A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.
Current Stompy Feet: Jon B, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych, msbelle, shrift, Dana, Laura
Stompy Emerita: ita, DXMachina
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.
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.
Boxed Set was born very differently, so there isn't much in the way of paralleling our current process.
But BS isn't being used in the manner it was created for, so much any more. It could very easily be either broken down, or done away with. Realistically, nobody talks about Highlander or Due South any more, or rarely Smallville. The discussions are pretty straightforwardly about currently airing shows themselves, rather than speculation or (forgive me, I can't think of an equally descriptive term) cross-pollination, and the discussion seems to be about each show in turn rather than a gestalt of several. So I don't see the point in clinging to a thread that no longer serves its conceptual purpose. Break it down so people who only watch BSG and Eureka don't have to be spoiled for Bionic Woman or Medium, or whatever.
If a single scifi-fantasy-magical realism thread isn't serving the needs of the board, then we obviously need more than one.
I have no horse in this race; with two exceptions I don't talk tv here. So someone who has an investment going forward can propose multiple "genre" threads if that's what's needed. I'm just observing what appears to be the trend, and suggesting that a current thread isn't working, either the way it was conceived to work, or the way it's being used now.
