If you’re looking for another article blindly bashing fandoms, this might not be your cup of tea.
As a fan myself, I have been in spaces where I have felt a sense of community with other viewers, bonding over our shared love of our TV shows.
And, as with any community, I have also found myself sharing frustration with many others about the confusing directions shows have taken (Mythic Quest‘s tragic fall-off is one I’ll never forget).
(Apple TV+)
Of course, without fans, there wouldn’t be a show. But the truth is, fans aren’t actually part of the show.
In an era when the internet has increasingly blurred the lines between fans and creators, writers, cast, and crew, it’s time to open up the conversation about setting boundaries for what fans are owed.
Is It Good for the Show, or Good for the Fans?
The biggest source of tension I’ve noticed emerging from fans gaining direct access to people who work on TV shows is the long-standing question of whether the show is actually “good.”
For most people, the definition of “good” mostly reflects the quality of the storytelling. But for fans, whether they perceive a show as “good” is also inherently linked to their own subjective enjoyment.
Sometimes, fans are more concerned with what they believe is best for the characters they enjoy than with what’s best for the story.
(HBO / Screenshot)
Their negative reactions to the show not conforming to their ideas then become conflated with objective ideas of a story being “bad” or “good.”
To be clear, I don’t think that this negates anybody’s ability to form opinions from their own perceived view of a show.
But it becomes a problem when the internet’s echo chamber creates unreasonable expectations that spread so widely that it’s impossible to ignore.
One example of this phenomenon is reactions to the Stranger Things finale.
In this case, most fans have agreed that the finale was ridiculous and poorly executed.
(COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2025)
But the way that fans began forming conspiracies around a secret, real finale episode, referred to as “Conformity Gate,” illustrates the issue when fans feel entitled to a story.
Sure, as a fan, it can really suck when a TV show that you loved loses all credibility.
However, inventing such theories honestly feels a little disrespectful to the cast and crew who have put in a lot of hard work, even if they don’t necessarily love the ending either.
The issue is that these demands come from fans feeling empowered by the internet to have direct access to what’s happening behind the scenes, as they can literally tweet directly to the Stranger Things writers.
And with that, let’s open up the big can of worms that is parasocial relationships.
Parasocial Relationships
(Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max)
The internet has magically connected us, but sometimes that direct access can be harmful.
I think most, if not all, of us have seen how some fans of recent shows that have risen to popularity have begun digging into cast members’ personal lives.
Social media allows us to feel like we know the people who help make the shows we love. But the truth is that we really don’t.
Even if fans feel frustrated with writers and where a show is headed, none of us are in the writing room.
So, the internet becomes a way for fans to try to avoid feeling powerless by directly interacting with the cast and crew, using that interaction as an opportunity to express how they feel.
(Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max)
In general, social media is already a toxic place. Pair that with hundreds of fans complaining in your DMs, and anyone can see why countless actors, writers, and showrunners have left social media completely.
It’s really hard to detach yourself from falling into parasocial relationships when social media, by design, feels like you have direct access to people you would never otherwise have access to.
At the end of the day, it’s important for fans to remember that there’s a real person on the other side of the screen, and that person is a complete stranger–not your close friend.
So, Where Do We Go From Here?
Ever since I first watched The Good Place, I’ve thought a lot about how the show hinges on the idea of kindness and the question of “what do we owe to each other?”
I’ve found myself asking that question quite a lot in recent years, as it feels like most days, I only see the worst sides of the internet.
(Colleen Hayes/NBC)
I’m writing this article not to point fingers and shame fans for acting a certain way, but to call attention to and encourage us to start from a place of kindness rather than judgment and demands.
And I understand that carrying nuanced conversations isn’t what the internet is designed for, and that fandom spaces have increasingly come under the mainstream microscope, as evidenced by multiple popular articles about The Pitt ships.
Most of the time, fans are perfectly normal, lovely people. But the problem arises when the negative, loud voices rule out all the others.
Maybe it’s a lot to ask, but I, for one, hope that fans can remember that most communities form because we’re all looking for a place to bond over something we all love.
(Warrick Page/HBO)
Ultimately, real people shouldn’t have to suffer hatred and vitriol over fictional stories.
What do you think about how the way people have interacted with cast and creatives has changed over the years?
Comment your thoughts below!
Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.
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