When the proposal for Boxed Set was made, was it for all sci-fi fantasy to go in it automatically?

Yeah, Boxed Set was always understood to be pan-sci fi, even during our anxiety over whether it would get lumpy and turn into a general TV thread. (It didn't.) Even the mediafannish subtext hasn't affected that; occasionally something that is mediafannish, but isn't sci-fi (like, say, Spooks/MI-5) used to crop up, and we shooed it back toward Natter.

The core source texts, when we mooshed three threads into one to make Boxed Set, were formally stated as: Farscape, Smallville, and DueSouth (cough cough also secretly Stargate cough). So, the throughline to "all sci fi (including magical realism) all the time (including both cable and broadcast)" is a pretty straightforward one. It wasn't mandated as such overtly, because at the time we were just mooshing threads to save server load; but it's been consistent practice for several years now that anything counter-realistic probably belongs there.

Mystery is a genre. Cop-sci is a genre. Soaps are a genre.

If you're going to have a Sci Fi thread, the title and the slug should be changed to reflect that, I'd think, since CSI: and L&O: All Flavors, as well as every other type of show now comes in DVD Boxed Sets, and the thread has been repurposed from, "Expect Adult Content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex," as its primary avenue of discussion, along with vid and fic recs, and other tie-ins and cross-show and genre recs.

Or, to quote Randy of the Redwoods, "The factory's still there but they're building something else now." Time to repaint the sign to reflect present content.

The slug currently says "Discussions of sci-fi/fantasy shows we watch. Smallville, Due South, Farscape, Stargate, BSG, etc. May contain HoYay."

I don't see how it needs revising.

The description reads:

A topic for the discussion of Farscape, Smallville, and Due South. Beware possible invasions of Stargate, Highlander, or pretty much any other "genre" show that captures our fancy. Expect Adult Content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex.

If you don't know/agree what "genre" means, then I see room for improvement. But I don't think it's unclear, especially since the slug is what you see first. Still, overstating is better than under-.

My point would be that there is more than one type of genre, but "the genre thread" is being used only for SciFi, fantasy, magical realism. In which case, a thread title more concretely descriptive might be preferable.

Or not. Just a passing thought.

To me, "genre" (as opposed to genre) means just the one thing. And it has been stated outright on the more main page what the genres are. But, as noted, I have no problem with being explicit. Just that the slug already is, and for some, so is the description.

I'll go edit right now.

Done.

I think the word genre, when used as a noun, means a type of fiction. When used as an adjective, I think it means sci fi, fantasy, possibly noir, maybe romance. Sorry, been drinkin' does that make sense?

to clarify (or possibly obfuscate)... a genre of fiction can be anything. Genre fiction refers to a few specific genres of fiction.

I was just asking since the original drama thread was voted down because of how broad it was, and I wondered if there had been a similar vote about Boxed Set. It's just selfish on my part, really, because 99% of the shows I want to talk about are sci-fi/fantasy, and it's frustrating to see every new show I might want to watch automatically go into a thread I can't be a part of.

I'm dropping it, so please don't feel the need to debate it further.