I think that, rather than dividing by network, it makes more sense to divide by characteristics of the shows, if we're worried about over-population of a single thread.

This, yes, this! I think it is worth revisiting, at this point, the genre-type thing we began to discuss a few months ago and then ended up dropping when the experimental threads were proposed.

I do think the experimental thread type deal was fine for Nonfic, and I think it was less fine for Cable Drama, which still smarts slightly to me for its creation anyway. For the Network Comedy-Dramas, I would think we could do a little more thorough thought about whether divisions like Procedurals, Mystery of the Week, etc. would be more apt for what we want.

I do not, however, want this discussion to get shunted in favor of tv talk for these shows solely in Natter, because I don't think that sustains discussion for any period of time beyond the initial airing and is inaccessible for reasons others have stated.

I think that if we try to split up the threads by type of show (procedurals, medical, etc...) that the threads might not generate enough discussion to justify their existence. The experimental thread, which I know some didn't like, seemed to have just the right balance of going back and forth from show to show. While I'm sure we could make a huge list of Procedurals, I don't think all of them would be discussed, if the results of the experimental thread are anything to go by.

I liked the experimental thread how it was. Spoilers in general don't bother me though, and when they did, I just stayed out of thread until I had watched the episode of the show in question.

I think that if we try to split up the threads by type of show (proceudrals, medical, etc...) that the threads might not generate enough discussion to justify their existence. The experimental thread, which I know some didn't like, seemed to have just the right balance of going back and forth from show to show.

Agreed. I think the thread was more interesting to read, too, with the variety of shows and show types that came up.

And for some reason the category divisions (procedural, medical, etc.) smack more of "general tv discussion board" to me than individual show threads or the big buckets do.

I liked the experimental threads fine. I would like them just convert to permanent.

Not everyone has time to read 100+ messages in a few hours, especially when only a few of them are about what you want to talk about.

That's the same problem I have with bucket threads for TV in general, though the total post number per hour may be lower than in Natter. As I said in our last discussion about SPN, though, I'm just expressing my opinion so that I'm not a silent minority. I know I likely won't be able to talk about TV at b.org since I can't keep up with all the shows in the buckets and don't like to be spoiled for the ones I do plan to eventually watch. If there's a majority who feels bucket drama would work--or maybe bucket Law Enforcement and bucket other drama--I think giving them a home outside of Natter isn't a bad idea.

The experimentals also worked for me. I've been waiting several weeks for the right time to propose reopening the Comedy thread.

I'm just adding my voice to say I'm one of the folks the experimentals did NOT work for.

The thing with the experimental drama thread is that in practice, people talked about a much smaller number of shows than might have been technically "covered" in the thread definition, but not everyone knew that, so people might have stayed away from the thread to avoid being spoiled for Show X, when they actually wouldn't have been spoiled, and would have been able to discuss Show Y no problem.

I don't see how we're not a general tv board already. I don't like it, but I think we're there.

Jesse, I think the real issue there is TiVo. Using The Office as an example (because that's the show I discussed most on the experimental threads), the show might air at 8:30 (ET) on Thursdays. We'd TiVo but usually watch that evening -- perfectly able to discuss the next day.

But anything knocks us off schedule, and we wait until Friday. Which, with my online habits, means I probably don't discuss until Sunday. When, realistically, some of the TiVo-ers still may not have seen.

In other words, even more than VCRs, DVRs have made a mockery out of TV schedules. And unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that other than a lengthy whitefont period.