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This Week In Fandom History: Daily Summaries Delivered
by V. Arrow, Emily Jaye
A podcast about why fandom matters. Co-hosted by V. Arrow and Emily Jaye, This Week In Fandom History celebrates fandom culture's highest highs and weirdest lows. With which short-lived vampire cop drama was the very first X-Files fanfiction crossed over? Who is Tara Gilesbie? How recently did the Starsky & Hutch Lending Library rent out its last zine? What were Strikethrough, Racefail, LGBTFansDeserveBetter, and Conchobar, anyway? V and Emily trade off some deep-internet research each week to learn and laugh (and sometimes rage) their way through the annals of fandom history.
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- Today52 min
September 24, 2014: In Which We Got Jossed By Dan & Phil
PHIL LESTER, YOU’RE A GENIUS! This week’s episode is a little different. This week, Emily and V finally release an episode that has been sitting in our vault for over a year — not because it wasn’t good, but because the universe pulled off one of the most chaotic, timeline‑breaking acts of accidental fandom trolling we’ve ever witnessed.We originally recorded this episode as a thoughtful, slightly exasperated look at Dan & Phil shipping culture — how two creators became the center of one of the internet’s most enduring RPF fandoms, how fans blurred the lines between performance and reality, and why it’s important to remember the fiction part of Real Person Fiction.We talked about boundaries.We talked about ethics.We talked about how there was no evidence of a real‑life romantic relationship.And then — about 24 hours later — Dan and Phil announced their relationship.Not only that: they announced they had been together since 2009.So not only did reality Joss our episode…It Jossed fifteen years of fandom history with one press release.We took a breath. We texted each other memes of Ben Affleck smoking on a balcony (you know the one), and then shelved the episode until it fit the calendar. And now — finally — it is time. Join 2025 TWIFH discussing 2014 Dan & Phil, and let 2026 you laugh at our misfortune.---SourcesFanloreThe Secrets of the SlashersAre Dan & Phil In a Relationship? The TruthPromoSex Ed with DB - When you think back on your high school days, do you feel like you got the sex ed you deserved? Probably not. Well, good news: Sex Ed with DB is a podcast about the sex ed you should have gotten in school. Host DB has a Master of Public Health from Columbia University with expertise in sexuality, sexual, and reproductive health – so rest assured that the podcast is always medically accurate and based in actual science. It’s also warm, funny, and entertaining! Sex Ed with DB just wrapped its fourteenth season, which focused on PLEASURE, ranging from foot fetishes to getting strapped to gooners to polycules to pleasure as RESISTANCE. You can check out a great starter episode ("Late Bloomer Lesbianism with YouTuber Alayna Joy") right here on your podcast app of choice!TGI Femslash - Our favorite fan convention, TGIF/F, is happening soon! The con is back on February 18-21, 2027, in Los Angeles, and registration is open now. The convention is limited to 100 attendees, so make sure you register soon to experience a wonderful, intimate, friendly con full of like-minded femslash lovers as you make friends with fellow queer fans, dance the night away to vids at Club Femslash, participate in the one-of-a-kind Fic Battle, and attend fascinating panels. You can get more information and register for your spot at http://www.tgifemslash.com. We'll be there, and we hope you will, too!Artifacts: Stories from the Emotional History of the Internet - Artifacts is a storytelling podcast about the technology, media, and digital culture we've left behind, and the feelings that remain. Each episode begins with a familiar artifact - a burned CD, a dial-up modem, a movie rental store, a family computer, a paper map - and unfolds into a story about memory, identity, creativity, belonging, curiosity, and the experiences we still carry with us today. This isn't just a show about old technology. It's about the people who grew up alongside it. Hosted by award-winning podcaster Danny Brown, Artifacts blends personal storytelling, cultural history, and thoughtful reflection to explore why some of the most ordinary objects became the milestones of our lives. Because sometimes the objects fade, but the feeling doesn't.This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-centric podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history!Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/thisweekinfandomhistory/" rel="noopener noreferrer" targ
- 1 weeks ago1h 2m
September 13, 2005: Supernatural Premieres, Lightning Bottled, with Heidi Tandy
Hunters, get your salt! This week, V and Emily are joined by friend-of-the-pod Heidi Tandy, who calls in from San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to discuss the fandom that spells SDCC for her, and thousands of others in the fannish community: Supernatural. The premiere of the show on the WB (progenitor of The CW) in 2005 changed fandom permanently, in more ways than could possibly be discussed in one hour. But SPN also changed fandom for Heidi, personally, in ways big and small, and we’re delighted to hear all about them from the room where it happened. We dish about LiveJournal’s early rush to create communities, the prevalence of Wincest fanfiction, and how Supernatural’s relationship to its fans evolved over its long run. Supernatural, like the other S-named fandoms before it (Star Trek, Star Wars, and Sherlock Holmes, natch) is a Fandom Of All Time. How many seasons have you watched?SourcesTimeline of Supernatural FandomHeidi's Fanvids on YouTubePromoRe: Dracula - Re: Dracula takes the famous horror tale, breaks it up chronologically (every entry of this epistolary novel has a date), and sends the story directly to your podcatcher as it happens. Every time something happens to the characters, Re: Dracula publishes an episode, in as close to real time as it happens. Some episodes are short (less than a minute), and others are lengthy (over half an hour). Re: Dracula is a faithful, text-accurate adaptation, featuring a full cast to tug on your heartstrings and sound design to keep you on the edge of your seat.TGI Femslash - Our favorite fan convention, TGIF/F, is happening soon! The con is back on February 18-21, 2027, in Los Angeles, and registration is open now. The convention is limited to 100 attendees, so make sure you register soon to experience a wonderful, intimate, friendly con full of like-minded femslash lovers as you make friends with fellow queer fans, dance the night away to vids at Club Femslash, participate in the one-of-a-kind Fic Battle, and attend fascinating panels. You can get more information and register for your spot at http://www.tgifemslash.com. We'll be there, and we hope you will, too!Sex Ed with DB - When you think back on your high school days, do you feel like you got the sex ed you deserved? Probably not. Well, good news: Sex Ed with DB is a podcast about the sex ed you should have gotten in school. Host DB has a Master of Public Health from Columbia University with expertise in sexuality, sexual, and reproductive health – so rest assured that the podcast is always medically accurate and based in actual science. It’s also warm, funny, and entertaining! Sex Ed with DB just wrapped its fourteenth season, which focused on PLEASURE, ranging from foot fetishes to getting strapped to gooners to polycules to pleasure as RESISTANCE. You can check out a great starter episode ("Late Bloomer Lesbianism with YouTuber Alayna Joy") right here on your podcast app of choice!This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-forward podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history!Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at @thisweekinfandomhistoryWe’re now on Instagram! @thisweekinfandomhistorySign up for our newsletter on our website, http://www.thisweekinfandomhistory.com!Check out our Fandom Primer playlist via linktr.ee/twifhYou can support the show via our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/thisweekinfandomhistoryPlease remember to rate the show 5 stars on your listening platform of choice!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr
- 1 weeks ago56 min
Batman Wouldn't, Spider-Man Would || Episode #010: Let's Leave Mommy Out Of It with Ella Dawson (White Fox, Superman)
This episode will be available to all listeners for 7 days before access is locked to our $5+ Patreon donors.This week, our C-List Superhero is Ami Han AKA White Fox (Marvel), and our A-List Superhero is Kal-El AKA Clark Kent AKA Superman (DC Comics). Our Uninformed Expert Panel this week is Emily Jaye, as always, and our special guest is Ella Dawson from Rebel Ever After. Listen in as they learn about our two heroes and weigh in on whether either, or both, is f*ckable... like, at all.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 2 weeks ago1h 0m
September 4, 1995: Xena Reinvents Fandom
Aiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiiii! This week, Emily and V head back to the mid‑90s — the era of dial‑up internet and aggressively pointy shoulderpads — to revisit the rise of Xena: Warrior Princess. It’s hard to overstate how much this show reshaped the fandom landscape: a morally complicated heroine, a narrative built on redemption… and a relationship between two women that sparked decades of essays, fanfic, fanvids, and lovingly chaotic forum debates. The Xenites weren’t just early adopters of online fandom. They were architects of it. Come wander the hills of ancient Greece (New Zealand) with us as we look at how one warrior princess carved out a space that still echoes today.(Make sure you sign up for our newsletter to get some phenomenal Xena fic recs in tomorrow's edition!)SourcesThe History of Xena Fanfiction On the Internet by LunacyA Cyber History of the Online Xena Community: Part I -- September 1995 To June 1996How Xena: Warrior Princess Earned a Permanent Spot In Pop CulturePromoSuper Sorry - Have you ever watched a Marvel movie and thought, “Wow, somebody really owes somebody an apology?” Like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in Civil War. Or Thor and Loki about… well, everything. That’s the question at the heart of SUPER SORRY, a podcast that revisits the Marvel Cinematic Universe one movie at a time through the lens of apologies, accountability, and unintended consequences. Revisiting one MCU movie at a time, Super Sorry hosts Amber and Todd break down who should have apologized, who deserved an apology, and imagine the conversations that could have happened. They also explore the emotional, physical, and financial fallout of superhero action, from damaged relationships to city-wide destruction and billion-dollar cleanup efforts. Whether you’re a longtime MCU fan or just enjoy thoughtful pop culture discussions, SUPER SORRY offers a fresh perspective on movies you thought you knew inside and out. You can find SUPER SORRY wherever you listen to podcasts.Re: Dracula - Re: Dracula takes the famous horror tale, breaks it up chronologically (every entry of this epistolary novel has a date), and sends the story directly to your podcatcher as it happens. Every time something happens to the characters, Re: Dracula publishes an episode, in as close to real time as it happens. Some episodes are short (less than a minute), and others are lengthy (over half an hour). Re: Dracula is a faithful, text-accurate adaptation, featuring a full cast to tug on your heartstrings and sound design to keep you on the edge of your seat.This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-centric podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history!Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at @thisweekinfandomhistoryWe’re now on Instagram! @thisweekinfandomhistorySign up for our newsletter on our website, http://www.thisweekinfandomhistory.com!Check out our Fandom Primer playlist via linktr.ee/twifhYou can support the show via our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/thisweekinfandomhistoryPlease remember to rate the show 5 stars on your listening platform of choice!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 2 weeks ago1h 23m
BONUS! Feed Drop - Femme & Furious - Fast 5 - August 18, 2026
Absolute potato! This week, TWIFH is delighted to bring you a special preview of Femme & Furious, a new pod-friend and great listen for fans of fandom, and especially for listeners who liked our old behind-the-scenes pop culture rundown episodes for Patreon. In this episode, our friend Julia Portela looks with a feminist lens at five (secretly six) pieces of extremely current media: Obsession, The Drama, Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Sterling Point, and the novel Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman. Julia is funny, smart, and definitely a fangirl. Listen to our #Gamergate episode over on her feed, too!---This week on Femme & Furious, we're breaking our own format because while it's technically a "Fast 5," we've got six properties on deck, because there was too much good pop culture to cover this month. Spoiler-free pitches up top for each one, then we go all the way in with spoilers, feminist analysis, and a few unhinged theories. What I'm covering: Obsession — the viral horror hit that outran Supergirl in theaters, the "man or the bear" discourse hiding in plain sight, and why Bear is absolutely a dog guy. The Drama — Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's wedding-week-gone-wrong dark comedy from Kristoffer Borgli, and the racial double standard baked into who gets forgiven for what. Odyssey — Christopher Nolan's mythic epic, the Emily Wilson feud, and a full breakdown of Circe, Calypso, Helen, Clytemnestra, and a theory about who Athena really is. Spider-Man: Brand New Day — Tom Holland's loneliest Peter Parker yet, the Frank Castle friendship that's carrying the movie, and a hard pass on that Little Caesars order. Sterling Point — Amazon's CW-coded YA drama, a love triangle the writing doesn't quite earn, and the most joyful period scene we've seen on TV ever. Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman — one of my favorite books of the year, a queer coming-of-age story about girlhood, friendship, and phones as a silent second language. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 3 weeks ago1h 2m
September 1, 1850: Lindmania Shapes the American Middle Class
Never enough! This week, V and Emily travel back to TWIFH’s oldest historical event thus far: opera singer Jenny Lind’s landmark 1850 tour in the United States and its accompanying “Lindmania.” Did you know that the fangirls of 1850 were Just Like Us? They sobbed, they squeed, they schemed to meet their faves, and they spent way, WAY too much on concert tickets. The quotes from antebellum Lind fans reacting to hearing secular music for the first time give us the chills. Come wait outside the stage doors with us for a glimpse at the Swedish Nightingale.SourcesListening & Longing: Music Lovers in the Age of Barnum by Daniel Cavicchi"Fandom Before 'Fan'" by Daniel CavicchiWikipediaMassachusetts Historical SocietyPromoSuper Sorry - Have you ever watched a Marvel movie and thought, "Wow, somebody really owes somebody an apology?" Like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in Civil War. Or Thor and Loki about... well, everything. That's the question at the heart of SUPER SORRY, a podcast that revisits the Marvel Cinematic Universe one movie at a time through the lens of apologies, accountability, and unintended consequences. Revisiting one MCU movie at a time, Super Sorry hosts Amber and Todd break down who should have apologized, who deserved an apology, and imagine the conversations that could have happened. They also explore the emotional, physical, and financial fallout of superhero action, from damaged relationships to city-wide destruction and billion-dollar cleanup efforts. Whether you're a longtime MCU fan or just enjoy thoughtful pop culture discussions, SUPER SORRY offers a fresh perspective on movies you thought you knew inside and out. You can find SUPER SORRY wherever you listen to podcasts.Re: Dracula - Re: Dracula takes the famous horror tale, breaks it up chronologically (every entry of this epistolary novel has a date), and sends the story directly to your podcatcher as it happens. Every time something happens to the characters, Re: Dracula publishes an episode, in as close to real time as it happens. Some episodes are short (less than a minute), and others are lengthy (over half an hour). Re: Dracula is a faithful, text-accurate adaptation, featuring a full cast to tug on your heartstrings and sound design to keep you on the edge of your seat.Two Thousand and Late - TWO THOUSAND AND LATE is a new fiction podcast from the creator of The Bright Sessions - a dark comedy that grapples with the havoc of our current moment and tries to find the hope inside of it. In the 10-episode first season, we follow Harper, a thirty-six year old nihilist whose life is upended when she’s possessed by a demon hell-bent on bringing about the apocalypse. Harper doesn’t want to end the world, but the demon gives her more power than she’s had in her life in a long time. In a world where so many people abuse their power, will Harper be any different? Blending sharp satire with genre flair and wickedly lovable antiheroes, Two Thousand and Late is ideal for fans of Fleabag, Killing Eve, The Craft, Jennifer’s Body, Yellowjackets, True Blood, and Venom. It’s a potent cocktail of feminist rage, queer power, and supernatural mischief. It’s unapologetically angry, surprisingly tender, and deeply entertaining. For more information, visit http://www.harperandhavoc.com.Aim High Brooch Designs - For 25% off any order on Aim High Brooch Designs on Etsy, including a custom brooch, bag charm, keychain, or magnet design, use the promo code TWIFH.This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-centric podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history!Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at @thisweekinfandomhistoryWe’re now on Instagram! @thisweekinfandomhistorySign up for our newsletter on our website, http://www.thisweekinfan
- 3 weeks ago54 min
Batman Wouldn't, Spider-Man Would || Episode #009: A Shaking Were-Chihuahua with Paul Caiola
This episode will be available to all listeners for 7 days before access is locked to our $5+ Patreon donors.This week, our C-List Superhero is Paco Ramone AKA Vibe (DC Comics), and our A-List Superhero is Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat (Marvel). Our Uninformed Expert Panel this week is Emily Jaye, as always, and our special guest is Paul Caiola from That Aged Well. Listen in as they learn about our two heroes and weigh in on whether either, or both, is fuckable... like, at all.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- 4 weeks ago1h 6m
August 27, 2014: #Gamergate Coined
No pithy exclamation this week, because we are too angry. While #Gamergate easily warrants an entire long-form investigative podcast all on its own, Emily did a fantastic job condensing it down to one infuriating hour for V. We look at both the surface and underlying reasons behind the reactionary far-right gamer movement, as well as its continuing fallout and the ways that it has irrevocably changed the entire modern world. For the worse. It's a bummer episode, folks. (Head over to the new CONstruction if you want an uplift after listening!)On a happier note, we're starting a newsletter! Head over to http://www.thisweekinfandomhistory.com to sign up for behind-the-scenes content, episode-thematic fic recs, and extended show notes every Monday starting August 31, 2026! (And send us your fic recs for Xena, Supernatural, Dan & Phil, and Mean Girls!)SourcesFanlore: GamergateHistory of Gamergate: Death of a GamerTIMESubstack: plaguearist Does GamergateCNNNY TimesGameDeveloper.comPromoVirtual TGIF/F - Our friends at TGI Femslash have just announced a brand-new, online fan con happening this summer. On August 29–30, Virtual TGIF/F will bring femslash fans from around the world together for discussion panels, online events, and more. Registration opens June 1st. Find out more at tgifemslash.com/virtualconTwo Thousand and Late - TWO THOUSAND AND LATE is a new fiction podcast from the creator of The Bright Sessions - a dark comedy that grapples with the havoc of our current moment and tries to find the hope inside of it. In the 10-episode first season, we follow Harper, a thirty-six year old nihilist whose life is upended when she’s possessed by a demon hell-bent on bringing about the apocalypse. Harper doesn’t want to end the world, but the demon gives her more power than she’s had in her life in a long time. In a world where so many people abuse their power, will Harper be any different? Blending sharp satire with genre flair and wickedly lovable antiheroes, Two Thousand and Late is ideal for fans of Fleabag, Killing Eve, The Craft, Jennifer’s Body, Yellowjackets, True Blood, and Venom. It’s a potent cocktail of feminist rage, queer power, and supernatural mischief. It’s unapologetically angry, surprisingly tender, and deeply entertaining. For more information, visit http://www.harperandhavoc.com.Aim High Brooch Designs - For 25% off any order on Aim High Brooch Designs on Etsy, including a custom brooch, bag charm, keychain, or magnet design, use the promo code TWIFH.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
About This Week In Fandom History
A podcast about why fandom matters. Co-hosted by V. Arrow and Emily Jaye, This Week In Fandom History celebrates fandom culture's highest highs and weirdest lows. With which short-lived vampire cop drama was the very first X-Files fanfiction crossed over? Who is Tara Gilesbie? How recently did the Starsky & Hutch Lending Library rent out its last zine? What were Strikethrough, Racefail, LGBTFansDeserveBetter, and Conchobar, anyway? V and Emily trade off some deep-internet research each week to learn and laugh (and sometimes rage) their way through the annals of fandom history.
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