I'd prefer a general Comedy thread devoted to all things intended to make people laugh. If it turns into a de facto Office thread, we can propose to convert it at the appropriate time.

People can certainly discuss shows in Natter. The thread would be devoted to comedy, not the exclusive home of things funny.

I'm a HIMYM watcher, and I'd be content with it in Natter. While some episodes were classic and an excellent source for ongoing slang acquisition and creation, I didn't really need sustained discussion about it other than the occasional OMG Superbowl Episode! natter.

Yes, but it's the same argument backwards. For those of us who don't use Natter, keeping the conversation--even if it's just OMG that was awesome--in Natter effectively excludes us. I don't personally care if it's discussed in both places, but I'd at least want a chance to talk about.

I agree with SA here, but I also see your point, Liese, and I wouldn't want to take away that use of Natter for you. I guess I don't really get why the people who want to make a couple of watch&post comments on HIMYM (or whatever) in Natter can't still do so, even if there's the potential for slightly more focused discussion in the Comedy thread.

Yeah, I'm pretty much not saying other people should use things the way I do. Upthread, megan had asked how HIMYM viewers felt about it (an Office thread) and I was expressing that I personally didn't have a problem with HIMYM in Natter.

I said it specifically about HIMYM because as to connie's point, HIMYM doesn't generate sustained discussion anyway, in the way that Bones or something else might.

Regarding the rest of what connie was saying, I agree with ita in that we shouldn't feel hesitant to talk about whatever, whenever in natter. I'm fairly sure I've talked over ita's migraines at some point, and I'm sure I've been talked over, too, and it's all fine. We can be both supportive and totally flippant, and I think that's healthy for our chatter.

I agree with ita in that we shouldn't feel hesitant to talk about whatever, whenever in natter.

yes, this.

I agree with ita in that we shouldn't feel hesitant to talk about whatever, whenever in natter.

So no one thinks the following hypothetical exchange isn't . . . off?

"My dearest cousin died in a car crash tonight."

"Wow, Boreanaz has been working out! Though I could hardly pay attention with what they're doing to poor Booth."

You really think that atmosphere is going to be conducive to a focused discussion of the plot developments of Bones?

So no one thinks the following hypothetical exchange isn't . . . off?

Let's not be ridiculous. I think that most everyone has the basic tact to not discuss television in the face of someone's tragedy. I believe that the point that ita was making was that just because there may be a dedicated thread to a show, it does not mean that it cannot be discussed elsewhere.

In the case of your hypothetical exchange, there was probably near simultaneous posting and the second poster might apologize later, but the thread would presumably not continue discussing DB after hearing the bad news.

So no one thinks the following hypothetical exchange isn't . . . off?

To me that's not an exchange, so the offness is moot. It is merely consecutive posting. If I wanted to dominate the room with my grieving then Natter is the wrong place for me to try and do it. It is, after all, Natter. Topics cross, and I don't blame anyone for it.

However, just because I'm bitching about the shitty day I had or Vortex has nowhere to live (sorry!) would really not have any bearing on the appropriateness of the tv conversation.

That said, I do agree that it has a distraction factor that does impact the tv discussion, and that was one thing that was made pretty clear in the experimentals.

I think the question of the variety of topics in Natter is a non-issue. My issue is that I don't think there was all that much focused discussion in the experimental drama thread, where there weren't other topics coming into play.

Edit: If my math is right, the experimental drama thread averaged fewer than 18 posts a day.

What was the spoiler policy in the experimental drama thread? Perhaps a difference in whitefont rules would cause a change in the discussion?