The one who seduced you, screwed you over, broke your heart in a million pieces, and laughed about it:

The X-Files, for sure. I devoted so much to that show in the early years. So many Friday nights at home in high school because I couldn’t miss an episode. Wrote my first fan-fic, got into the fandom community. But the mythology was a mess and promises were broken over and over. And I may still be bitter.

Honorable mention goes to Game of Thrones. And everyone knows why.

The old flame you don’t see very often any more but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp:

Whedonverse, but specifically Buffy. When I broke up with X-Files, Buffy was there to show me what a series where the writers actually tracked the mythology and stories looked like. I see them every day, in the sense that I have all the DVDs, figures, and books on display but I watched it SO MUCH at the start that I don’t even need to rewatch them anymore, I can just close my eyes and see the scenes LOL. But every now and then, I need to watch Buffy, Angel, or Firefly and remember when these were shows on regular TV.

The mysterious dark one whom you used to sit up with talking until 3 AM at weird coffee houses and with whom you were quite smitten until you realized they really were fucking creepy:

Riverdale. That first season was so much fun. It was self-aware and turned the squeaky clean comic world of Archie upside down. The mystery was twisty enough to keep me guessing. And the characters were just quirky enough to pull me in. But the second and third season got into a zone of ridiculous I could no longer take. It was never realistic, but you can only push the boundaries so far until you are so far outside reality it becomes unwatchable.

The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor and whom you’d still really like to get with again, although you’re relieved they don’t actually live in town:

“Dark”, the German Netflix sci-fi show. I binged that second season hard and I want to know what happens next but I’m okay waiting because it has time travel and I’m so confused about who was where when what how now? I need to watch it all again and create some kind of chart.

The steady:

I debated between my two big fandoms here, but in the end, it’s gotta be Star Wars. I’ve been a fan since birth and it is the happy place I go back to when I need to escape all reality. I might not be in love with all of the new stuff Disney is pushing out (or even able to keep up with it anymore) but the original trilogy has been and will always be there for me.

The alluring stranger whom you’ve flirted with at parties but have never gotten really serious with:

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. It’s a fun show and we watched the first season, I might watch the second when I have nothing else to watch. It’s cute but it hasn’t hooked me enough to make me binge it all.

The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with, but ultimately you’re just good buddies:

Attack on Titan. I watched the show but I’m not hardcore enough to read the manga. But when it is on, I’m ready to talk about it and rewatch the whole series, until we are caught up and another show takes its place. And then I will Google something about it and find a blog post that makes me realize I am barely retaining what happens each season. Dangit, now I’ve convinced myself I need to rewatch it!

The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool person except it’s never really gone anywhere:

Star Trek Discovery. I keep meaning to watch it, I see little conversations about it all over the place on blogs but I’ve never made the time for it, mostly because the only way for me to watch is DVD from the library. CBS All Access is a stupid business model.

The one who’s slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at them and thinking, “How the hell did they land all these cool people?”

Marvel movies. I mean, I get it, I was there at the start and saw the movies but at this point, I’m amazed how many people are still there for it all. (though I know people feel the same way about Star Wars too so, you know, pot say hello to kettle).

My friend thenewbuzzwuzz mentioned Supernatural in her responses to this and I agree with that too. I watched the first couple seasons and was amused but for me it got flawed fast. But the fandom was so hardcore, it was almost scary!

The one who gave you the best damned summer of your life and against whom you measure all other potential partners:

Hannibal. I can’t even remember how I ended up watching this show, a series that, on paper, should not have appealed to me – its crime, its gore. But it was also REALLY clever and smart and kept me guessing. I hadn’t been so enraptured with a show in such a long time when I stumbled into this one. Love at first bite.

The one you recently met at a party and would like to get to know better:

Mindhunter. Another show that, on paper, I had no business watching. I’m not a true crime person. But the allure of David Fincher behind the wheel and Johnathan Groff’s pretty face pulled me in. I watched the first season when it came out and loved it, just finished the second and LOVED IT EVEN MORE. But they were both binges and I need to go back and really give each episode the attention it deserves.

The old flame that you wouldn’t totally object to hooking up with again for a one night romp if only they’d clean up a bit:

If it hadn’t been for the lousy 4th season, I would say Veronica Mars.

Maybe I will say Stranger Things here. I didn’t hate the latest season, I was just unimpressed with most of it. I’d be there for another season IF things get tightened up a bit and the characters are less obnoxious. My favorite storyline in S3 was Scoops Ahoy gang. Everyone else got on my nerves, especially the whole Mike, Eleven, Hopper thing.

Your hot new flame:

The EXPANSE!!!!!!!! Three seasons and I still feel like we’re in the honeymoon phase. I have actually rewatched all three seasons, something no other series has compelled me to do in awhile. And I’m contemplating one more binge before December’s new season. And I am reading the books. Amazon saved this show and the fandom is alive and well and pretty dang positive. The actors are appreciative and tweet fun things with fans and it really is one big family. Which is kind of a weird way to talk about it in a meme that is about dating my fandoms but you get it! #ScreamingFirehawks

and honorable mention goes to Schitt’s Creek, which I also randomly show up and tell people to watch without them asking. Right now that show is perfect to me, and not just because of the wealth of fantastic reaction gifs available online. Another show that is smart and sweet and has its heart in the right place. I’m sad that I found it so close to the end of the series but I’m glad I did find it. I’m hoping Netflix drops that new season in October.

The one who stole your significant other:

My husband really isn’t in to TV shows the way I am, but I know when he likes one because he will ask if a new episode is up yet and then I will hear him talking to friends about it. Right now, that show is ‘Killjoys’. It’s just a fun show with great characters. It reminds me a bit of Firefly in tone. Sadly, the final season is airing right now. He likes Expanse as well though so when December rolls around we will have to debate if we want to binge or take our time with the new season.

Beyond tv and movies, he’s hardcore into Star Citizen, a video game that is still in testing. He pledged to the game though so he has some cool ships and he found an active organization to game with on the regular. They make their own fun. Pretty sure he was up until 2am flying his ship around last night.

So, what about you? Which fandoms broke your heart, stood you up and/or swept you off your feet? Leave a comment or link your post in the comments!