Or they can know it by the sound of my aesthetic sensibilities shreaking in pain.

But it's so pretttttttty!

But why can't it wait until the promo airs? Sean was saying that casting news changes all the time at the last minutes. What if that happens here?

What purpose is served by waiting until the promos air? What are we protecting by waiting 'til the promo airs?

I'm all for protecting someone from being spoiled by discussion on something they would otherwise only know about from watching the show. (e.g. Faith's appearance on the A:ts S2 premiere)

These between season casting changes (additions and departures) are not things that someone would otherwise only know about from watching the show per our own rules, because as soon as promos air, they're fair game to discuss in NAFDA.

I belong to a board where everything is a spoiler. We can't even discuss the previews without spoiler font. I get that. I abide by it. I don't argue with it, and I call other people on it when they forget and spoil someone, or even post leading comments.

But here, since promotional material is allowed, what is the value in limiting it to only those things in the pre-season promos? If the WB has officially - on their own website - released this information already, is there doubt it will be reflected in the promos?

EWWWWWWWWW!!!

Teppy, you are DEAD to me.

I could mock up a better picture with cat vomit and broken pringles.

Where? To whom?

Serious question - because if this truly is common knowledge then it's a moot point.

*I* think it's common knowledge. The (what seems to me) small handful of other people who don't know are the only people I know who are unaware of the change.

I like the 2/3 notion a lot. IMO if the network is promoting and Joss is freely discussing a casting issue then the pleasure (or dread) of anticipation outweighs the desire for possible HSQ. (for me)

I like this idea too, in part because it's fairly hard-and-fast. Just to make sure I understand, the three are:

1. ME web site/press releases/other official media

2. Network web site/press relases/other official media

3. Interviews with show producers, cast members, writers, or directors published in national media outlets

I'm going to state that I don't really like the 2/3 notion, because Angelus returning wouldn't have been a spoiler by the 2/3 thing.

Although I'm confused: are you only talking 2/3 WRT Opening Credits Cast?

You asked where the posters debuted.

Yes, and you answered, thank you. Then I asked a second question. Which you answered. Thank you.

I understand it would suck to not be able to post in show threads for two months – but OTOH, we're really talking about *one* thread (Angel) for *eight* weeks.

Are we? Talking about one thread, I mean? I asked this upthread - if people start talking freely about this issue or issues will it just be in the Angel thread, or the other NAFDA threads (Bitches, Bitchy Fic, Buffy (which will still be around for a while, IIRC))?

But it's so pretttttttty!

I like it too, Teppy. Mmmmm.

Question regarding "common knowledge":

Many posts back I posited a hypothetical question about casting. What if an ME had been arrested for some crime, which then affected said actor's ability to be on the show. How would that situation be defined?

Specific example. Whe Robert Downey, Jr. was on Ally McBeal, his life issues affected his appearance on the show. Now, RDJ is a well known actor, and AB was a highly visible show. The story got lots of coverage and was hard to avoid. However, neither Angel (or other ME shows) nor their supporting actors are quite so high profile, so a similar story might not be so widely reported and might not become "common knowledge".

Do we refrain from ever mentioning it? Who decides "common knowledge"? These generalizations are complicating the issue for me. When does a "spoiler" become news?

Re: common knowledge:

My 8 year old knows about it (the Big Shiny Spoiler) - one of his friends told him.