# I don't quite get today's "Questionable Content" strip **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [April 13, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967 "2010-04-13T17:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/321 "2010-09-22T12:49:35Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I’m seeing this more and more lately. I’m not familiar with it. What does it mean “somebody starts shipping them?” It means that people start campaigning for or writing fanfic about the two characters getting into a relationship. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/322 "2010-09-22T14:41:14Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I’m seeing this more and more lately. I’m not familiar with it. What does it mean “somebody starts shipping them?” Basically, it’s a term for how some fans want every story to be a love story. Like _The X-Files_, for example - they would want to drop all the stuff about investigating government conspiracies and have the show focus on Mulder and Scully falling in love. Or Jack and Kate. Or House and Cuddy. Or Picard and Crusher. These fans obsess about the “relationship” between the two characters they feel should be together and this got abbreviated to “shipping”. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/323 "2010-09-22T15:13:22Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Geez, I’m growing a vagina. So … how _you_ doin’? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/324 "2010-09-22T15:45:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Or Picard and Crusher. BEVERLY Crusher…although I’m not enough of a betting man to make a wager against there being at least one piece of Jean-Luc/Wesley slash out there somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/325 "2010-09-22T16:23:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > Or Picard and Crusher. > > BEVERLY Crusher…although I’m not enough of a betting man to make a wager against there being at least one piece of Jean-Luc/Wesley slash out there somewhere… On the internet? There’s going to be Beverly/Wesley stories. Heck there’s probably stories where Spock hooks up with Horta. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/326 "2010-09-22T16:31:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > There’s going to be Beverly/Wesley stories. Heck there’s probably stories where Spock hooks up with Horta. Or McCoy/Horta… KIRK: [banging on door] Bones? What are you doing in there? MCCOY: Um… bricklaying, Jim! ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/327 "2010-09-22T16:55:59Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Geez, I’m growing a vagina. Yeah I know that feeling. I even watched Glee yesterday. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/328 "2010-09-22T17:53:02Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Or McCoy/Horta… > > KIRK: [banging on door] Bones? What are you doing in there? > > MCCOY: Um… bricklaying, Jim! :dubious: :eek: 😃 (Come to think of it, that may be the progression of Bones’ facial expressions during the scene in question, too…) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/329 "2010-09-22T18:45:24Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > Or Picard and Crusher. > > BEVERLY Crusher…although I’m not enough of a betting man to make a wager against there being at least one piece of Jean-Luc/Wesley slash out there somewhere… [Rule 34](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rule%2034), dude. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/330 "2010-09-22T18:50:12Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > > [@jayjay](#): > > > > BEVERLY Crusher…although I’m not enough of a betting man to make a wager against there being at least one piece of Jean-Luc/Wesley slash out there somewhere… > > [Rule 34](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rule%2034), dude. Hey, I said I wouldn’t take that bet! I’ve been on the Web since '96. I know the pitfalls… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/331 "2010-09-22T18:52:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Basically, it’s a term for how some fans want every story to be a love story. Like _The X-Files_, for example - they would want to drop all the stuff about investigating government conspiracies and have the show focus on Mulder and Scully falling in love. That’s not quite correct. “Shipping” just means that the fan wants a particular pairing to happen on the show. It doesn’t necessarily mean they want the show to focus on that pairing to the exclusion of everything else, although there are certainly some fans like that. If I like an action show that often features romantic subplots, and I want to see a romantic subplot between two particular characters, I could be said to be shipping those characters, even though I don’t want the romantic subplots to take over the entire show. I could even want the show to focus _less_ on the romance aspect overall, and still be a shipper. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/332 "2010-09-22T18:59:15Z")
You don’t have to want a ship to become canon to ship it, either. I used to ship Harry/Draco, but I never wanted it to be the canon outcome- I just wanted to read a lot of Harry/Draco fic. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/333 "2010-09-23T19:21:22Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > > [@Enright3](#): > > > > Geez, I’m growing a vagina. > > So … how _you_ doin’? haha… where’s that coy, blushing smiley?:eek: So ‘Shipping’… I get it. relationSHIP –\> SHIP –\> Shipping. Thx. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/334 "2010-09-23T19:49:17Z")
Hanners, Marigold, Enright - this strip’s got a lot of people exploring new areas. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/335 "2010-09-24T01:47:10Z")
Enright? ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/336 "2010-09-24T02:01:53Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > Enright? See this quote: > [@Enright3](#): > > Geez, I’m growing a vagina. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/337 "2010-09-24T02:07:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s not quite correct. “Shipping” just means that the fan wants a particular pairing to happen on the show. Not even necessarily that - some 'shippers are quite happy to have their OTP (One True Pairing…there’s also the OT3 variant when people 'ship 3 characters together) remaining non-canon, just content with fanfic, fan-art, etc. Crack 'shippers would be a HELL of a lot more scary if they actually wanted their 'ships to become canon… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/338 "2010-09-24T15:37:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Hanners, Marigold, Enright - this strip’s got a lot of people exploring new areas. Who Me? 😕 > [@Achren](#): > > > [@Leiko](#): > > > > Enright? > > See this quote: > > > [@Enright3](#): > > > > Geez, I’m growing a vagina. Oh… ⭕( ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/339 "2010-09-30T17:29:36Z")
Okay - we knew Sven was broken, but this is really a level of brokenness I didn’t expect. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/340 "2010-09-30T17:32:10Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Okay - we knew Sven was broken, but this is really a level of brokenness I didn’t expect. Goodbye, Faye/Marten/Dora love triangle, hello Sven/Faye/Angus love triangle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=18)