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! -JennFebruary is upon us, and while it isn’t cold everywhere in the country currently, we all still crave comfort come winter. So snuggle up with a blanket and some tea, and catch up with the delightful Deena and I as we discuss her nostalgic faves. Enjoy!
CONTRIBUTING WRITER: DEENA
(24 years old)
Q: What was your first major TV obsession and how did it impact you and your taste in television?
A: Although it probably wasn’t my first TV obsession, the first major one that impacted most of what I watched after that point was Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I loved the combination of monsters and humor, how it could be witty and cheesy one moment and then serious the next. My taste in shows are all over the place now, but BTVS was no doubt the start of it all for me, and — because of the similarities between the two — was part of the reason I came to love Supernatural so easily, as well.
Q: What Disney movie do you still love to watch and sing the songs to?
A: Never trust any person who tells you they’ve grown out of enjoying Disney movies. They’re lying. I still really enjoy Mulan, The Lion King, Tangled, and The Aristocats, to name a few.
Q: Favorite fictional pet?
A: Salem from Sabrina The Teenage Witch, all the way. Technically a human turned pet, but hey, I say it still counts.
Q: How early did you embrace being a fangirl?
A: It’s been so long, I honestly don’t think I could pinpoint exactly when I did. I think I sorta just gradually fell into it, but if I had to say, it was probably by my very early teen or pre-teen years. I considered myself a major Harry Potter fangirl at that point, going as far as dressing up for every single new book or movie release party I was able to attend.
Q: If you could go to on a road trip with one character fictional character from your childhood or teen years, who would it be and why?
A: There are so many fictional characters I would love to spend time with, but I have to choose Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls. She would be just a genuinely fun and exciting person to be around, and with our mutual love of food and pop culture, I can’t imagine that there would be a dull moment on the road with her.
Q: First TV boyfriend?
A: Once again, my memory fails me as to who was actually first, but I know I was pretty smitten with Shawn Hunter from Boy Meets World, and Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Q: What show shaped your sense of humor most growing up?
A: I’m going to say it’s a cross between Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, and Friends, because there’s no way I could pick just one. I feel like I can definitely blame most of my wit and regular use of sarcasm on these shows!
Q: Who was your television OTP before you even knew the term existed?
A: Buffy and Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I was a pretty hardcore Spuffy shipper before I really even fully understood what "shipping" and "OTP" really was. The same with Lorelai and Luke from Gilmore Girls.
Q: What was your first Internet fandom and what brought you to it?
A: The first Internet fandom I considered myself a part of was probably Supernatural. I don’t even really remember what brought me to it, aside from the fact I just really wanted to find a place to share my love for the show and meet other people who enjoyed it as much as I did.
Q: Who is your favorite F.R.I.E.N.D?
A: Considering I’m filled to the brim with sarcasm and insecurities, I have to say Chandler, without a doubt. He’s always made me laugh more out of all of them, and I’ve often felt like he and I are a lot alike in certain ways.
Q: What was the first show that inspired you to write about it?
A: Supernatural was the first show that I really began to feel a certain need to write about. I didn’t start right off the bat with reviews or recaps, though. I spent quite a few years writing small stories based in the Supernatural universe (most of which never have seen the light of day, thank goodness), by myself and with close friends. It was just (and still is) a show close to my heart with characters I’ve enjoyed writing about, both in story and review form.
Q: What TV cancellation scarred you the most growing up?
A: I wouldn’t say it scarred me, but my discovery of Veronica Mars’ cancellation came pretty close to it. Having not had regular access to a lot of television channels growing up, I was a pretty late newcomer to many shows. By the time I was really starting to get into something, most of the time that particular show was already over. I didn’t watch Veronica Mars live, but I remember renting out the first two seasons from my video store, watching both of them in record time and becoming obsessed with it, only to find out not long after that the third season was the last. I was so not happy.
Q: What has been your favorite thing about being involved in fandoms?
A: I think my favorite thing is all the possibilities for so many different kind of friendships to be made. There will always be a few bad seeds in fandoms, people who try to make it less of an enjoyable experience for others, but I think the good can usually outweigh the bad. I’ve made some great friendships through fandoms that otherwise would have never been formed without them.
Q: What TV friendship did you aspire to have growing up?
A: I mentioned before that Buffy The Vampire Slayer made a pretty big impact on my life, TV-wise, so it should be no surprise that one of my favorite TV friendships growing up was the Scooby Gang itself, particularly between Buffy, Xander, and Willow. The three of them went, literally, to hell and back for one another, and they each were willing to do just about anything to keep the others safe and make sure they didn’t tread too far into the darkness. You can’t even utter the phrase “yellow crayon” in my presence without me wanting to burst into tears. Seriously.
Q: Finally, what female fictional character from television past was the most influential on you? Why?
A: Brooke Davis wasn’t an obvious choice for me at first. She doesn’t have superpowers or Slayer strength. She’s never saved countless lives, nor has she ever battled to the death to protect the safety of others, but none of that stuff really matters when it comes to being influential. When I first started One Tree Hill ages ago, I didn’t actually like Brooke very much at all. We were nothing alike and at first, I couldn’t really relate to her. It was only as the seasons progressed that I realized what a strong character she had become. She was never perfect, by any means, never made all the right choices, but the choices she did make, she made them count. She worked hard to follow her dreams, and she put herself first when she had to, prioritizing her own happiness, even if it was tough. She stood up for her friends, and most importantly, she stood up for herself, against her mother and anyone else who tried to tear her down. She’s the perfect example of why you shouldn’t judge anyone right off the bat, because everyone is almost always capable of change in one way or another, sometimes in the most surprising ways. I don’t think it’s been said enough how admirable she is as a character.
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