Wet blanket ahoy

[adelagia]

Hey guys, Debbie Downer here. I understand Julian Murphy has been saying some surprisingly nice M/A-centric things about our ship in the DVD commentaries, which is cool, but... I don't get it.

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I hold grudges for eternity and beyond, so the fact that this guy once (at least once) openly ridiculed M/A shippers for their M/A shipping probably colours my reaction right now. I know lots of you are really excited and happy about this, and hey, go for it. I'm actually kind of sad that I can't be squeeful with you, because this fandom has given me so many squees over the past few years.

I don't know; I haven't actually heard the commentaries. Maybe he sounds sincere in them. Did he realize, after five full seasons, that they were actually writing an epic love story between Merlin and Arthur after all? After five full seasons of publicly denying ANY homosexual undertones and calling M/A shippers delusional? Or did he and the other J's know all along, and they just weren't brave enough to say? I just... I don't understand. It feels too little too late for me. :(

Comments

[asya-ana.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard his actual voice, but my impression from the transcript is that he's being a little jokey and letting it all hang out. I enjoyed the things he said partly because the show has been so dismissive of the Merlin/Arthur ship, at least publicly, but on the other hand they did give us plenty of that pairing, and the ending was not just fanservice, it was truly beautiful. I can't speak to their motivations throughout with being so hands-off this topic, but whatever the case, they left us with a great love story. With regards to the transcript, it's nice that for once they are acknowledging it.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Okay, fair enough! I just wish this could've been his/their stance all along!

By the way, I have no idea why I haven't already friended you, so going to rectify that now... :)

[asya-ana.livejournal.com]

It totally should have been!

Yay we're friends! \o/

[tama_abi]

He seemed sincere when he said that they wrote this episode as a love story between these two men. That's what I chose to remember.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

That's cool; I'm glad that's what you're taking away from it!

Like I said, I'm just a horrible grudge-holder. :)

[liliom99.livejournal.com]

I liked the commentary, I didn't have the impression that M/A shippers were ridiculized. I think it was acknowledged, and it was nice. The family show thing, and the legend, were mentioned several times and that is where the show went, the story that was told. Arthur, a married man and a king. Arthur and Merlin love story was there, and they showed it at the end.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, the ridicule definitely didn't happen in the commentary; it was from a couple of seasons ago in an interview with SFX.

On the face of it I do like the commentary here too; I just wish we could have had the acknowledgement in any of the five years preceding, rather than five years of faint disdain.

Oh well, I'm probably looking a gift horse in the mouth, eh?

[liliom99.livejournal.com]

Well, frustration has been a part of the fandom experience too :)
But it have been so fun. Love Merlin forever. And we got M/A in the end.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

True! Have definitely made some of the most fabulous friends from bonding over Merlin. :)))

[dawnie-faith.livejournal.com]

I know it's been a while since this conversation, but do you by any chance have a link or know what issue of SFX the interview was in?

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Wow, how did you even come across this ancient post? :)

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.gamesradar.com/merlin-series-three-exec-producer-looks-back/ The comment in question is right at the end. It was edited from the original quote of him saying "I'm not going to pander to any of that lot" to "I'm not going to pander to any of that", after negative fan response. (Do also enjoy the sexist comments about Gwen and Morgana's roles.)

[dawnie-faith.livejournal.com]

I followed a rec list to a story on your LJ and then I think I clicked on the Merlin tag, and here I am :)

Thanks for the link. I'm writing my MA thesis partly on the homophobia inherent in the bromance trope (on the part of the creators, not the fans), and Merlin/Arthur is one of my examples. I could probably write a whole essay about what was said about Gwen and Morgana here too, come to think of it...

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Ooh, what a great topic. Would love to read it if you're willing to share :)

[dawnie-faith.livejournal.com]

I'm a part time student, so it'll be another year and a half (or so) till I'm finished, but if you're still interested when it's ready I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Yes, absolutely!

[7veilsphaedra.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that some old bloke has been harshing your squee. OTOH, I'm very glad that he's starting to see the light in terms of how attractive slash pairings can be. Maybe people have started to wake up.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Hm yes, hopefully you're right! Two lovely boys together; what's not to like? :)

[the-muppet.livejournal.com]

I don't really know anything much about it, but from the very little I've seen on Tumblr, let's hope he just finally realised that it WAS all about the boys and therefore had to end that way.

Silly man.

*hugs*

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Yes, I like the way you think. :)

♥

[flora-linda.livejournal.com]

I just like the vindication. Cowardly on their parts but still, HA! we were right and they (he?) fessed up. I also want to thank you for putting Shadowplay on EPUB so I now have it in my iBooks along with The Other Guy, which I highly recommend to everyone.

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Ha! You're totally right; we get to say I told you so to them. :)))

Thank you so much for supporting TOG and spreading the word! ♥

[tiffosaurus.livejournal.com]

I loved the finale and thought it was really beautiful, so this might be a bit of an unpopular opinion. Personally, I doubt that Julian Murphy is being really sincere. It's just as you said, fandom has been through 5 years of TPTB saying that they never 'pander to our lot,' plus the fact that their actions towards and outside the show make it clear that they think M/A is a joke (at least, prior to 5x13). I appreciate that he's saying nice things about it after all this time, but it's still hard for me and others to believe him when so much material in the past has proved otherwise. :/ Yeah, I call BS.

I know most fans don't feel this way. Who knows, maybe he really did come to his senses. But I do get the impression that he's trying to save face since the show has ended. I love the finale more than life itself and I firmly believe that M/A is canon, but not because Julian Murphy suddenly told me that they were.

So there. Sorry if that got a little negative. D: I wish I had come to this post sooner. It might be a little too late so maybe you're already over it, but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in feeling confused over Murphy's intentions. To this day, it still has me going O.o?

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Thank you for chiming in! So much of my flist was ecstatic about the commentaries I felt like I was really missing something there when my major reaction to him was Really? Good to know I wasn't the only one! :)

[tiffosaurus.livejournal.com]

Aww, you're welcome. I felt a little out of place too when everyone suddenly started rejoicing over it and I just went huh? I'm glad my lil' two cents helped.

P.S. I actually stumbled upon this post because I wanted to read and reminiscing about the first fic I ever read (and loved) for Merlin, which was your wonderful Fools Of Us All. Surprise, surprise!? xD

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Fistbump of solidarity coming at you.

Aww, that was your first fic in Merlin fandom? Yay! Glad it made you stay! :)))

[tiffosaurus.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was my first fic. It was so lovely and I just wanted to whack the two of them 'til they came to their senses. Fluffy M/A at its best. :) *fistbumps*