i think a problem within the iwtv/tvl fandom that goes beyond just a simple difference in opinion is how this show didn't only go through a tonal shift in s3, it also had a massive culture shift.
s1 and 2 of iwtv was a black queer gothic horror show. amc didn't market it as such (really didn't market it at all tbh), but not only are two of the main characters black (louis and claudia), but their race intersects into other parts of their identity, their blackness is not ignored and actually weaves with the story organically and is a realistic point of conflict when seeing themselves or the world. the exploration of louis's creole background as well adds another touch to his complex background.
a good portion of the fan base must have enjoyed that aspect the most or even became a fan of this franchise because louis and claudia are brilliantly written black queer characters that they see themselves in.
although we always knew tvl was around the corner, i don't think the writers or fanbase anticipated how big of a shift going from a black narrator/protagonist to a white one would be.
lestat is always going to resonate with white audiences the most. when i say that, i don't mean bipoc fans don't enjoy or relate to lestat, i mean that if you tell his story authentically, you are looking at his world from a white pov.
for example:
a black character may make different references than a white character even when they are talking about the same thing or experience
a black character will also navigate the same situation differently than a white character - it doesn't even have to be a complex issue, white people simply have the privilege of showing up at a place differently than black people
and there are also more superficial things such as what the character would likely have knowledge of in music, pop culture, or literature (black or white people are not a monolith so it of course varies but i think you know what i mean).
although it may not have been the intention, it can feel like a bait-and-switch to fans whose primary driving force back to the show had to do with relating deeply to louis's pov as a queer black creole man (it can be one part of that, all of that, or none specifically but simply the experience of also being a bipoc person from the south for example).
on top of that, there is a sense of what is considered 'media literate' among fans when it comes to understanding parts of s3. i see the word media literacy a lot for s3. whenever someone doesn't understand the point of a scene or talks about a certain dynamic or approach not landing with them, some fans start throwing that word around - as if they know how to interpret this piece of white media better, and you are too stupid to understand it.
i don't have data on who is saying this to who exactly but based on my personal experience - it has been white fans telling me or other bipoc fans that certain things should be easy to follow or understand in tvl and that us not understanding the writing is our problem. while there is some truth to that and truth to just having a differences in taste, the way this comes off (to me) has always been with an air of white supremacy.
you can read more about white supremacy culture and characteristics here but i'm gonna take a few off that list and give an example in terms of the iwtv/tvl fandom:
defensiveness - criticizing amc or the writer's room is automatically seen as an attack to the show or an overreaction
worship of the written word/only one right way - the tvc books are gospel even though it's riddled with themes of racism throughout, white writers writing insensitive material - but because it's in the script, it must have a meaning, and you should not be challenging it.
paternalism - fear of backlash just for criticizing the actions of a white character on the show
either/or thinking - if you hated s3, you must not understand rolin jones's artistic vision, if you don't relate to lestat, you must have no empathy, "this is lestat's season".
right to comfort - when bipoc fans critique the show for being racist or call the actions of a white character racist, white fans feel uncomfortable and don't want to check their own racism and therefore blame the people calling out this discomfort as 'haters' instead.
additionally, i'm gonna bring us back to this point: "what the character would likely have knowledge of in music, pop culture, or literature." this also applies to fans. black fans are not a monolith. other bipoc fans are not a monolith, and white fans are not either. but there are patterns and differences in accessibility when it comes to certain aspects of art and culture.
i'll give you an example:
lestat makes rock music. though having originated from black culture, the rock industry is extremely racist. i'll quote this paper:
"Formerly, rhythm and blues music was rebranded and ultimately popularized as rock and roll, but became less associated with African American people as more white artists created rock and roll music. Black audiences eventually began to feel less connected to the genre"
and of course, when most faces of rock and roll started to become white, black people find it harder to break in and have less access to both the musical genre and the industry which means black fans may be less likely (not a monolith, but just a pattern) to enjoy the rock music lestat makes.
"you don't like the music in the show? it's because you don't have taste/don't understand camp." or "you find the lyrics cringe or stupid, you're media illiterate."
or even worse, and yes, a white person said this to me personally, "if you don't like lestat's music, you are homophobic because he is a queer icon." - the way that is riddled with a whole host of other issues that i can't get into.
if you don't enjoy the music, you may then enjoy the show less because the show spends a copious amount of time playing lestat's songs either in the background or in concert. you see where this is going when we loop it back to white supremacy in the fandom?
there are a lot of other issues with racism in this fandom that i can't get into in this post but, to sum it all up, i think everyone, especially white people in this fandom, should take a step back before jumping down another person's throat (especially another bipoc's throat) or before telling them they're off-base for critiquing the show or having feelings you have the privilege of not having to deal with.
white people in this fandom should not be dictating the interpretation of the show or what is considered a 'you problem.' please ask yourself why you think your interpretation of a show built off of black and brown characters is somehow superior before you try to muzzle a black or bipoc fan from their opinion.
fandom isn't that deep, really, it's just a show - but fandom is just a microcosm of how the bigger world is. people of color are already constantly silenced and told to just shut up and deal with things in day-to-day life, please fucking check yourself before you make a place of escapism another hellish place to be for us.
my ocs ive never shown... they are both incomprehensible clowns sent to torment a poor eel farmer (shared story with @lesbianwhimsy )
I love them so much it hurts
in order: periwinkle hugging primrose, primrose resting in the field, periwinkle and primrose dancing, Saebrathach frustrated, Periwinkle in his opium clothing, Primrose in her city clothing
