What is an "obsessed" fan?

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

So, I got my friend Arinna hooked on Buffy. She's currently watching S3. She loves it. I was telling her (casually mentioned it) about how she shouldn't go on forums or watch fan videos or anything because she might accidentially come across a spoiler, and how much I'm sure she'd hate that. She replies with,
"I don't care so much about spoilers, you know. I'm not obsessed like you are. In fact, most people don't care about stuff like that as much as you do."
I reply with,
"What stuff? What do you mean?"
She says,
"Fiction and characters and stuff. It's not such a big part of other people's lives as it is with you."

Now, I found this to be a strange comment. Sure, I can understand not caring much about spoilers (I hear some people purposely seek them out) BUT she called me obsessed.
And another thing, what's wrong with liking and getting involved in the experience of fiction? I'm a freaking theatre and english major. Fiction is my life. I spend a signifigant amount of my time reading ficiton, watching television, reading plays, and all that.

So, what does this mean? It made me wonder what exactly being "obsessed" implies in the context of being a fan of something. I would not consiter myself "obsessed" by any means. Yeah, I'm a huge fan, and Buffy is a big interest and part of my life that will probobly never change....but? I watch the show here and there, I go on here often, I collect Buffy memorbila, I will always love Buffy -
but am I "obsessed"?

So, my question is: are there varying, er, levels of fandom? Like, hardcore or obsessed vs. like, "just a fan" or whatever? How does one put themself in such a catagory? Why do others catagorize people like this?

This "insight" of hers made me wonder if I have a grotesquely inaccurate interpretation of myself.

What do you think of this?

What would be like, a unhealthy degree of fandom?

 

[Aly Fan]

I got catagorised as obsessed when i'd have my entire paycheck used within the first couple of days on buffy stuff. I always watch at least two episodes a day, plus when i speak it's mostly in Buffy quotes....people say i have a problem...but i don't see it so much as a problem.

I still think that obsessed is a bit strong...but i don't mind if it relates to Buffy 🙂

 

[anyatara]

I'd say I'm most defiantly obsessed with Buffy. 😛
I find myself talking about the show with people who don't even know it exists, and quoting random lines for no reason everyday. I own so much Buffy merchandise, half of which has never even been touched. My room used to be (And still kind of is) like a Buffy paradise. Buffy bedcovers, posters, pictures, clock, calendar, action figures, all most my entire book shelf is Buffy books.
But I don't think of myself of 'obsessed' no sir. 😉
I think anyone who's Buffy fandom got so far they find themselves posting on the Buffy boards most days is most defiantly obsessed. 😉

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

People might say I'm obsessed. I watch Buffy a lot, know all the episodes more or less by heart, try to get other people to watch Buffy, post on BB a lot, talk about it in public with paperdoll 🙂p), I make Buffy fan art, listen to the musical songs on my mp3player frequently...really, I'm quite certain I'm obsessed 😉
Interestingly enough, I don't really care for spoilers that much anyway. Not only with Buffy, but with every show I like. A good show is not ruined by knowing what happens, in my opinion. It's more about how it does. Of course, a show like Desperate Housewives for example might depend on those spoilers, the surprise moment is pretty much the only thing they have, but something elaborate like Buffy can take it (the X-Files as well, if anyone was wondering when I would bring that up 😉).

 

[Vampmogs2]

Yeah I'd consider myself obsessed, I'm on fan forums for the show on a daily basis and watch episodes of both Btvs and Ats almost everyday as well. I could list every episode title in order from season one right through to the latest season eight comic from the top of my head, I could say most of the shows lines off by heart ect. I don’t really mind, as far as obsessions go, obsessing over a fictional TV show is pretty harmless.

I think a lot of people would find members of fan forums obsessed, a lot like you friend seems to. I think the difference between a casual fan and a hardcore fan is that a casual fan probably stopped watching Buffy after it finished on TV and would never dream of joining the online community, whereas a hardcore fan never stopped watching and their “Buffy experience” is more than just the show itself.

 

[mattuf1]

People I'm close to, family and friends say that I'm obsessed. I bought the DVD's in December and am now going through the whole series for the fourth time (third for Angel). It doesn't really bother me when people say that I'm obsessed with stuff like that, I usually just tell them things like "Hey, it could be worse things." lol

 

[Shayla]

Well, I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed. I don't own every season on dvd or any books, I only have a few songs on my mp3-player...mostly cause I can't affoard it, if I had the money for all that stuff I for sure would own alot more buffy-verse stuff.

Other than that, I love the read fanfiction, and I love to watch the show. Actually both buffy and Angel. So, I don't think that I'm obsessed in any way.

 

[mattuf1]

Oh I forgot about the books, I recently finished one that I got from my brother as a birthday present (see they call me these names then feed my "obsession") anyways, it was like, the first book I'd finished since school, lol.

 

[Kean]

I posed the same question awhile back. At the time I was unsure but now I have no qualms with how I enjoy the Buffy fandom. It doesn't rule my life but it is a part of it. I haven't watched the show it self in a really really long time (cuz I don't have any lol), I buy memrobilia, I read fic and I come to BB everyday. That is no more than anyone else does with their hobby. Just because people don't get your fandom doesn't mean you are 'obsessive'. There is a hell of lot worse we could be doing than enjoying Buffy and Angel.

Here's that thread...some real interesting answers in here🙂

Are we wrong? - Buffy-Boards

 

[Bob]

a buffy obsesed fan is someone that goes on and on and on and on about buffy or the actors...
also a buffy obsessed fan has as much stuff they can get their hands on that has a small link with buffy...
i know i not obsessed as i dont own any of the dvds :'(

 

[Buffed]

Another sign of obsession would be...playing the episodes over in your head when you're doing other things. I found myself zoning out and thinking about Buffy alot during classes, car rides, etc. I know its normal to daydream/fantasize, but if its constantly BtVS...that might be an obsession. Escaping reality to join the Buffyverse...sounds like Normal Again 😛

 

[Lindsey McDonald]

I posed the same question awhile back. At the time I was unsure but now I have no qualms with how I enjoy the Buffy fandom. It doesn't rule my life but it is a part of it. I haven't watched the show it self in a really really long time (cuz I don't have any lol), I buy memrobilia, I read fic and I come to BB everyday. That is no more than anyone else does with their hobby. Just because people don't get your fandom doesn't mean you are 'obsessive'. There is a hell of lot worse we could be doing than enjoying Buffy and Angel.

Here's that thread...some real interesting answers in here🙂

Are we wrong? - Buffy-Boards

I think Kean makes a great little point here. It's not just Buffy and the Canonverse that I enjoy. It's the fandom. We have a really great fandom (especially here), and that is one of the things that keeps me hooked. Without that, it'd probably just be something I liked to watch. A lot.

 

[Kean]

I think Kean makes a great little point here. It's not just Buffy and the Canonverse that I enjoy. It's the fandom. We have a really great fandom (especially here), and that is one of the things that keeps me hooked. Without that, it'd probably just be something I liked to watch. A lot.

The connotations of the word "obsessed" are negative. To me, someone 'obsessed' with the show would be someone whose whole life is dictated by the show, someone who thinks Buffy is real, someone who thinks they know the characters and the characters know them. That is unhealthy, no arguements on that from me but I have never met anyone like that either in our fandom or another. Being obsessed with the show and being active in a fandom are two very different things.

The thing about fandom is that it is interactive. It isn't just you and the show, re-watching it over and over. It's you and your fellow fans doing something about your fandom, enjoying it together. The main way I enjoy Buffy now is through this forum (and the comics). I don't know how many times I have said what keeps me coming back here is the community. It is the people of these boards and not the show itself that has the biggest pull for me.

I still love the show, I still think it is the best show I have ever seen and I know I will be watching it into lady old ladyhood. None of that means I am obsessed.

 

[Fusions2]

My take on being obsessed with Buffy and Angel is someone who watches the DVD's over and over again non stop. Talks about Buffy and Angel 24/7, has litterally every bit of collection memoriabeliar (sp?) and goes to all the conventions known about everything Buffy. I know Im not obsessed as some fans as I don't watch Buffy or Angel all the time, I go through phases where I will sit and watch all the episodes back to back.

As for coming online to boards and chatting about it, yes its part of an obsession but I think most of us on here don't let it rule our lives. Its just a bit of fun and interesting way to keep the passion of what you love going. I don't see any harm in coming on boards like this one and meeting other people who do the same. Its just one big common interest and makes you feel less weirded out by the notation of being "obsessed".

 

[Revolver]

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed at all, even if I do spend way too much time on Buffy Boards. Like others have said, I don't come here just because I like the tv shows. I like the people here. But as far as being obsessed with the shows? Well, I do own the DVDs but I don't watch them very often anymore (many of them are at my parent's house). I don't read the comics or any other books based on the shows. I seldom ever talk about Buffy in real life. If I do quote the show, it's in a way that's relavant to whatever is going on at the moment and will make sense regardless of whether the person I'm speaking to has ever seen Buffy. Also, even when I'm at the Buffy Boards, I spend more time on the non-Buffy related sub-sections of the forum.

 

[Joyce Summers]

I wouldn't call myself obsessed- as like some of you have said already the word "obsessed" has negative freakazoid connotations- but I would say I'm invested in the show. I mean I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.
I think you become "obsessed" with a show when it resonates with you on a level that other shows/any fiction hasn't before. I mean I think the majority of us can say at at least one part in our life we were able to directly relate to an event/arc/character on Buffy that either helped us, inspired us, made us laugh ironically at ourselves or whatever. But I wouldn't call that obsessed-it's more strong appreciation. And it's that which brought all of us on here together- as Kean said Fandom is of the good.It's nice to be brought together by something other than you happen to work at the same place, or you live in the same area, or whatever regular-life-share thing it is. This shared like is a nice unique thing to well, erm, share.

I think obsessed is when you start cutting out heads of the cast to make a collage and convince yourself the characters actually exist and that you must find Sunnydale. That is when the rest of us will back away slowly from you. 😀

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I have a bunch of Spuffy fan vids on my IPod...is this bad? I watch them on the bus on the way to class 🙂

 

[Aly Fan]

I have a bunch of Spuffy fan vids on my IPod...is this bad? I watch them on the bus on the way to class 🙂

Dear god it better not be, because i have over 100 songs buffy related on my i-pod and that's mostly what i listen to...it includes once more with feeling songs (And actually the entire episode) and other random songs...oh and also Spike and Willow best quotes...but if i had an ipod that could play vids...which i'm thinking about getting...i'd be exactly the same....

Maybe we both have a probem 🙂

 

[itsxpaperdoll]

Being obsessed with something is mostly considered a negative thing, but it need not mean you're going to stand in someones garden. It can also just mean you're really into one thing, which in our case would be Buffy (or maybe even BB..) In that sense I could say I'm a little bit obsessed, because right now watching Buffy and coming here is the thing I like to do most (apart from sleeping, but I don't think that would count as an obsession 😀). But I'm not like *some* people here, with talking about it non-stop, or having video's on my Ipod. If anything, what keeps me interested in Buffydom is these boards. So maybe I'm more BB obsessed than Buffy-obsessed.

 

[Willow-Tree]

I don't see anything wrong with being obsessed with something, unless it's unhealthy.