For fans of media, the appeal of entering a community of like minded individuals can seem like the perfect way to establish lasting identities with others. However, research into fandom culture has indicated that this may not be the case. From social categorizing to the use of inclusive language and forced participation, fans seem to pattern their action in a way reminiscent of Thornton's (1996) subcultural capital proposal; in which fans gain social standing through fandom identity evaluation. In response to this capital distribution, some fan groups have seen their identity stratified as the fandom fractures into sepreate ingroups and outgroups. This study hopes to better understand what it really takes to be a fan in the age of the internet. Through the use of ethnographic and autoethnographic exploration, this study will investigate the dynamic relationships between new and old fans of the television series Doctor Who. The resulting observations will help shed light on the treatment of new fans within a group, the way fans express their superiority, and how these dynamics change between online and offline interactions.
