Thread creation for the TV area (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Okay, so the new fall season is just upon us.

What is your preference for handling threads for the shows you want to discuss here?

Currently, we have a mix of different types of threads. Some shows have individual episode threads for their entire season. Other shows, with lower traffic, have "ongoing" threads that are used for their entire season.

The choices are:

1. Individual episode threads for each show (dated to delineate the airing date of the show).

2. Ongoing threads for each show (one big thread for a particular show).

3. The Sopranos style: 4 of most current episodes get individual threads, and the earlier episodes get rolled into an ongoing thread on a weekly basis. For example, by the 10th episode, there would be individual threads for episodes #7, #8, #9, #10, and episodes #1-#6 would be rolled into the main ongoing thread.

4. A combination of choice 1 and 2, which is the status quo where some shows with heavy traffic get choice 1, while smaller traffic shows get an ongoing thread for the season.

We'll let the poll go until roughly next Friday (9/19/03) since that'll be close to the end of the first week of new shows for the majority of the networks.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I'd rather not go with mega-threads for everything as some of us don't have a UPN and see all their programmign several days late. Or catch re-airing of cable shows. I'd liek to be able to discuss the episodes I have seen without spoilers.

 

[Lee L]

I like the Sopranos style. Seems like the best of both worlds. The discussion is mostly confined to the individual episodes so that PVR users can still talk about last weeks show without fear of spoilers if they want before watching the current show. If someone comes in really late and catched a bunch of reruns, the discussion is all together in one place so that old, fragmented threads don't pop up down the road and the late-comer gets the benefits of all the discussion in one place.

 

[Jeremy Allin]

I'm for the status quo. Shows like Survivor are fine with one long thread, as it's a continuation week after week. That way it's easy to scan back to prior episodes. Shows like The Simpons work better as individual threads.

 

[Vlad D]

I'm also for the status quo.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

Status quo here, too, since it depends on the type of show & how much discussion there is. I'm not able to vote in polls; it always says I'm not logged in.

 

[PhilipG]

Well, interesting results so far. My vote for the status quo makes it a 7-8-8-8 split! But we're still waiting for that Florida recount.

 

[Henry Gale]

Okay, so the new Patrick Sun poll thread is upon us.Which thread creation method do you prefer for a new TV show discussion thread?

The choices are:
1. Cast your vote in the poll.
2. Add a post to the thread explaining your alternate take on the situation.
3. The choice of over 40,000 members, ignore this thread and watch a DVD.
4. Vote and then immediately regret your decision.

 

[GlennH]

I'll choose 2 on your poll within a poll, Jim.

The problem with this poll is that #1 and #4 are splitting the vote, which may allow #3 (or even #2, I hope not) to win.

I chose #1, could also accept #4, but I don't prefer #3. I think a lot of people might feel the same.

But in the end, I really don't care as long as #2 doesn't win. Choice #2 is totally unmanageable for the more popular shows like 24.

Maybe have a runoff of the top two winners in this poll?

 

[Ted Lee]

hmm...tough decision, but i eventually went with one big thread.

it's just too much "hassle" (to use the term lightly) to keep up with a new thread for each show.

i envision it being like the movies forum, with an "official" moniker for each show.

the only problem i see with one big thread is spoilers. using spoiler tags is a hassle, but may be necessary if we go that route.

 

[Yee-Ming]

"Sob sob..."

What about us geographically-disadvantaged HTFers who don't get to watch these shows until almost a year later? For instance, last night I just saw the season finale to Friends season 9 (in Barbados), the 4th from last episode of Smallville season 2, and we're still somewhere in season 2 of Alias, where Sloan's wife was killed and he's exacted revenge by killing Dixon's wife.




But seriously, I don't know about the rest of us non-North American HTFers, but I find all I can do is read the thread, if I'm interested enough in the show, many months after the last posting (thank God for the search function), so I've never contributed since everyone else has moved on anyway.

So for aforesaid reason, I don't think it's right for me to vote and affect the results in something where my participation is restricted, although for the spoiler reason I think status quo works fine; #1 would be better but I recognise it might be a bit unwieldy.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I voted for #2. The problem I have with induvidual threads is that just as a discussion gets going, it's cut off for the next episode's thread. Threads like the Buffytastic thread allow continuous discussion throughout the season while allowing for the discussion to veer back to previous episodes and the like. I realize this can be a problem for people who want to avoid spoilers, but if you're more than a week behind on episodes there's not going to be a hell of alot of discussion you could participate in anyway. Even in threads about previous episodes, the current ones will be referenced for clarification and the like.

Good idea for a poll, though. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

 

[Matt Goddard]

I debated between options 1,3 and 4. I strongly dislike Option 2. I decided to vote for Option 1 - if anybody cares.

I would have said I liked the status quo (Option 4), but I did not like last year's unwieldy Buffy thread. I loved 24 and Alias (Option 1), and read both loyally, with occasional posts. If I read a Buffy thread (Option 2) a couple days after its airdate, however, I sometimes had trouble finding posts on the specific episode. Eventually, I was saddend to give up reading the Buffy thread, but it had become too difficult and intimidating to read. Others may disagree, but that's how I saw it.

A serialized show like 24 really needs a thread per episode. Maybe for other shows Option 3 is the way to go.

 

[PienSavaca]

Individual episode threads for each show (dated to delineate the airing date of the show)

episode title would also be a help.

good:
simpsons - 11/02/02

better:
simpsons - tennis the menace - 11/02/02

 

[Michael St. Clair]

It's not an option, but I vote for no more spoiler tags. My personal West Coast friends are smart enough to stay out of internet threads for three extra hours, and I'm sure HTF folks are too.

 

[Ted Lee]

It's not an option, but I vote for no more spoiler tags.

agreed! i think a *SPOILERS* warning in the thread title should suffice.

 

[Jeremy Allin]

Good point. I've never liked spoiler tags in these threads. As an example, someone will obviously not venture into the current 'Survivor' thread unless they want to know certain things.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, it looks like no major consensus, so the status quo it is.

And spoilers will be in effect when needed.