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The Best of YouTube: Attack of the Shipper Fan Videos
Warning: If you've yet to be exposed to the following genre, you must beware that it is extremely addictive and will suck away hours of your time. After I told Angel Cohn about the concept, she spent all day yesterday sending me new links. I had to cut her off by force. I'm talking about the music videos diligently edited by fans of TV couples, and then set to music. When done well, they are pure guilty-pleasure art: a combination of all the best longing looks, makeout sessions and tender moments between the couple or would-be couple in question, and pop songs that express the fan's interpretation of said relationship, or perhaps their wishful thinking. I started out just looking at an Office Pam and Jim video linked from David Denman's ("Roy") MySpace page, of all places. Before I knew it, I'd lost two hours to montages of Logan and Veronica arguing, making up, making cute and breaking my heart — and I think that was more emo music than any person over the age of 20 should hear in a lifetime. Without further ado, here are my faves:
1) The Office is supposed to be about the drudgery and awkwardness of everyday work life, but somehow, these YouTubers make it seem like a classic romance. Of the many "Jam" (Jim and Pam) vids out there, I like this one set to and this more recent montage done to the All-American Rejects' "Dance Inside." For a classy, black-and-white version of their love story, watch their noncourtship to the tune of Billie Holiday's "The Very Thought of You."
2) Veronica Mars' Jason Dohring can make my heart get all twisty with a single glance. Now imagine all those soulful looks (with a few of his smart-aleck ones for good measure) in one place, with Howie Day's "Collide." There's also "Listen to Your Heart," "Stab My Back" and another Ben Lee song, "Into the Dark." And for the old souls out there, you'll enjoy this clever rendition of the Elvis and Ann-Margret duet "The Lady Loves Me." (As I write this, it's taking great restraint not to watch it again. You know, in the name of research.)
3) Even the folks at ABC know Grey's Anatomy's Derek and Meredith are just made to be in music videos. And while the show's fans aren't quite as skillful with the soundtrack as Shonda Rhimes' people are, I did enjoy the two videos set to Snow Patrol songs: "Run" and "Set Fire to the Third Bar."
4) Of course, we can't leave out the very Internet-savvy fans of Lost. There are so many videos devoted to the Jack-Kate-Sawyer triangle (aka Jate and Skate) that this took a lot of hard work to sort through (the sacrifices I make for you people!). The highlights: Jack and Kate edited to Daniel Powter's "Bad Day"; Jate and Kendall Payne's "Scratch"; Skate are best with some country music, like "That's the Beat of the Heart." But Angel discovered my absolute favorite in this collection, Jack and Sawyer's love as interpreted by Queens of the Stone Age's "Go with the Flow."
5) I'm not really a Smallville fan, but I'll just give you this link to Clark and Lana and "Listen to Your Heart." That'll lead you to a slew of Super romantic vids.
6) Watching all these couples got me thinking back to the star-crossed lovers of recently departed shows. There's Buffy and Angel getting angsty with Evanescence's "Whisper"; Sydney and Vaughn somehow go well with En Vogue's "Don't Let Go"; Felicity and Ben take the advice of Guns 'n Roses' "Patience"; and what else could Jordan Catalano and Angela make out to but Jared Leto's current band, 30 Seconds to Mars, and their song "A Beautiful Lie"?
Must. Stop. Now. This is getting dangerous. But I heartily encourage you guys to post links to your favorites.
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Nov 30, 2006 2:36 PM
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Have a look using the phrase "pagesbar" as a key, theres several there including a Buffy/Angel one and several Trek ones
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Dec 1, 2006 5:28 AM
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If you are a fan of Jam in the Office you should watch every single fanvid by proudgirl. Her vids are hands down the best.
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Dec 1, 2006 9:43 AM
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how about the clips from Battlestar Galactica's Apollo and Starbuck? They are awsome!
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Dec 1, 2006 12:28 PM
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I love the Friday Night Lights Tyla videos. Talk about longing looks!
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Dec 1, 2006 12:43 PM
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Tell Angel she should check out some of the Doctor/Rose vids out there (Both Nine and Ten). They spoil the end of season 2, but somehow (wink) I think she's already seen the rest of those episodes. Here's a good place to start.
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Dec 1, 2006 1:24 PM
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My personal favorites on YouTube are the Jack & Audrey videos from 24!! They are helping get me through until January.
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Dec 1, 2006 3:12 PM
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I'm surprised no one netioned any X-File vids, they're amazing, and the songs go with the genre perfectly. Of course the X has been off for awhile now, but I know its still a popular show since that's all everyone talks about.
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Dec 1, 2006 6:55 PM
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By far the best video mash-up on YouTube is the one that has Veronica Mars clips to Veggie Tales music. I guess it works better if you've seen the original Larry the Cucumber sketch where he's watching the soap opera about Barbara Manatee, but it's hilarious none-the-less. Amazing!
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Dec 1, 2006 7:57 PM
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I agree with getting some Apollo/Starbuck love! Their relationship is so screwed up that you get some songs that you don't usually hear with shipper vids 
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Dec 1, 2006 8:14 PM
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I feel bad having to rag on the rest of the world for finally having discovered this, but as a hardcore otaku, I just need to get it out there- I think a little credit should go to anime fans for having done this same thing for years (plus the whole pairing names thing- "Jam" etc.) before the rest of the world thought "hey, thats kind of a neat idea".
However I am not upset but rather happy that mainstream culture has finally caught on to a fun cult trend- and the music videos are tons of fun to watch and make!
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Dec 1, 2006 11:50 PM
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