Exactly. Oscars, Super Bowl, anything that doesn't have a dedicated thread, etc....

Personally, I'd rather such occasional things continue in Natter, as they're one of the elements of it that I enjoy the most. Also, unsurprisingly, I am of one mind with Cindy about the effect of a separate W&P thread on Supernatural discussion. W&P thread Bad, Dean Pretty.

As for splitting SPN off into its own thread, I am Switzerland. I think it's right at the tipping point of generating enough discussion to sustain its own thread, but I don't object to it being housed in Boxed Set. Particularly if this level of interest and discussion wanes in a couple of months. What I would object to is a new dedicated thread setting a precedent for Boxed Set's dominant show of the moment being split off repeatedly, with the bar for post density being lowered each time. For example, Battlestar Galactica discussion was similarly dominant in the thread at one point—though perhaps more briefly and only while new eps were airing—yet I think we were correct not to bud it off.

It looks as if we're at a point where some people will feel put upon or disregarded no matter which way the decision goes.

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As for splitting SPN off into its own thread, I am Switzerland. I think it's right at the tipping point of generating enough discussion to sustain its own thread, but I don't object to it being housed in Boxed Set. Particularly if this level of interest and discussion wanes in a couple of months. What I would object to is a new dedicated thread setting a precedent for Boxed Set's dominant show of the moment being split off repeatedly, with the bar for post density being lowered each time. For example, Battlestar Galactica discussion was similarly dominant in the thread at one point—though perhaps more briefly and only while new eps were airing—yet I think we were correct not to bud it off.

It looks as if we're at a point where some people will feel put upon or disregarded no matter which way the decision goes.

And Matt, I am unsurprisingly of one mind with you on the all of the above. W&P thread Bad, Dean Pretty indeed, my brother.

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We're the ones who are having DVD W&Ps scheduled at the same time as the new episodes of the shows we watch.

Has this actually happened? We try to be pretty careful about a) doing our best to make sure it doesn't, b) telling people when we are going to be W&P, and c) listening to what people say, and I honestly can't remember anyone saying "please don't, that's when Show X is on".

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Battlestar Galactica discussion was similarly dominant in the thread at one point—though perhaps more briefly and only while new eps were airing—yet I think we were correct not to bud it off.

I was terribly close to proposing a BSG thread, because I could barely get any Dresden Files talk going before BSG came on and overwhelmed it. I didn't, because I didn't watch BSG, so it didn't seem like I should be proposing it, but I was very frustrated. And still am. I'm trying not to take that frustration out on the SPN fans.

But I still want to know: what do we do when two shows collide? Just letting them duke it out until one set of fans slinks off in defeat is rather unfriendly.

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I'm ambivalent about an SPN thread since I'm not hooked on the show yet and I rarely visit Boxed Set.

I love the idea of a dedicated watch-n-post thread.

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Has this actually happened?

I think it happened once... BSG, maybe? Not since then for the exact reasons you point out.

Zen, I think it's kind of a crap shoot a lot of the time which conversations will take off and when. I know I've popped in to gush about something before, and... crickets. Sometimes it just depends on who's around and able to post. A lot of times, you just have to wait until you get a critical mass of interested parties - even on show nights, what with all the TiVoing and such. I don't really see that as a collision, though, so this may not be what you're asking at all. In which case, hi! How ya' doing?

Particularly when shows are back to back like they are/were on Sci-fi Friday, you sort of have to delay the conversation about the first show to do/make it through the W-n-P for the second.

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Wow. Go off to work all day and everyone is talky!

I'm very, very undecided on the SPN issue, but given that we have voting it should get a vote. It can't be healthy for the board to have stuff that we don't discuss because even bringing it up would be uncomfortable -- not that I think we should lightbulb-ize every niggling detail, but once it's out there, let's finish it.

This. I think at this point it needs to go to a vote. Could someone remind me when that will be so I can word a ballot?

I think I'm with Cindy and Matt on the W&P thread. It sounds fun, but I can't see Oscar night not being in Natter, and I hate the idea of potential discussion being split over threads.

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when shows are back to back like they are/were on Sci-fi Friday, you sort of have to delay the conversation about the first show to do/make it through the W-n-P for the second.

Yeah, but when the first show comes on at 10pm, waiting until midnight Eastern (my time) means I'm asleep, or should be, by the time second-show-talk has petered out. I dunno. Maybe there's just no really good answer.

Hi, JenP! How YOU doin'?

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Has this actually happened?

The one I most remember was the one I referenced early in this discussion. There were new eps of both Dresden and BSG, but the comments got swamped. I thought it happened to Dresden again later, but it looks like I was mistaken.

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For example, Battlestar Galactica discussion was similarly dominant in the thread at one point—though perhaps more briefly and only while new eps were airing—yet I think we were correct not to bud it off.

I do worry, a bit, that we voted Heroes off the island, and we look likely to vote Supernatural off the island, and then whatever strikes a chord next, and the island might just get down to a couple of people and a machete. Which would be sad.

OTOH, it sounds like a lot of SF TV is in the pipeline for fall; and Supernatural does have a 3rd season (which lack thereof, last spring, was the #1 reason not to have its own thread); and solving traffic problems is always a good idea.

Just -- next time this comes up, we all have to remember that 300 posts in a week in Boxed Set is not appreciably more than is normal. (cf. those statistics I did on March 1.) A lively Boxed Set is a good thing; and I'm willing to agree that a lively Boxed Set is best when it's a lively, diverse Boxed Set.

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