‘Polite, no chill’ for the win: How Emily Andras engaged fans and overcame problematic tropes in Wynonna Earp

Abstract

Like other successful genre shows, Wynonna Earp features a strong female lead character. Wynonna, however, is so much more than a ‘girl with a big ass gun’. In this case study of Emily Andras, I explore how women-centred writing and Andras’s engagement with fans, transformed Wynonna Earp from an overly sexualized comic book character, to a feminist icon, layered with nuance and breaking gender norms faster than revenants can make their peace. Andras’s leadership, her inclusion of LGBTQIA representation and refusal to succumb to the ‘bury your gays’ trope, also helped amass a passionate, loyal fan base that successfully lobbied producers for a fourth season after the show faced cancellation. The success of Wynonna Earp and the ‘Fight for Wynonna’, bolsters the legitimacy of women-led genre shows, women showrunners and producers, and the largely women-identified fan base, who have long loved science fiction, but have not felt accurately represented in male-centric products. Through qualitative analysis of interviews with Andras and Wynonna Earp fans, this article shows how Andras’s voice as screenwriter, leadership as showrunner, and engagement with fans on social media, demonstrates respect for fans as active and valued media partners, rather than market to be exploited.