“Be the Captain they remember”

Autor(en)

Isabella Hesse

Abstrakt

This virtual ethnography focuses on fan responses to the SF drama series
Star Trek: Picard and its ageing cast. The revival of a popular SF franchise
after a pause of almost two decades, the reprise of iconic roles by visibly transformed
cast members and the ensuing discussions in online spaces yield an insight
into viewers’ attitudes towards representations of age and ageing in popular culture.
Drawing on a qualitative analysis of posts in a Facebook group dedicated
to the series, this article maps out dominant cultural narratives on ageing and
the meaning that fans ascribe to Star Trek: Picard within this landscape. Commentary
on the ageing bodies of actors and actresses reveals what some fans consider
“graceful” or “successful” ageing. Praise of those who are perceived to have
aged “like a fine wine” demonstrates appreciation of older bodies, while reinforcing
pressure to maintain attractiveness. Furthermore, online fan discourses show
a marked discrepancy in the way male and female attractiveness are discussed,
with female stars being continually objectified and sexualized. Conversations on
characters’ transformations over time often revolve around expectations of continuity
and age-appropriateness. Significant changes to a franchise can challenge
fans’ sense of affective ownership. While ageing bears negative connotations of decline
and decreased autonomy, some fans were inspired by Star Trek: Picard’s depiction
of ageing. The meaning of “ageing well” emerged as successfully managing
change, staying true to oneself while still integrating the inevitable changes
wrought by time rather than denying them.

Organisation(en)

Dekanat der Historisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät, Institut für Europäische Ethnologie

Seiten

77

Anzahl der Seiten

96

Publikationsdatum

2023

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

605004 Kulturwissenschaft

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/be-the-captain-they-remember(b3dbc82f-2c01-4eb3-841a-ebce38feb948).html