Personally, I'd rather not have the Big Angel Casting Spoiler talked about in the main thread until it has to be because other boards have shown that that subject will be all that gets talked about

That hasn't been the case in our Spoilers thread; I have the compltely unsubstantiated opinion that many of the people who wanted to talk about it have found other outlets, since we've known about this for two months now.

I'm with Jeff and Jon.

One thing this discussion reminds me is the way Joss jumped and told anyone he could, at the end of the 5th season, that Buffy comes back, that SMG is still with the show, and that she's going to get back to life. As far as I understand it, he's as nearly as anti-spoiler as it's humanly possible, so if the he, the teller of the story, doesn't mind revealing that point, it's not considered a spoiler in his eyes. It was all about the "how", not the "what", is the way I saw it.

Now, I have far less access to the relevant press than most of you, since I don't really risk anything being all over newspapers when I just stand in line in the grocery store or something, so if I don't seek spoilers the chance of them finding me is very slim. I have no idea what casting changes raised this proposal, but what I'd like to know is whether Joss talks about them openly. If he does, I'm willing to risk a guess that he's not revealing any plot point connected to them, as is his way.

I'm not sure exactly how the answer to my question is relevant to the discussion and the actual steps we may or may not take. [Edit: in the summer between the 5th and 6th season we did discuss Buffy's return, since we thought that if Joss had declared it so openly, it's fair game] This is just what is going around in my mind when reading this thread.

So for me, cast changes are spoily, -even- if they are in WB promos, as I don't tend to see the promos. Now, I realize this is pretty unreasonable spoilerphobia, but just giving you a sense of how unspoiled some people may want to be and are fairly successful at so remaining.

Yeah, but our spoiler definition as stands already specifically includes promos, so once it's aired (which will happen before the season starts), those peeps are, as they say in my family, shit out of luck.

My love for all things Canadian nonwithstanding, I'm hoping that most of our spoilerphobes are not so sensitive that "move to Canada to avoid promos" is a viable option.

The worry that The Big Spoiler will take over the thread is not unfounded, but personally, I'd rather have it take over now, when it's not interrupting discussion of new episodes, than later, when it will be.

Just my $.02.

Oh I grok shit out of luck, I realize that's the current policy, and I already get that the Big Casting Spoiler will be all that people talk about by September or sooner, (respectfully Lyra Jane, I don't just mean the spoiler, I mean The Spoiler), depending on the WB, so I'm only losing one month's (or so) access to a thread about Angel I can actually read.

Shrug.

There is no question in my mind that the casting spoiler will make it's way to a WB TV promo before the first episode has aired. To a spoilerphobe like me, there's no difference between knowing the spoiler two months ahead of time, or one week.

Jon, I completely agree with your view - that since there'll never be an in-show HSQ moment, it shouldn't be treated as a spoiler now.

The reason I'm worried is that a month or so ago, when people first wanted to talk about the casting spoiler for A:ts, a lot of people came out against doing so, even though we pointed out that surely the WB would spoil it in promotional material and had already put it on its website. That's why I think some people might vote this down. The people I'm thinking of, I haven't actually seen weigh in on this, or even on the board at all today, I don't think. But they're out there. Also? When I got called on the anti-spoiler and vented about it in the spoiler thread, a few people came in an agreed. We have a lot of agreement now. I don't trust it to stay that way, but I hope your prediction is right.

I already get that the Big Casting Spoiler will be all that people talk about by September or sooner, (respectfully Lyra Jane, I don't just mean the spoiler, I mean The Spoiler),

Not sure I understand this.

What I said was that people have known for two months now, we've been talking about it in Spoilers and Spoilage light, and it's *not* the only topic of discussion. That could change if it was in the main threads, but it would kinda surprise me.

Just to raise another concern/point of discussion - what about Angel coming back season 3 of Buffy? Does anyone remember if that was discussed during the summer leading up? That would be back in the TT days, so my recall is dim. I know I knew, I think because A:tS had already been announced. But seeing how they played Angel for the first several episodes of Buffy season 3, there was no reason to assume he was actually coming back physically.

My worry about this is, that if a major character death occurs -- I want that to be a surprise.

I mean -- Doyle died - - did we all know that was going to happen?

I agree that there is a big difference between in-season casting changes and between season casting changes.

Maybe I'm missing the issue, but I don't understand why our original definition isn't holding here. If it hasn't been aired, (which includes promos), it's a spoiler. The fact that most people know about it isn't relevant. I was spoiled by some inconsiderate asshole, but if it hadn't been for that one person, I wouldn't know about it, because I'm avoiding all other spoilers. I'd be upset if it was suddenly talked about.

some people think that casting spoilers aren't really spoilers but in the current instance, the fact that Spike has been cast for Angel is a HUGE spoiler, because he died on Buffy, see what I mean?

Also, I think that some people might accidentally reveal too much information. Someone made a good point about "Xander coming back to fix Cordelia," etc, but I say that it's a slippery slope!! :)

I mean, isn't this why we have Spoiler Lite?

signed,

Complete and total spoilerphobe, and has and will cussed folks out for spoiling me