Fandoms SECRET Language! Comfort Media is MORE than you think

[@theforgetfulalchemist]

"People will say 'This is my comfort character' and point to a character who has never had a moment of comfort in their lives"

[@sassylittleprophet]

Sara Crewe is that for me. I feel bad saying that her worst moments are my favorite parts of the book, but it's not because she suffers, it's because of how she rises above it and copes the best she can. She taught me how to cope and carry on while I was growing up in an abusive home. She taught me to hope for a better tomorrow because if you do your best, eventually you will get to a better place. That and she's a witch, and no, I will not be elaborating on that further 😂

[@Sendarya]

True!!

[@ssupp]

Doctor Who used to be my comfort media, Doctor saying "In 900 years of space and time I've never met anyone who wasn't important" just hit that lonely teenage experience so hard and filled me with hope. A great video, thank you for talking about this!

[@tanks7774]

Good Omens gave me the courage I needed to leave a long-term relationship that I knew was bad, but I stayed in out of fear of triggering the other person's severe mental health issues. I read the book for the first time this past early July, and shortly after, I watched the show for the first time as well. I remember finishing the show and just having this moment of thinking, "I deserve to be loved like that. I deserve to be in a relationship where we're BOTH happy. Where I am not the only one putting in all of the love and effort. " Within the week, I ended things with that partner whom I had been with for nearly 5 years. It might seem like a strange takeaway from a primarily comedy book/series, but it was genuinely so positively life-changing that I dont care, and I'm so happy that I found this story and community ❤

[@bofirestonetreesgardens9276]

Thank you so much for making this. It took me a while to make sense of and feel that my fandom was just as meaningful and legitimate as my husband's sports fandom. GO helped me process my grief and helped me find courage to be a more authentic version of myself.

[@Annoyingwerewolf]

Good Omens has been an absolute turning point in my life, the shared pain, the tears, the laughter, the fear, especially the love, all this and more shared with others is incredible, I have changed for the better, and now I have a feeling of belonging that I didn't have before.

[@Sendarya]

That's wonderful to hear. It's amazing how finding a community can bring so much healing.

[@sophitsa79]

I first read Good Omens when I was around about 18 back in the '90s. I read it several more times over the years and shared it with my nephew and niece so that the next generation could also have it with them. I remember seeing a young man reading GO on the train about 10-15 years ago and telling him that I hoped he will love the book as much as I did. I'm really glad that there are now thousands or millions more people who will get to experience GO through this series. I can see that it is a comfort to them, but I hope that it also reinforces in them the positive values that the book champions. The series has been a comfort through a difficult couple of years for me. Getting to know the wonderful movies and charitable things that Michael Sheen does has filled my heart.

[@libber48]

I am totally enamored with all of the fan fiction for Good Omens. I find that reading, it keeps me grounded and in touch.

[@judithstrachan9399]

If you watch a Doctor Who episode called “The Doctor’s Wife”, you can hear, but not see, Michael Sheen. Apparently he sounds very different. (I haven’t watched Good Omens yet.)

[@sophitsa79]

@judithstrachan9399 oooh! That's a nice piece of trivia. I'll have to go and check it out!

[@Sendarya]

That's such a great story, and it's awesome that you shared GO with your nephew and niece!

[@lulu480]

@@judithstrachan9399 he does. It’s much deeper than his normal voice. Even though it’s an evil character, his voice is, of course, mesmerizing.

[@Stormchantress]

Someone has asked me recently how a show could save life. And I realised I didn't use to get it either. I thought it was an exaggeration, a way to express the love for the show. But then it happened to me… For the past 4 years I've been struggling with depression caused by external factors (meaning it isn't just down to my brain's messed up chemistry). My living conditions went down the drain without much warning and due to legal complexities, there is nothing I can do about it. My life was reduced to mindless day-to-day existence with zero joy in it, just shuffling one foot in front of another with no hope of it ever getting better. You can guess where my thoughts often wandered. I won't admit it out loud (I have learnt through painful experience how dangerous that is in my country), but I won't deny it either. And then came Good Omens and it was like getting shocked back to life with a defribrillator. The night I watched s2 finale my brain immediately went into overdrive and I hyperfixated with the intensity I'd never known before (and mind you, I've had plenty of hyperfixations over decades!). It's been many, many years since I'd graduated from university (I majored in literature) and for the first time since, I wanted to pick a narrative apart, analyse every detail I could find, while at the same time constantly daydreaming about Aziracrow. Whenever anxieties and despair came, I now had an escape, a mental safe space to distract me and lift me back up. I think people underestimate the power of storytelling. The great Polish epic Pan Tadeusz was a massive hit when it was published because Poland had just been partitioned and the narrative told of days gone-by and happier times. It was an escape from the overwhelming, depressing reality, and a place of comfort. When Poland got its first translation of Winnie the Pooh, the translator (a talented poet) had taken many liberties, making it much smoothed-over and more elegant and fluffy than the original - again, it was an instant hit to brighten the grim reality of the II World War Poland. When Jews were forced into ghettos in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, they read contraband books and shared them in secrecy, risking punishment. So when someone tells you a show saved their live, consider they might mean it. Perhaps they watched it to distract themselves from heartbreak or loneliness, and maybe they found comfort in the fandom. Perhaps they daydreamed about the story to make each depression-ridden day a bit lighter. Perhaps as they succumbed to darkness, they imagined a fictional angel (or demon) holding their hand and offering them a caring embrace. I wish my love for Good Omens had lasted. These days it feels more like grasping at staws, trying to resuscitate what it used to be. I feel pain and sorrow whenever I engage with the show or even fan content. I can't force myself to feel hopeful or trust the movie creators. Dedicated as they are, it simply isn't possible to squeeze a complex novel-sized plot into 90 minutes. Other successful adaptations of Terry Pratchett's books are 3h+ long, NG's Stardust is 2h+. I simply don't believe Good Omens 3 can deliver in 1.5h. That's the huge risks that comes with trusting contemporary media. They can be ripped away from you on a whim, without any warning or chance to impact the decision (all the massive action of the OFMD fandom amounted to nothing in the end). The entertainment industry, which was supposed to offer comfort, escape and carefreeness, has turned into a source of anxiety and seen as toxic parents (I've seen people saying they're afraid to sign a petition thinking Prime could "punish them" by completely cancelling GO). I don't think I'll ever risk looking at anything that isn't complete, definitely not a streaming service production.

[@bofirestonetreesgardens9276]

Don't despair. Your experience of the Good Omens story isn't limited to what the show runners are able to provide. I had no idea fan-generated fiction could be so incredibly good. I thought it wouldn't be well written or true to the characters but I was so wrong. Embrace the punk rock spirit that we do not have to wait to just consume what we are allowed to, we can make art without anyone's permission and support each other in what we love. I have some great places for you to start if you want to read some amazing stories from this universe out of the imaginations of people who share your same love. Again, do not despair!

[@Stormchantress]

@@bofirestonetreesgardens9276 I understand your wish to comfort me (I know some people simply get the urge), but I'm not happy about the assumptions you made about me. FYI I've read countless longfics and oneshots in the past year - both canon-compliant and AUS - and I've written several myself, as well as created fanart. Truth be told, these days fanfics don't bring me joy anymore. The thrill and delight transformed into pain. They just remind me of the loss. Something broke inside me when I found out GO was to be butchered into its 33% hasty overview (I know Rob will do his best to make it a pleasant experience, but I was never in it for the ending - I looked forward to the journey that will now be ruthlessly sped-through). So, no, it's not as simple as "go read some fics". Thanks, though.

[@julianan-r4455]

It's been a rough time for me since the election, but this video gave me a bit hope again. Thanks Sendarya!

[@Sendarya]

I'm glad I could bring a tiny bit of hope right now.

[@sarahm6568]

I'm not sure if it's on your list of shows to watch, but I'd highly recommend Our Flag Means Death. This has been one of my comfort shows for a long time; it's such a fun, beautiful, inclusive and positive story.

[@Sendarya]

I have seen season 1, but not yet season 2. I got a little spooked when it got cancelled

[@sarahm6568]

@@Sendarya The cancellation was disappointing, and there were some significant budget cuts in Season 2. Overall, it's still a great time and definitely worth watching!

[@branchmoor]

Agree, season 2 is still worth watching. Also it doesn't end with a cliffhanger and on an actually pretty good note, so personally (hot take, perhaps) I don't think it suffers from season 3 being cancelled, as GO would have.

[@kesapupu]

OFMD is great! I highly recommend it too! Yes, sometimes season 2 feels a bit rushed, but it is still amazing! It was actually the show through which I found Good Omens.

[@StormGrrrl]

3:44 EXPERIENTIAL CONTROL! Thank you, yet again, Sendarya! I have been made fun of by friends and family for needing to know the endings of stressful or frightening films before I watch them. And I am a constant re-watcher of shows I relate to. Now I have science to defend myself the next time they roll their eyes!

[@theriverspath]

You're not alone! I've become this way, especially for media featuring lgbt+ characters. I'm tired of dealing with the echoes of the Hays code, and have zero interest in watching something that still adheres to the tropes it created.

[@ladyyoyo5418]

​@theriverspath Omg yall, I thought I was the only one! And now it all makes so much sense too!

[@Sendarya]

My husband is like your family, he does not understand my habitual consuming of the same material over and over. I just can't help it!

[@erykaton170]

I have observed the use of comfort media by people I care about, but I'm left wondering what is wrong with me, that I've never had those touchstones? I don't rewatch or reread media with which I've previously engaged. I don't have a collection of movies, shows, or CD's. I don't have any music player devices or apps. The one exception has been Good Omens, but it wasn't in a comforting way. In fact it was painful. Devastating even. I watched the first season, and enjoyed it, but it didn't emotionally impact me. I looked forward to the second season, but not rabidly. The second season was excellent, and I was invested in the mystery, and seeing these two together again. Season 2, episode 5? I was hopeful; excited for a building tension in the will they/won't they dynamic. But season 2 episode 6? The final 15? I was happily, blindly, led by the nose, but still not in a charged, emotional way. But it was a "rope a dope". Setting all of us up, to shock us when the rug was pulled out from under us. Giving us exactly what we wanted, but in the worst way imaginable. I don't know if I have the vocabulary to describe the impact. A gut punch? Yes. The floor dropping from below my feet? Yes. My heart ripped from my chest? Yes. Anguish. Despair. Pain. Pain. Pain. None of it is sufficient to describe it. It took me a while to process why it hurt me so much. I had to watch other people experience and voice their pain, in reaction videos. Crying along with strangers, over and over again. Actively seeking out ways to feel the pain again, so I could determine why it felt so familiar and devastating. Watching other people experience it too, let me know it wasn't just me that found it devastating. Couldn't get it out of my mind. Watching the final 15 on repeat, I finally recognized my trigger, and it happened 3 decades ago. Past relationship, yada yada yada. I'd never read fanfiction before. When it was first mentioned to me, years ago, I was baffled by the concept. Couldn't understand why people would devote so much time to creating it, and others would spend so much time consuming it. (Maybe it has something to do with why I don't have comfort books, songs, movies or shows.🤷‍♀) But somewhere along the way, I found this channel.❤❤❤ And you Sendarya, introduced me to a new way to experience Good Omens, and for my brain, which loves puzzles and mysteries, a most intriguing way to engage with the show, separate from the pain. To watch again, looking for easter eggs and clues. You mentioned fan fiction, or someone commented on a video about it, and I dove into the Good Omens ocean of stories. I was seeking solace, resolution, insight into my own swirling emotions, and a way to organize my own theories, interpretations, and predictions, to test against other people's ideas. Long winded as usual (sorry!), just to say, I still don't have any comfort media, but Good Omens, the fan fiction, and this channel are the closest I've ever come. 💐

[@theaternerdandpeggy8388]

I had just discovered the show last year, when I moved to a new town. It was so scary but there was something about how happy Aziraphale was in his little bookshop for so long, and how he had his silly best friend, that I just loved so much 🖤🤍

[@GracieBN]

Good Omens and its fandom mean so much to me. Maybe I over analyze the characters, but I’m finding myself relating to them on such a deep level and it makes me feel just a little bit less alone. The fandom’s creativity is truly unmatched, and when it inspired me to start creating within the fandom, everyone was so kind and encouraging to me. I’ve been writing more and more over the last year, and it’s awakening something inside me that I’m not sure I’ve seen in a very long time. When it comes to creative outlets, I’ve felt inferior in just about every medium (namely music and studio art), but I don’t feel that way when I share my writing with the Good Omens fandom. They make me feel good enough and I don’t know if I’d get that anywhere else.

[@Sendarya]

I completely understand. As much as I love other fandoms, this is the first one where I've felt inspired to create!

[@kesapupu]

When Nye was streaming on KZbin, somebody organized a watch party on Twitter. It was such a sweet reminder, that something good can still happen in "the bad place" too and brought so many people together. It was so much nicer to watch it that way, than all alone in my own home. And it also reminded me of "the good old days" when we used to watch The Eurovision song contest like that, at least in my country. So I think Eurovision song contest is my comfort media, or one of them. In addition to watching it in "watch parties" online, every year (or almost every year) me and my friends have eurovision (live) party on a Grand Final day and we dress silly and have fun. I don't see some of those people very often these days, but it's comforting to know that we have at least one reason to get together every year.

[@alyzu4755]

I started watching "Doctor Who" with my dad. We didn't always have an easy relationship, but we had that. I read "Good Omens" in 1991, and have been hooked ever since.

[@Sendarya]

Dr. Who is such a great show to share, and it sounds like it helped you bond with your dad in a difficult relationship.

[@branchmoor]

My comfort character is actually my own Dungeons & Dragons-character that I've been roleplaying for 5 years. I listen to her playlist whenever I need a boost of energy for a challenging task, and I often draw parallells between her struggles and relationships and my own. I just love the person she has become while playing through a highly improvised story at the gaming table, in ways I could never have planned out beforehand. Same with writing original stories, I think. It's fascinating how much easier it is to reflect while in a fictional person's headspace than in your own.

[@lisa_wistfulone7957]

That’s beautiful- I love how personalized this is for you. My son plays RPGs, usually now as a GM, and has really blossomed in confidence during that time. Not only because of that, but I’m confident it’s been a factor in his personal journey.

[@LilLioba]

Thank you, Maurice Sendak and "Pierre", for evoking in Sendarya the longing to analyze stories. Not to imagine the gap if this had not happened! You manage to say things about stories that we recognize as being true, but that I for instance wouldn't be able to formulate myself. Same happens in good stories. You "recognize" the truths, and this provides insight and comfort. Having always been prone to severe "escapism", I'm glad you talk about the positive aspects of it 💖

[@lulu480]

Sendarya, you are brilliant! Before I became addicted to GO I did not know such a thing as fandom existed. As an adult I haven’t reread books over and over again. Each one would lead me to another. I will say that British murder mysteries as a genre have been somewhat a comfort media experience. But until GO appeared I never thought of anything that way. I started thinking of GO that way during some very dark days. Sometimes people would ask me why I watched it so many times and this is what I called it. I really do feel like it saved my sanity. There were a couple of movies I used to watch a lifetime ago. But they were definitely not for comfort. It was about pathos and being disconnected. The only shows that have given me some comfort that I could watch repeatedly was DW, ST (mostly NG), and Torchwood. But nothing has come as close to GO. GO and its fandom have given me a connection even though I can’t say I’ve made friends. But it still gives me comfort just know there are so many people who love it as much as I do. The only other thing that gives me a sense of comfort is the mosaic studio. Making friends and simply talking to other members is very comforting. I’m probably a generation or so older than most you which really puts me out of synch with my peers. So even though this on line, reading so much on discord, ao3 and other things that have may come my way, it is definitely pure comfort.

[@Sendarya]

You m ight be surprised how many people 50+, 60+ and even 70+ are a part of the GO fandom.

[@lulu480]

@ I hadn’t considered 70s would be (which I am) but I have encountered a few who might be close to “senior status “. I’m just happy I’ve found a place where it doesn’t matter much. I will say, though, that a lot of what I read, well, I hardly know what they’re talking about and I often have to look up slang and anachronisms! 😆

[@annalockwood3021]

In recent years Becky Chambers’s Wayfarers books have been my comfort reading. The complexities of the world are enormous, but in the end, sharing our lives with others who value us is what really matters.

[@Island_vampire]

Right now with the election and still living with the fallout of two intense natural disasters and working a mandatory overtime for a job trying to work with recovery from it, I have started watching the 11th Doctors episodes of Doctor Who and definitely realizing what a comfort media and character he was for me

[@Zapporah85]

Critical Role is my comfort media at the moment, and for the last 5 years. All through Covid. The day I caught up was early 2021 and I loved being able to finally listen to the show live. That night, I also listened to the body count over the radio. They did it every night at the hospital during peak Covid. Had to track how many were in the trailers. It was depressing and scary. I had to focus on my show to get through my nights at work. It got me to cosplay again, and many times now! I've named 5 of my cats after it. I don't think I can describe in words how much this show kept me going. And now I'm enjoying sharing it with my partner, which I never thought would happen 💜💚 Being AroAce, I especially love Caduceus and have yet to name a cat after a Talison character because he's so special to me.

[@doobat708]

Personally, I started reading Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels when I was at that transition zone from secondary school to university, and at the same time lost my grandmothers within a few years of each other. The impassioned and compassionate way in which he looked at the world and people in it helped shape me in a time I was feeling unmoored. I don't currently read all that much, but I'm glad I have a personal library of these novels to reach for when I'm at a loss for input.

[@marywilson1709]

Good Omens made me laugh during a really dark period of my life. And it made me wake up and be glad to be alive. I often feel apathetic to life, but Good Omens makes me feel things and enjoy people's company, which is kinda miraculous.

[@Sendarya]

I'm sorry to hear you had such a dark time. I'm glad Good Omens could be there to help you through it

[@marywilson1709]

Thanks Sendarya. I don't mean to be gloomy, but you asked how Good Omens has served as comfort media, and for me it has been a real source of joy and solace. Thanks for your videos - they are always insightful

[@Lisainmaine]

Thank you so much for the resources, especially the bystander intervention. This is definitely something we will need in the future!

[@Sendarya]

You're welcome! Glad this was helpful!

[@SilverGoldBlue]

Good Omens is kind of the first TV show I actually WATCHED and cared about. My comfort media is probably Nimona(the book), and my Good Omens playlist. Thankyou for sharing about something so important. Stay safe everyone! Love you all! ❤

[@jeanninecalder3652]

My comfort .. AC/DC. Their music settles my mind, helps me relax and calm. I also am a big sports enthusiast… I love watching all kinds of sports and root for both sides. Good Omens .. well, Terry was one of my absolute fav authors and when I read the Good Omens book … I adored Crowley… he was so, well Crowley . I wanted to know him. I would have loved to be his Samwise … I know different book but still….

[@Czitara]

I will add this video to my comfort media list...thanks Sendarya for always finding the right (and more importantly: comforting) words ❤

[@Sendarya]

AW, thank you

[@AuthorEstherMitchell]

I am an author. I always explain to people that I write for me. I publish for them. I was urged to write stories as a way of centering myself and keeping me living, rather than trying to unalive myself (for reference, I suffer from PTSD, clinical depression, severe anxiety, and things social media doesn't allow us to talk about), and to help me express and deal with my trauma and emotions that I was never allowed to experience IRL (guess who grew up with "children should be seen and not heard" and "grow up, it doesn't hurt" as part of her daily life?). I write for my sanity, learning to love myself in tiny bits as I learn to love my heroes/heroines, and the pieces of myself and other people I cherish that reside within them. I also learn to deal with my fears and traumas through the villains who encompass parts of myself I despise and my fears around/anger toward real people who have negatively influenced my life. And I've applied the same to the media I consume, from the very first story I ever read (Gawaine and the Green Knight, when I was 2) to my now nearly 32-year long brainrot/obsession with Good Omens (first the book, starting when I read it the summer of 1993, and now the streaming series, as well)... and don't think for a moment I haven't invested hundreds of hours in writing loads of fanfic, too. lol... Hey, when it's fictional, obsessions can be healthy things.

[@katsmith3369]

I love to listen to the opening of 'Good Omens' while falling asleep. But the best thing the show has done for me was getting me to finally read Terry Pratchett's Discworld books - thereby adding to my comfort library!

[@Sendarya]

Lovely, yes! Discworld is amazing

[@gw5867]

For me it is the first time, that I actually have a comfort media, as far as I remember 14:46 . Sure, I had stories I loved to hear or movies I liked to watch when I was a child, but with Good Omens it is different. I've never really been a Fangirl of anything, not even the boybands a lot of my peers liked so much in the 90s and 2000s. Well, now that I am writing I realise, that I was quite a fan of Sailor Moon. But I never got really deep into it. But I loved it. Good Omens is the first Book/Show, I've watched/ read several times in one year. And I love to read all the meta and theories. I love the kind of symbolism and mistery in Good Omens. I cannot really pinpoint one thing, that makes me love this so much. It's a mixture of the wonderful characters, the art of humour, the kind of theology I find in it, the chemistry between Aziraphale and Crowley and a lot more. I espasially relate to Aziraphale.

[@critchook]

This is my third big internet-era fandom, each one I’ve joined I’ve made lasting friendships (the first two were music based: Simon&Garfunkel; and the Mountain Goats, and I still comfort-listen to them). I always love your insights, and I’m endlessly grateful for the safe and welcoming spaces that you’ve created. Thank you!

[@Sendarya]

I adore Simon&Garfunkel! I never got into an official fandom with them, but I have all of their music on CD. I stayed a fan of Paul Simon in his newer itteration as well, but nothing compares to them together. Classic!

[@annemck]

All of these media, plus Star Trek. It's an ultimate comfort show because it's a dream of an optimistic future.

[@Sendarya]

YEs, Star Trek is still a blessing to it's fans. It might be my very, very OG fandom? It was the first convention I ever attended!

[@MaxIneffability]

Such a great and timely video. Thank you. My inner critic - whose voice is not mine but that of all the awful people in my life - constantly berates me for not branching out into new shows, stories, songs, etc, and for getting upset when shows end abruptly because "It's just a show; it's not real." (Three that come to mind are "Surface," "You, Me, and The Apocalypse [I cried in the shower when I learned that it had been quietly canceled just as it was being aired in the states], and most recently, Netflix's "Resident Evil." Still sore about that one.) But being a special needs parent for over 16 years and dealing with my own mental health issues have taught me two very important things: behavior is communication, and everything we do - maladaptive or otherwise - is meeting some sort of need. So when my daughter (who's normally chill) melts down because she's been watching "Martha Speaks" for over a month and I try to steer her to something else, she's communicating to me that she needs the show, and the needs it's filling are for comfort, stability, predictability, and control when the world is falling apart around her (like bouncing from hotel to hotel after a hurricane). I try to give myself that grace when my inner critic denigrates my need to watch "Good Omens" for the umpteenth time or play "The Tortured Poets Department" on repeat for a month. And your words of encouragement to continue to lean into our need for comfort and to not see it as a moral failing are definitely words I needed to hear. I think you're spot on with a key component of comfort media being the fandom around it. Whether the fandom evolves out of the comfort or the comfort comes from being part of the fandom is above my pay grade and probably a chicken and egg situation. But there are plenty of artists and albums and books and shows and movies that I really enjoy and will consume multiple times but wouldn't consider my comfort media nor am I a part of the fandom for those things. I'm a proud Swifty, but even though I'm a Jimmy Buffet fan, I wouldn't call myself a Parrot Head. The comfort for me comes from the predictability of cherished stories that leave a deep emotional impact coupled with the belonging to a group of like-minded individuals. This is exactly what I get from "Good Omens." I loved the audio book the first time I listened to it years ago (pre-season one even being a thing), and I was over the moon with season one, but it wasn't until after season two that I officially became a Fan (pronounce the capital F, please). I think it was the open-endedness of the last episode and my need to connect with other people who were hurting as much as I was that first pulled me in. Then came the conspiracies (RIP, Coffee Theory) and analysis videos and fan edits and there was no turning back. The show has helped me find analogies to help me process my own traumas, and the queer representation is just *chef's kiss*. The biggest thing it did for me, though, was to push me so emotionally hard that I needed to find a creative outlet or explode. From there I learned a new skill, pushed past my fear of rejection and ridicule by starting a YT channel, and built a lovely little community. I will forever be grateful to this piece of comfort media for, weirdly enough, pushing me OUT of my comfort zone. The stability of comfort and encouragement of the fandom gave me the safe space to take a leap of faith that I will never regret. (I also think the uncertainty of the fate of season 3 for so long felt SO horrible for so many of us is not just that we love the story so much, but also because something that was a source of comfort was being threatened.)

[@lulu480]

@@MaxIneffability I feel like you told my story completely (except being a special needs parent although I was a special ed teacher). I didn’t think about music much although in the past there have been a few. The most recent was rediscovering Tina turner. Her voice can turn me inside out. I used to think there was something wrong with me for being so obsessed with GO. The second season was when I discovered the fandom. The ending broke my heart but that didn’t stop me from watching.

[@tlc2741]

What a cool concept - I live for comfort media and never realized it before!

[@sledgehammer-productions]

My comfort comes from: a bunch of YT channels, one of a English guy restaurating a French castle, and basically a spin off of that of an Irish guy living the live in rural France (who recently mentioned "as you wish" and stated that the folks who got that reference "are his people"), this channel (Good Omens, but deep dives in general), some particular Excel devoted channels, the Star Gate franchise and songs by the Alan Parsons Project. Among other things 🙂

[@marzettik]

Good omens is my comfort media. Most of my other ones are animated series and movies. Another shameless plug for your discord! Great place to hang out with fans. ❤

[@w.centerprisesbluestar8603]

I am currently having trouble actually watching the Good Omens show and i let its fandom distort my perception of it. I am trying to work on it by aiming to watch it without distractions like i usually do. I know this show can have good themes and characters, i just need to find a time where i can look at it for myself and rediscover why i took interest in the show in the first place.

[@maizie9454]

"... as such". has become a beloved phrase. and really loved your mentioning Lescaux!

[@jenniemizrahi2538]

One of my comfort reads is Watership Down.

[@Sendarya]

[@Flynn_Bentley_Demon25]

My two favourite comfort fandoms are also "The Hobbit" and "Good Omens" and Bilbo, Crowley and Aziraphale are my comfort characters. I love them so much.🥰 What you said about comfort media is so true, I discovered "Good Omens" during a hard episode of depression and it helped me a lot to get through this time.

[@DorysStories]

My mom read The Hobbit to me when I was young! Over and over.. I've read it more times than I can count. It will always be my favorite story! We love many of the same things..

[@Sendarya]

That's awesome! I think parents reading to their kids is such a wonderful gift.

[@TaikaBergström]

I've got a long list of comfort media that I love rewatching so just to name a few for anyone interested, here: Movies: Interstellar - ''Love IS a quantifiable.'' Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain - message of going out of your comfort zone to engage with a potential love interest no matter how scary it might be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - duh! The extended Lord of the Rings trilogy - DUH The Lion King 2 - yes there is a sequel and since I only had this and not the original movie on tape when I was little I hold this movie closer to my heart (basically it's Romeo and Juliet but with great songs and lions - I used to be obsessed with them haha) any of the old Tim Burton or Tim-Burtonesque movies such as Beetlejuice, Nightmare before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Coraline, etc. you know what I mean, they are all just so much fun anything Quentin Tarantino - Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Django... The Addams Family and Addams Family Values - my favourite type of humour + family goals helloo Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - see for yourself if you haven't seen it Requiem for a Dream - okay so this is probably one of those movies that most people see once at most and then they try to forget they ever saw it but to me it's super comforting for some reason, in a way that it showcases worst possible scenarios of people's lives but they are still human you know... they aren't evil people who deserve their fates to be so punishing yet they were pushed to make bad choices and lost themselves to those bad choices... idk it's just comforting somehow also the soundtrack I find extremely pleasant Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) - not much of a moral here, just a melancholic and amazingly looking film great for October movie marathons The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - another sad yet beautiful film also Star Wars movies episodes 2-6 oh and the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies Series: Doctor Who, Stargate, Fleabag, DARK, Gravity Falls, Infinity Train, The Owl House, Adventure Time, the 1960s Addams Family, Andor Books: A Song of Ice and Fire, The Witcher, LOTR, anything Stephen King - especially The Dark Tower Games: Witcher, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, The Last of Us Yes, I engage in the escapism a lot, but it's actually very helpful to me for making me enjoy life more so no way I'm gonna stop anytime soon.

[@jenski5338]

My comfort read is "The Monster At The End Of The Book." I just always NEED to have a very young person with me when i read it.

[@StormGrrrl]

@@jenski5338 I kept that book from my childhood and later read it to my daughter. She's now 16 and we refuse to give it up. Grover is here for all of our anxiety and neurdivergency. How we love him.

[@debfinleyhoag3526]

Crowley reminds me that it's not the cynics that are a threat - it's the hypocrites.

[@Sendarya]

Very true! And the world is full of them

[@winonahdrake6931]

Humans are The Storytelling Ape. Quoting this from The Science of Discworld got me a date. We're married now.

[@mzcyberbat]

Land before time I told myself when I was 9 that I would walk down the isle to the credit song "if we hold on together". 26yrs later I did just that. Even listening to James Horner's soundtrack will make me cry. I was so happy when I could share the joy of this movie with our children.

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Remember whole families watching Wizard of Oz every year.

[@Sendarya]

That's a great one! Love the Wizard of Oz to this day. A fantastic family film. ❤️

[@mlandry491]

my dopamine mining or comfort media is the interview with a vampire books or on amc+, any georgette heyer novel/ audiobook or jane austin adaptation movie. especially the a and e pride and predjudice from the 90s

[@ThePapasmurf1946]

Very nicely presented. You have the gift.

[@Sendarya]

Thanks papa :D

[@BirgitPa]

Wahoo❣️Thanks so much for addressing this difficult topic in a fantastic way. I’m always searching for a way to describe what Good Omens means to me and what it does with me. And although I’m a writer I still struggle with words to explain it to people who are not familiar with it. So your explanations gave a lot of answers to my questions. Thank you, my dear ❤️

[@lulu480]

@@BirgitPa I used to try to explain but I don’t anymore. Just knowing so many others feel as I do, makes up for that.

[@Sendarya]

Wonderful!

[@LoveIsLove4711]

I had that copy of The Hobbit and read it until it fell apart 😢. Thanks for this video.

[@Sendarya]

I love this particular copy. There is something about the art and printing. My cover is nearly coming off. Glad I'm not the only one!

[@Waxtasticwax]

I love this, it's really nice to know people understand that media can be such a big comfort to people during hard times. I've always clung on to certain stories and books and so many different things through my life, and good omens has really done a lot for me. Love your videos, as usual!!

[@Sendarya]

It's amazing how much comfort we can find in media - stories, books, music, whatever!

[@bodacioushealer]

Thanku so much fr providing much more context to this experience. I will probably rewatch this video too and can use it to explain or raise this fr discussion wth ppl I wish to understand this aspect of my life experiences better

[@letolethe3344]

Thank you for this thoughtful, excellent post! Good Omens is the only fandom I've really experienced. The only other show I've loved this much was "M*A*S*H" which lasted 11 glorious seasons and is one of my few really happy family memories. But I don't know if there was a fandom for that in the same way (in the 80s)--if so I didn't join it.

[@guided-by-delight]

Thank you so much for that wonderful message! ❤️ For me, Good Omens has been a source of acceptance and reconciliation of parts of me that I didn't think was possible. On my last visit in London I picked up Wheel of Time because of your recommendation. Really looking forward to reading it! Lots of love from Poland.

[@wickedels]

Beautifully said. Thank you. 💙🩷💙

[@Nicky-k900]

I love The Hobbit too, it's my favorite book. 💚

[@sampaioviv]

Since I can remember I have all these confort shows, confort character to whom I could relay on to just keep on going despait of the problem I had, or how lonely I was "I could always realy on them". Good Omens does give me that safe space too. It tells me that is okay if you´re not who they told you you were supposed to be, that is okay to feel what you feel. And no matter what other people say or think about you, what matters is what you believe and what you choose to do and mostly what you do. Believe in you, trust in those you love. And if our day is too much we can always count on this amazing place people call fandom, but I like to call family. We´ll be okay. Oh, and thank you for all these amazing videos you share with us, Sendarya, I´ve cried, I´ve laughted, but moslty they made me feel understood, belonging.

[@andywolk4272]

Just crying again while reading your comment. Good tears from a feeling of belonging in this outstanding fandom. Want to send a „thank you hug“ 🫂

[@Sendarya]

Beautiful

[@andywolk4272]

Oh shit, now I've really cried a lot. 🥹Thank you for this beautiful video. Until even my therapist said a few days ago that Crowley is my guardian being (recognize myself and heal by watching GO forever and writing fanfiction) I still felt quite embarrassed to have thanked David at the Stagedoor because the way he plays this fallen angel has helped me, alongside friends, partner and professionals, to fight cPTSD. But you described it so beautifully. And last but not least, we are such a great fan community. Thank you 🖤

[@Sendarya]

I'm so glad this show and fandom , and David! have been there to help you

[@FranziskaS6364]

I think Christmas movies are another example for comfort media. some classics are on tv every year and many people watch them even though they already know them. they just call it tradition instead of comfort media. My comfort media are star trek (mainly TNG) and jane austen, also some movies. and GO, of course. Music is also important. GO soundtracks have become a real favourite. I also read a lot, though not as much as I would like to, and I also reread books, but that is not so much for comfort. Hard to explain, but it just feels different. Reading is escaping, like guided daydreaming. the comfort of books lies in the worlds they create, not in revisiting something familiar. I can totally loose myself in a book, and i hate that moment when i finish it and have return to reality. (Möchte noch jemand gerne ein Hummdudel als Haustier haben?) And can i just say: you've read WOT several times 😯 ! ? That's an awful lot of reading! I started reading it some time ago, but got stuck somewhere in the middle (I borrowed the books from the library and often had to wait for the next one to be available. and the german translations were split into several volumes, so it was a lot of waiting.)

[@Sendarya]

Excellent point about Christmas movies. It's one season that people really feel free to "indulge". My favorite is Rosalind Russell's "Auntie Mame". Also a big ST fan!

[@jenb7756]

You have the most soothing voice and such a wonderful sense of optimism. I appreciate your videos!

[@Sendarya]

Thank you!

[@victoriar4637]

Thanks Sendarya this is lovely ❤. Stories are important to everyone, even if they pretend to be above having comfort books, TV shows, movies etc. And Terry Pratchett reiterated in his books and maybe in interviews, at least once or twice, how important stories are to all of us as humans, like you said. I love Good Omens too of course, but also I like to go back to my Harry potter books, and my mum still has a VERY beloved story book she used to read to me and my brother, which she's kept because we all share a love of it - it's called "The very best Christmas present" and is about an elderly, lonely man finding companionship, love and comfort in a big ginger cat 💝💖

[@Sendarya]

Aww, that sounds like a lovely story!

[@MadmanDinga]

"There but for the grace of God go I" This phrase struck me when I was in my early 30s and it really humbled me and gave me perspective. ❤

[@Sendarya]

YES! A very powerful phrase.

[@maizie9454]

beautiful post. thanks

[@milehighmegs]

If I were to list all the ways that Good Omens has helped me heal, I'd end up writing a thesis-length essay, lol. So here's a brief summary of each of my favorite types of comfort media and why they're intrinsic to my sanity (**TL;DR at the bottom). TV: Star Trek TNG- My original comfort media & OG fandom. Having grown up on ST, and been a kid during the prime time era of TNG, this show, its characters, & especially its messaging are a great deal of why I am who I am today. ST presents the possibility of humanity: what we are capable of achieving if we embrace our differences rather than use them to divide us. If we reject greed, corruption, & self-interest. If we acknowledge that everyone has something to contribute regardless of economic class, education, race, cultural background, gender, orientation, or faith. If we stop hoarding resources. If we stop destroying the one & only planet we have. If we place the importance of human innovation over personal accumulation. While I acknowledge that this is a utopian ideal, and that even the world of ST has its problems, it's still much better than what we have today. I believe in a future like this. And I'm working to make it a reality. Music: Hard rock/heavy metal- Many people believe that those who listen to loud, angry, aggressive music are loud, angry, aggressive people. This can be the case sometimes, but in my case, having an outlet for my anger, frustration, & loneliness kept me from doing things that were harmful to others and to myself. Finding other people who found solace in the chaos let me know I wasn't alone. I often turn to bands like Metallica, Slipknot, & Tool (big when I was a teenager and still around today) when things feel out of control in my life and in the world. Having a semblance of control by listening to chaos seems counterintuitive, but trust me: it WORKS. Movies: 'Dead Poets Society'- Growing up "gifted" is not the accolade it seems to be. So much pressure is placed upon "gifted" kids to achieve things that are usually well beyond our capabilities that we end up burnt out, often before the end of high school. Happened to me. So to see, at a young age, a representation of an educator that truly fostered creativity, freedom of thought, and appreciation of beauty was a long drink of water in a standardized-test-score-driven wasteland. The late great Robin Williams' Mr. Keeting was everything I wanted adults to be: fun, funny, encouraging, nurturing, and respectful of the autonomy & intelligence of children. But more than anything, I wanted them to be honest. I wanted them to show integrity. I wanted them to care for others and foster an environment of cooperation, empathy, & compassion. As I've grown, I have yet to see that... things have actually gotten worse. I turn to DPS when I need a reminder that there are good people out there, even if we don't hear about them or see their good work in our daily lives. **TL;DR: I love Star Trek, heavy metal, & 'Dead Poets Society.' Also, I have that same copy of 'The Hobbit;' it's my dad's copy from when he was a kid 💖

[@Sendarya]

Thank you for sharing all of that!

[@northshoregirl8173]

Thank you for this! So true! I've been finding comfort for years in well written fan fic. There are some really talented writers on AO3. I'd be happy to recommend some 🥰

[@Sendarya]

Lovely!! I don't read as much fanfic as I should.

[@kd1inoly693]

So well said!! Thank you for the time and effort and love that you obviously put into this and all your videos!

[@theriverspath]

Thanks for the resource links. I signed up for one of the free zoom seminars.

[@Sendarya]

Fantastic!!

[@krissy510]

As someone who suffers chronic pain, I agree. I tend to turn to books, TV series, movies, and music. And I read, watch, and listen to the same things over and over. My favorite author Agatha Christie is the one I read mostly. I also love Anne McCaffrey, Gail Carriger, and I'm not going to list all the authors I like, I'd be here all night. And of course Good Omens, I love the book and the series, I've actually lost count of how many times I've read it and watched it. Star Wars, The Princess Bride and Ever After are some movies I've watched many times. Grimm, I'm watching it for the third time. And almost anything with vampires or werewolves. And I can't forget Doctor Who.

[@judithstrachan9399]

No, never forget Doctor Who. I want a gold dragon!

[@catfancier270]

I’ve enjoyed Good Omens so much. Last time I got this excited about a show was thirty years ago with Babylon 5.

[@Sendarya]

OMG, I love Babylon 5 so much! I was very, very invested in that show. It's hard to find other fans, sometimes.

[@catfancier270]

​@Sendarya I think you've probably watched all my early favorite shows/movies. I saw most of them alone-I didn't know other fans. I can't drive either, so I couldn't get across town to viewing parties, etc.which were at night. It's so nice to at least see other fans online.

[@catfancier270]

You liked Babylon 5-did you ever read that novel about Sinclair on Minbar? That was really good.

[@cherishrake9562]

Oh how I have missed your analysis videos :)

[@Sendarya]

It has been a while! I'm glad to be back in the saddle, doing these again.

[@lisa_wistfulone7957]

I’ve gone so deeply into my survival cave in the past week, I needed this reminder. I just put on my Indigo Girls cd while I write about Good Omens✨ Thanks for the support and the reminder, Sendarya!💝🖤🩶🤍✨

[@antonellamR2D2]

I am both in GO and Tolkien fandom, the second I pursued privately until last year, do to the "dudebros" fan being over active online

[@Logotu]

Thank you.

[@catfancier270]

Thanks for a lovely video❤.

[@GingerPeacenik]

Watch Ted Lasso and thank me later. Cheaper than therapy, and likely more effective.

[@antonellamR2D2]

I totally agree

[@donnarode6849]

Very nice. I also have a number of comfort media shows. Definitely Princess Bride and Galaxy Quest for me as well. But also M*A*S*H (childhood watching with Dad), Leverage, and my most current comfort show, right now, is the 1995 BBC Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. If I have a bad day at work, P&P is my go-to.

[@judithstrachan9399]

I’m rereading P&P now. Mr Collins has just arrived & I’m trying to be a little less condemning of him. (Probably because Matt Smith in P&P&Z made him almost likeable.)

[@donnarode6849]

@@judithstrachan9399 I've read P&P&Z but I haven't seen an onscreen version. If Matt Smith is in it, though, now I have to. Have you ever watched "Lost in Austen"? I like how Mr Wickham's character is handled in that one.

[@Sendarya]

M*A*S*H is such a classic. I also grew up watching it with my parents

[@carimeslockdownedtree2654]

I dont know if ive ever had a comfort... thing of sorts. If i have, theyre always short-lived, maybe a couple years at most, and it's always just a hyperfix. I dont know if i HAVE a comfort fandom in the first place, and watching this video, maybe those fandoms work??? But they are never lifelong. Maybe Minecraft, since it's always been there for me? Maybe FNAF? But even then, despite how Present fnaf has been in my life, I've gone without it for years. One Piece also stopped being something i like for fun and more of an obligation i still enjoy. So... idk. I want to have a comfort show or whatever so bad, but i just Don't. Good Omens was, for over a year, but now, from all the stresses of modding in a server... it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And I'd love to have something that consistently provides me comfort, but i just... _don't._ They keep switching. And. ...idk man.

[@Sendarya]

I don't think it has to be lifelong to be comfort media, or for a fandom to be impactful. Every moment of your life matters. If something is there for you even just for a few weeks or months, that would still count

[@PhantomQueenOne]

I always felt unwelcome when it came christianity, always ostracized. It's filled with hate and divisiveness. And they tried to make me hate myself to the point of suicide. I walked away. Then I walked away from wicca. I now am nothing at all, and I'm fine with it.

[@PhantomQueenOne]

My comfort is music and art. I would go nuts without it.

[@Annoyingwerewolf]

Love this ❤❤❤

[@erikacruz6095]

❤❤😊 Thanks!

[@MadmanDinga]

I have this same copy of The Hobbit!! ❤❤❤

[@Sendarya]

Love it!

[@Katyestella63]

I cannot share your video on Facebook as it is being marked as spam.

[@Sendarya]

Ah, that is unfortunate. This video was also tagged as "inappropriate" for advertisers for a period, so I suspect someone reported it because I mentioned LGBTQ rights. It's been cleared up on YT. Who knows about FB, though.

[@AziraleyLove]

For weeks after the election I had to watch lame Hallmark Christmas movies. I just needed predictable romance.

[@Sendarya]

Whatever gets you through the tough times, you should not feel ashamed!

[@jayrey5390]

❤

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

whatever

[@Sendarya]

It's ok if you are going through something.

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

princess bride really that movie is awful

[@Sendarya]

Ahh, I disown you! Ptew, ptew, ptew, a curse on your house.