2023: Fanbinding Puts Dramione Fandom in a Bind
Going once, going twice, sold... unfortunately! This week, Emily and V look at an event requested back while it was actually happening: the 2023 fanbinding…
This Week In Fandom HistoryApril 20, 2000: The Haircut Warning Wars
Grab your floaties! This week, V and Emily travel back 25 years (gross) to the spring of 2000, when the internet was the Wild West and everyone was an asshole…
This Week In Fandom HistoryApril 13: Homestuck Banging Out the Tunes
We finally learned what Homestuck is! This week, Emily and V look at a very special double-holiday: April 13, the day that Neil banged out the tunes and, also…
This Week In Fandom HistoryBONUS! Trans Fans Have Always Been Here (TW Old-Fashioned Terminology Uses)
In light of certain fandoms' creators recently using their considerable fortunes to substantively make life worse for trans people, particularly trans women…
This Week In Fandom HistoryApril 8, 2023: Trans Hanni Day + Adapt, Evolve, Become
Do you see, Will? This week, V and Emily finally have a happy, joyous, euphoric episode! And it's about... Hannibal, the scariest show ever to be on…
- This Week In Fandom History
March 31, 1995: The Death of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (TW: Murder, gun violence)
This week, Emily and V look at the brilliant life and tragic death of the Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, who was murdered by the president of…
- This Week In Fandom History
March 28, 2010: The Indie Twific Award Winners Announced
AU/AH/OOC! This week, V and Emily fall down an Internet rabbithole to the wild and weird world of Twilight fanfiction in 2010, where contests, rec blogs, and…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMarch 16, 2014: Wizard Rock Goes Down in Flames (TW Sexual Assault, Coercive Control, Emotional Abuse, Neil Gaiman Discussion)
Yuck... This week, Emily and V tackle a requested topic and look at the downfall of wrock, AKA Wizard Rock, aka music about Harry Potter made by semi-pro…
This Week In Fandom HistoryBONUS! Femslash Deep Dive with TGIF/F
Thank god it's femslash... part two! This week, in lieu of a minisode, V and Emily were joined by jarrow, the founder of FaberryCon and TGIF/F (see Episode…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMarch 16, 1982: Earthshock Rocks Doctor Who Fandom
To the TARDIS! This week, V and Emily tackle a requested episode about a deeply controversial Doctor Who episode: Earthshock, which aired in 1982, featuring…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMinisode #007
What was the most shocking character death you've witnessed, and how did it make an impact on you? In 2025, TWIFH is starting something new… minisodes! These…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMarch 2, 2012: The Onceler Becomes Tumblr Sexyman Supreme
How bad can he be? This week, Emily and V peek through their fingers at their MOST REQUESTED TOPIC EVER: how The Onceler, from Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, became…
This Week In Fandom HistoryFebruary 28, 1986: Pretty In Pink Proves the Brat Pack Possess Power
That's not a name, that's a major appliance! This week, V and Emily use the release of iconic teen film "Pretty In Pink" as an excuse to look at the influence…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMinisode #005 + Minisode #006
How would you celebrate a holiday all about your blorbo? + What is the biggest contribution you've made to your fandom? Anything counts, including being a…
This Week In Fandom HistoryFebruary 15-17, 2013: FaberryCon East (Plus, T.G.I.Femslash!)
Thank god it's femslash! This week, Emily and V discuss the absolutely pie-in-the-sky delightful FaberryCon, a long-running convention dedicated to Quinn…
This Week In Fandom HistoryFebruary 12, 2011: The Odds Are Not In V's Favor
Thank you for your consideration! This week, V and Emily are joined by a very special guest, Heidi Tandy AKA Heidi8, who is on the show to explain the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryFebruary 2, 2024: #CoDay
He's a special li'l guy! This week, V and Emily look at a very recent event in fandom history, Star Wars: The Clone Wars' fannish holiday celebrating their…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJanuary 24, 1996: The NATPE 7 Strike Las Vegas
Get in position! This week, Emily and V look at one of the most impressive fan campaigns that we've ever covered on the show, and we also got to revisit one of…
- This Week In Fandom History
Minisode #004
If you could save one TV show from cancellation, what would it be — and what would you send to the network to save it? In 2025, TWIFH is starting something…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJanuary 19, 1993: The Death of Superman Almost Kills American Comics
Up, up, and oh no! This week, V and Emily take a request from listener @nerteragranadensis a little bit sideways and look at the ways that the "Death of…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMinisode #003
What is your favorite collectible or piece of fannish merch that you own? In 2025, TWIFH is starting something new... minisodes! These will be released on…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJanuary 14, 2014: SPN Versus The Beliebers, Or: The Dumbest Twitter Beef
Oy, vey. This week, Emily and V have a loosey-goosey look at the dumbest celebrity beef in the history of Twitter: Jared Padalecki versus the Beliebers. And…
This Week In Fandom HistoryMinisode #002 + Patreon Preview!
What is the silliest celebrity feud you've ever followed or had investment in? In 2025, TWIFH is starting something new... minisodes! These will be released on…
This Week In Fandom HistoryJanuary 1994: H.E.A.T. Sets Out to Avenge Green Lantern
In brightest day, in blackest night...! This week, V and Emily look at a demographic that we haven't covered too much on TWIFH: fanboys. And this week, it's…
- This Week In Fandom History
Minisode #001
Which fictional character would you go to battle for -- especially against their canon writer(s)? Happy New Year! In 2025, TWIFH is starting something new…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 30-31, 2019: John Boyega Is Attacked by Reylos (Again)
Twitter is a mistake... This week, Emily and V delve into the sordid, racist behavior of Reylos (Rey/Kylo Ren shippers) towards John Boyega (Finn) in the wake…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 1997: Kielle Founds the CBFFAs
To us, our X-people! This week, V and Emily try desperately to understand the X-Men-specific fic genre of Subreality, created by Kielle, a huge community…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 1998 - December 2011: The Hanson Advent Calendar
Oh my god. This week, Emily and V discovered the existence of the single most galaxy-brain brilliant fanfiction of all time. No spoilers, but you WILL NOT…
This Week In Fandom HistoryDecember 11, 2010: Fancake Opens with "Amnesia" ft. Interview with Jerakeen!
Holy shit, two cakes! This week, V and Emily poke around over on Dreamwidth and its potentially coolest rec comm: Fancake. Its founder and former longtime mod…
This Week In Fandom History1924: The Centennial Special!
The bees' knees! This week, for the ONE HUNDREDTH EPISODE, V and Emily take a trip back 100 years to look at four fandoms that ruled the year of 1924: George…
- This Week In Fandom History
November 23, 1998: It's Up To You As Nancy Drew
It's locked! This week, V and Emily (although V hardly gives Emily a chance to get a word in edgewise) delve into the 94-year history of the Nancy Drew fandom…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 11, 2005: The Scarlet Witch Sparks 19 Years of Fannish Debate
No more mutants! This week, Emily and V look at an event that had seismic effects both in-universe in its franchise and out-universe, in the real world: Marvel…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 2021: NoCoVember
Time to catch the boat of losers! This week, V and Emily encounter not one, not two, not three, but SO MANY areas of fandom that we've never covered on the…
This Week In Fandom HistoryNovember 9, 2010: Blaine Anderson Warbles "Teenage Dream"
The Warblers are like rockstars here! This week, Emily and V look at the juggernaut slash ship to come out of Glee: Kurt Hummel/Blaine Anderson, AKA Klaine…
This Week In Fandom HistoryOctober 2011: Project Girl Wonder Honors DC's Stephanie Brown
Argh, DC... This week, V and Emily take another frustrating look at how DC Comics just loves to kill off Robins, this time with added explicit misogyny toward…
This Week In Fandom HistoryOctober 21, 1994: Scully Is Abducted!
Scullay!!! This week, Emily and V head back to a happy happenstance in 1994 as the birth of Gillian Anderson's real-life baby changes the fictional life of…
- This Week In Fandom History
October 18-19, 2019: The First Ineffable Con, Plus We Talk About Neil Gaiman (TW Sexual Assault [Not Detailed])
Apocalypse now? This week, V and Emily start out the episode by talking about the super-cool annual convention that Good Omens fans created and host as part of…
This Week In Fandom HistoryOctober 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs Publishes Tarzan of the Apes, Invents the Franchise
*insert Tarzan yell here* This week, Emily and V explore a totally new-to-them fandom thanks to requester pandaimitator: Tarzan of the Apes. And frankly, it's…