Mark Sheppard shares views on terms fandom and SPN Family

Mark Sheppard attended C2E2 between April 6 and 8 and had the chance to talk about the term fandom being used when talking about the fans.

When we talk about the Supernatural fandom, we usually use the term SPN Family. It’s come from the idea that “family don’t end with blood” and how we’re all connected because of our love about the same show and over the same characters. It’s a name that Mark Sheppard admitted he liked while attended C2E2 2018, between April 6 and 8. However, there’s another term he doesn’t like to use when discussing the fans.

That term is “fandom.” During a 15-minute segmant with Syfy Wire, he shared that the term “fandom” had too many negative connotations. While it may be something we’re slowly gaining back, he reminded us that “fan” is short for “fanatic,” and a lot of companies exploited the fans of shows.

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After all, as fans we’ll collect and buy all types of merchandise and items to show our support for the show. Sometimes these items are for worthwhile charities, such as the T-shirt campaigns that many of the stars of the show have created over the years. However, other times they’re purely to line the pockets of the networks airing the shows.

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This is especially dangerous with the SPN Family. While Sheppard didn’t touch on this, it’s something I thought about while he talked. The SPN Family is made up of a lot of younger people, some of whom struggle with financial decisions or don’t have a full grasp of the value of money. That’s not meant in a bad way, either. When we’re young, we suddenly go from our parents managing our money to having to do it all ourselves. And not all of us get a full understanding over the value of money right away.

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With networks and production companies exploiting the fans, there’s a risk that many will spend their rent or food money on buying merchandise or convention tickets and autographs rather than where they actually need to spend it. Having that in mind, it makes complete sense why Sheppard would dislike the term so much, especially since he was in the likes of Star Trek and Battlestar Gallastica, where some of the exploitation began.

Yet, when it comes to SPN Family, he mentioned that he liked that term. The focus was on the fans coming together and supporting one another, which (for the most part) happens.

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What do you think about the terms “fandom” and “SPN Family?” Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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