Is there a way to do this without creating an overly general thread?

We could include an explanation in the thread description and perhaps the FAQ that the thread was created for genre tv, specifically for but not limited to Smallville, due South, Stargate, etc. It would be up to the thread participants to keep it in check, which I don't forsee a problem with.

Is an Ikea thread specific enough?

Sure. Plus it's a cute name.

What would it be used for and how?

Discussing the specific television shows mentioned above, along with wherever the discussion happens to ramble. I think the how is for the people who talk in the thread and not so much a Lightbulb/B'cy issue.

Is my dehydrated brain creating contingencies for problems which don't exist and most likely won't?

Possibly, but the worry is well-founded considering the trouble we have pinning down what we want.

And how did bo-bita and I both coincidentally wear pink today? Is that about planetary alignment?

Check your horoscopes.

I want Katie as my queen.

Woo hoo! I'm goin' out to buy a crown, baby.

Yeah, I'm a little concerned that if we just throw everything in together, we've gone and created a general TV thread, anyway.

I think that was my primary motivation for suggesting categorized threads.

I'm happy to go with whatever.

However, think while I type, even if we do wind up creating a more or less general TV thread, if we do it while eliminating the other three threads, I think we zero out the balance on both sides - yes, we risk increased SQL connections (the primary technical problem) but we also eliminate discussion across three other threads, which Kristen pointed out will help, even if those three threads are not heavily trafficked.

even if we do wind up creating a more or less general TV thread, if we do it while eliminating the other three threads, I think we zero out the balance on both sides

Not if the new thread gets more traffic than the current three combined, which is my worry.

That's the likely way of it. So while we don't want to create a new general tv thread, consolidation of three genre tv threads into one genre tv thread is going to make that one thread the closest thing we have to a general tv thread. I think.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Not if the new thread gets more traffic than the current three combined, which is my worry.

Yep. My worry too.

If we do as suggested and say, something like "Genre TV: We started with Due South, Smallville, and Farscape. . ." would that help?

We could also leave them as is, but it seems sort of weird to consolidate elsewhere and not there, esp. since they are low traffic.

Or, and I'm not really thinking this is an option I want, we could eliminate all three and not replace them with anything.

Not if the new thread gets more traffic than the current three combined, which is my worry.

Yep. My worry too.

Yeah, it still might be a problem. But it would be less of a problem than keeping all three threads and making a fourth general TV thread. But it could still be a problem.

What if we start it with the contingency that we can re-evaluate in three months, when it will be more clear whether we'll have database problems or not? If we start the Fannish TV and the database falls down and goes boom from the overload, we can make another plan.

That sounds good to me, Lyra. And of course, if there are any problems sooner than that we can address them in BBaB.

Well, I think the concern there is if we do something to make the board go boom, we may make our hosts unhappy with us.

The problem with "Genre TV" is, what is genre? Or for that matter, which genre?

If we're talking SF/fantasy, the thread is (at least in theory) open to Twilight Zone (all incarnations), Star Trek (ditto), and a number of other shows (Dark Shadows reruns air on SciFi, and right now 2 characters are 25 years in the future....)

If the idea is more "cult shows" in the sense of a devoted fan base without a lot of mainstream acceptance, the above would qualify along with such shows as Twin Peaks.

I think I've just convinced myself that a Genre or Fannish thread could easily end up a de facto General TV thread.