Thursday, January 14, 2016

Series: #TBT - Week 6 Spotlight: Lynnie Purcell [Contributor: Maddie]


Maddie approached me about doing a Throwback Thursday (#tbt, for all you Internet-savvy folks) piece where each we highlight our writers. She noted that what makes our site unique and separates it from all of the other entertainment sites out there is the personal touch each of the writers put on their reviews. Throughout this #tbt series, you'll get the chance to know each of us as individual writers a little bit more and hopefully relate to us a little bit more as well. Thanks, Maddie, for such a great idea!
It’s a new year, folks! With a new year comes change, but this is a good one. I (Maddie) have a new job that gives me more time to write for this site. Moreover, Just About Write has grown even bigger since this series started, so now there are still 24 different writers for me to profile.

Thus, installments of our #ThrowbackThursday series will now be posted on a weekly basis. Every Thursday we are going to get to know the awesome people writing for this site and having a fun look back on their personal journeys. This week I got to talk to the lovely Lynnie about her nostalgic faves. Enjoy!

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER: LYNNIE
(28 years old)

Q: What was your first major TV obsession and how did it impact you and your taste in television?

A: My very first obsession was The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It impacted me because I had a female superhero to look up to, who fought and did flips, and was super cool. I don’t know if it impacted me later on, but it was a reflection of my love for all things action even as a kid.


Q: What Disney movie do you still love to watch and sing the songs to?

A: You mean there are adults who don’t? My favorite is Mulan (closely followed by Tangled and Aladdin.) Mulan makes me happy on the gloomiest of days.

Q: Speaking of Disney, what moment in TV and film was most traumatic for you as a child? Personally, mine was Mufasa’s death.

A: I accidently saw Howard the Duck. That. All of that.


Q: As a fan of Arrow, were you into any comic book-inspired TV and film growing up?

A: I definitely was. My first comic book inspired experience was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Batman, with Michael Keaton, was next. This was concurrent with all of the animated series: Batman, Spiderman, TMNT, and X-Men. I loved any kind of action-oriented, fantasy/science fiction show, book, or movie I could get my hands on. Still do.

Q: What brought you into the nerdier side of pop culture?

A: My personality. I was doomed to nerdiness from the start. Happily. I believe it mostly started with books, then shifted to the movies of the 80s. Can I blame Real Genius? Everything is Val Kilmer’s fault. There. Answered.

Q: First TV boyfriend?

A: It was a tie between Shawn Hunter and Jonathan Taylor Thomas. They were beautiful, and I was smitten.

Q: What show shaped your sense of humor most growing up?

A: Books really shaped my sense of humor more, but I was definitely always drawn to quick exchanges and fast dialogue. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, Animaniacs, and Friends got a lot of airtime.

Q: Who was your television OTP before you even knew the term existed?

A: Xena and her chakram.

(Probably Scully and Mulder or Topanga and Cory.)

Q: What was your first Internet fandom and what brought you to it?

A: Would you believe it if I said Arrow? It’s totally Arrow. I’ve never really been into fandoms — just wasn’t really my thing. I liked what I liked and didn’t know that there were places out there where other people liked them, too. I started watching Arrow, and stumbled across a blog while new to Tumblr that I thought was really fair and balanced, smart, and had good points to make.

That was Jen K.’s blog. She led me to Just About Write, and that led me to the crazy, wonderful Arrow fandom and all the lovely ladies here.

Q: Who is your favorite F.R.I.E.N.D?

A: Looking back, some of the characters have become problematic for me in a way they weren’t when I was young, but I always really related to Chandler — the sarcasm, the insecurity, the quick retorts. It was like he understood me.

Q: What was the first show that inspired you to write about it?

A:  I’ve always been more into movies, and didn’t really find my journalistic voice until recently, so it’s Arrow again — for good and ill, I suppose.


Q: Who was your favorite villain growing up?

A: Ursula. I always thought she was super cool.

Q: What has been your favorite thing about being involved in fandom?

A: The love. The support. The unwavering determination to beat the heck out of anyone that disrespects other people in the fandom. If the Arrow fandom had the organization, time, and less of a love for comfy sofas and good wine, they’d conquer a country or two. Nicely, of course. We’re not barbarians.

Q: What TV friendship did you aspire to have growing up?

A: I always really loved Will’s and Carlton’s relationship from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. By the end of the series, they had gone through so much, had supported each other to hell and back, all while having the times of their lives and growing as people. I loved the antagonistic support and unwavering love so much. I also really liked Xena and Gabrielle’s friendship. They were opposites, but so totally awesome together.


Q: Finally, what female fictional character from television past was the most influential on you? Why?

A: I absolutely adored Captain Janeway when I first saw Star Trek Voyager. There was this powerful, smart woman leading a ship and having adventures, and doing it all with class and a dry wit that I didn’t find in other places. I loved it so much, and it helped me see that women could be in charge as well. Mulan was another big deal. She wasn’t a princess in need of rescuing. She raced into battle, she was forged in conflict, she saved herself and others, and she wasn’t more or less because of her romantic attachment. She was complex and complicated and so wonderfully herself. This was so important to me.

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