I agree that this conversation was definitely going to come up. There have been nearly four hundred posts in the last three or four days since I checked Boxed Set, which is pretty high volume for any thread on the board, save Bitches and Natter.

I too like the idea of a premium-basic divide. I think it has worked well with the Premium thread, though I will note that Premium is a slower-moving thread. I can barely keep up with just a day or so delay on shows in Boxed Set, and I think it would be a good move to divide the network tv from the cable tv, not because they are different styles of shows, but just so that the discussion is at a manageable level.

I also think closing the Lost thread is fine, but I don't really go there; I just have noted that the post levels are quite low for what used to be a must-watch show.

plus, then those crazy kids can take their freaky heroes and spns and whatever those crazy kids are watching these days off somewheres and stop putting their chocolate in my (natural) peanut butter

We have *got* to get you into SPN...

Hmm.

to really be intrigued at the thought of a broadcast/basic/premium split -- broken down enough for the volume to be more manageable, easy enough to understand where to go, spoilers more manageable for the cable-less or premium-less, and more likely to sustain itself than any single-show thread.

This idea is intriguing.

It's a discussion that needed to take place. I watch most of the Boxed Set shows, but not SPN or DF. It is very odd to catch up on a couple hundred posts skimming over discussions that involve a half dozen shows. In Natter the show name being discussed tends to be mentioned, but in Natter the show name is followed by whitefont.

I've read here that Heroes overwhelms the thread, while to me SPN does. To some it might seem BSG is the dominant discussion.

In summary, better to have too many shows that prompt discussion than too few. Let's make out .

Also, as follow-up to the network-cable split, I think our successful threads have, in general, shied away from that level of specificity. Thus, a book thread, a general and open fanfiction thread, a premium thread, a boxed set thread. These almost always have high or reasonably high posting due to the umbrella nature of the discussion. At this point, given the somewhat failed experiments of VMars and Lost, I think we have learned what the board is more likely to gravitate towards.

I'm not so sure how failed the VM thread is, although it is lower volume for us. There have been 37 new episodes since it opened. There are something like 5100 posts. They're largely on-topic (as on-topic as we are anywhere else, and more on-topic than some threads). I suspect the show won't be renewed, in which case, the thread is probably closeable. If it is renewed, the format changes may change discussion. I don't know.

I've read here that Heroes overwhelms the thread, while to me SPN does. To some it might seem BSG is the dominant discussion.

This is my current question. On a day where I had more brain, I'd just threadsuck and count, but I lack everything required to do so. Is any show dominating clearly? If so...is that even bad, for the people who watch it, and the people who don't?

Is any show dominating clearly?

t cough Supernatural.

But that's only my perspective because I don't watch it, and I watch most of the rest of what's discussed. Large numbers of posts are generally only a problem if you don't watch the show.

I'm kind of dubious about the premium/basic split, although I don't participate in the current Premium thread, so my dubiosity is based on exactly nothing.

But that's only my perspective because I don't watch it, and I watch most of the rest of what's discussed. Large numbers of posts are generally only a problem if you don't watch the show.

Except for that one watch n' post last week, I find that when I check at 10pm Pacific Time, there are usually about a dozen posts, and of those, more of them seem to be Smallville than SPN.

And then I always think, damn, I could have clicked and read, because no one was talking SPN at all!

I very much wouldn't call the Lost and VM threads "failed" -- they've played out their lifecycle, or are on course to do it. They've served a very useful purpose to members of this community and are still doing so.

If we did split out Broadcast and Cable shows, would the split be like:

Broadcast -Supernatural -Smallville -Heroes -(Lost?)

Cable -Dr. Who -Stargate(s) -Eureka -Dresden Files -Battlestar Galactica -(Torchwood, if it ever comes to America)

Am I missing any currently discussed shows?

We talk about Life on Mars in there occasionally.