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.

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.

But with the bucket thread, it's much easier to go there on Friday, or Saturday, or 2 weeks from next Thursday, and be able to jump in and talk about the episode and find people to respond. In Natter? Forget about it.

Right, but I'm saying that maybe The Office isn't even being discussed in that thread (this is a bad example, but roll with it), so you don't need to be afraid to go in to discuss Saturday Night Live as it's airing. But you don't know that, so you just avoid the thread all together.

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

Really? You think the reason most people come here, and what they discuss and get out of this place, is mostly tv?