Even among certain fan communities there are factions that look down their nose at some of their fellow fans. Thankfully the Merlin fandom isn't one of them, but the Doctor Who fandom where I started out certainly is. The older, long-term fans of Classic Who tend to sneer at those who came on board with the new show and there's also a lot of male vs female fandom as well. As if the female experience/expression of fan appreciation is less valid than the male and therefore somehow contemptible.