I believe in Fairies, especially that Tinkerbell. I'm clapping my hands right now. AIFG!

This is funny. After Allyson mentioned a thread for Greenwalt's Miracles, I had an idea all written up and ready to be posted yesterday. Then I changed my mind. Now, I've changed it back.

How about one TV thread for all shows that don't already have a dedicated thread? Do you think people would use it? Any show that's aired anywhere in the world would be fair game and not require white font. Only future spoilers for the show would require white font, in the thread. For example if you'd known ahead of time that Clooney was coming back to ER for Juliana Margulies last episode, you'd have had to put that in white font.

People would enter and use the thread at their own risk. If you hadn't seen whatever show is your particular show, you'd stay out of the thread until you had, or you'd learn to practice the art of careful peeking. If one show seemed to take over the thread to the point of daily discussion, board habits would serve as proof/justification that a non-Joss show needed its own thread. If we end up with a Whedonless TV landscape next year, this might come in handy.

I won't be miserable if we don't do this. But I do think, not only here but at all the boards I visit, that spoiler font is a little bit of an impediment to conversation. Even with quick-edit, in a thread that moves as fast as Natter, a thread that induces people to skip and skim, I'm as likely not to bother to bring something up, because the odds of someone else who wanted to talk about a show - actually seeing my post - are slim to none.

I can see the purpose of a non-Jossverse television thread. Still, my first instinct is that what we watched tonight is Natter.

Mine too, Laura. I just seldom post at night - after TV watching, that is. By the time I've come to the board, the discussion is over. And although nothing prohibits me from posting, if there's not a current on-going conversation, I'm unlikely too.

I'm with the minority who don't really have a problem with thread proliferation in any case, but I also think that the sheer volume in Natter these days makes it really difficult to have a sustained, focused conversation there about anything. Not that I don't still enjoy Natter, but it's difficult to have a discussion there unless you happen to be on at the same time as other people who want to discuss the same thing. So many people (including me) skip and skim now that the "asychronous" (to use a buzzword) aspect of the conversation is functionally lost. I'm really enjoying the music thread, somewhat against my expectations, because (a) I know what kind of discussion to expect when I go there, (b) I can read the whole thread without skipping, and (c) I know that the people I want to talk to/respond to are reading the whole thread as well. So count me in as pro-Cindy plan.

I'm very much for an Alias thread because it is a show that seems to have a lot of Buffista fans, lots of potential for spoilers, and a convoluted plot that bears much discussion. On the thread topic, why don't the closed threads get moved to an "archive" link to clear up some of the excess links on the main page?

I'm fine with threads on any TV show that have sufficient fannage here. But I'm with Angus -- thread sprawl is fine by me.

But if we're having an Alias or general TV thread, could we also add a movies/Foamies thread? Could we put all of the thread suggestions to an (offsite) vote?

I do think if we're going to seriously consider adding new threads, we should probably go with the offsite vote as Lyra Jane suggested. It would be a good idea to toss around the pros and cons for a while, then set a date for the vote. The vote (and probably the discussion) should probably be announced in Press as well.

I vote yes for off-site voting.

How about one TV thread for all shows that don't already have a dedicated thread?

Heh. I almost proposed this very thing last night, but erased my message before posting because I knew it would open the whole thread proliferation / Natter dilution subject again. But I am not against thread proliferation either. I suspect that it might be better to try to establish some natural brakes on thread making than try to oppose it straight up. Something like a vote with a greater than simple majority to pass. Say, you needed a 70% vote to establish a new thread so that the need or desire for it should be clear, obvious and strong.

Say, you needed a 70% vote to establish a new thread so that the need or desire for it should be clear, obvious and strong.

Disagree. You're never gonna get 70% on anything, unless it's the "Puppies are Cute" resolution (and even then, you have dog-allergic people, and kitten partisans, and you'd probably have to go to a recount.) A simple majority is clearer.