FanFare, no fresh Good Wife - up to me?

November 4, 2014 10:17 AM

Are there show mods or a cabal or how does it work?

Desjardins has made most, but certainly not all, of The Good Wife Season 6 posts.

Does this mean it's desjardins' party?

Should I wait for one of the usual suspects to start a thread on "Message Discipline"? Or, if nothing has been posted by the time I have access to a computer, is it on me?

The FAQ and my general MeFi knowledge suggests that anyone can post at any time.
Is this correct? Don't want to step on toes - or pressure busy people into posting.

What do we want? Discussed with Mods who suggest we hash this out among ourselves.

In honor of the Little Red Hen, I'd especially like to hear from people who have done the early work on FanFare. And because fairness, to hear from people who kinda sorta want to participate but are hanging back. Plus all of you.

Thoughts???

posted by Lesser Shrew to Etiquette/Policy at 10:17 AM (32 comments total)

If there's an established schedule, I don't think it matters who posts.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:22 AM on November 4, 2014

I can't speak for desjardins but I have made lots of scandal posts (comments please, I know I'm not the only one who loves this show!) and I don't mind at all if someone posts an episode before me.
posted by ellieBOA at 10:35 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

I own The Walking Dead, so don't even try me, punk!

(Just kidding. I would be thrilled if someone got to it before me. Saves me the work.*)

*Well, maybe not. There's that pesky queue, which makes it so I have no way of knowing if anyone else has already submitted a Walking Dead post, so I'd probably still end up submitting one and crossing my fingers--as I do--that those 35 seconds of arduous labour weren't in vain.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:47 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

In my opinion, one advantage to posting the brief synopsis over any kind of recap means that there is no ownership of any show and the posts are fairly standardized, meaning anyone can post. The only thing that has stopped me from posting in the past is the mystery queue and the assumption that someone who is not on the west coast has already done it. I certainly do appreciate that others are really proactive about it, though.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:55 AM on November 4, 2014 [3 favorites]

Yeah, I think this is a new convention that has developed over time as the FanFare site has grown, in that some people can feel ownership of a particular show since they made most or all posts about it previously. It feels a bit early to rule on any conventions or make any proclamations about it, but one problem has come up before where someone that wrote great detailed posts was beaten to a post by someone putting up something really short and borderline lazy to get the discussion started, and they rightfully objected (we suggested they put their well written post in as a comment).

So it's something we're still watching and thinking about, but so far, anyone can make a post about any show.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:56 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

I think it's often fine for anyone to make a post, but nice to follow both the schedule and style of previous postings in the series. (I sometimes wait until a bit after something normally would've been posted before I post myself.) If the person who usually posts puts a sentence summary, then that's fine. If they put a paragraph before the cut and two or three after analyzing the show, then try to do that. (And in the latter case, see if there's a Fanfare talk where they organized it and stated how they like/don't like to share posting the show.)

It's weird because it seems like it should be fine for anyone to post, but I don't quite know if I'm stepping on toes. (The queue makes it harder to tell, too, if someone else has already done a post. The actual wait is rarely long, but the not-knowing makes it more confusing.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 11:04 AM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

It feels a bit early to rule on any conventions or make any proclamations about it, but one problem has come up before where someone that wrote great detailed posts was beaten to a post by someone putting up something really short and borderline lazy to get the discussion started, and they rightfully objected (we suggested they put their well written post in as a comment).

This is the way it works on the Blue, and that's okay, so I would say FanFare shouldn't need to have any extra layer of bureaucracy to solve a problem that already exists and doesn't need fixing elsewhere.
posted by bleep at 11:22 AM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

Hey, I have a life outside of metafilter! (Mostly on Twitter.) Actually I just forgot to post it. Go for it! You are all invited to my party!
posted by desjardins at 11:47 AM on November 4, 2014 [8 favorites]

I think this is more a "varies from show to show, use your judgement" thing. Some shows are clearly posted on a schedule by specific people, and in that case it certainly would be courteous to hold off for a while -- or send a "what's up" MeMail or tweet offering to step in. Other shows are more ad-hoc with a rotating cast of posters.

FWIW, I do feel ownership over the ones I post: Under The Dome (not currently airing) and Breaking Bad (rewatch, standing in for scody). I tend to use a consistent style/format and I would be slightly miffed if someone jumped the gun with "something really short and borderline lazy."

But the way I see it is ownership has responsibilities: you wanna be the owner, you gotta stick to the schedule.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:52 AM on November 4, 2014 [3 favorites]

Oh, and the queue is feeling increasingly anachronistic now. Understandable for movies and for new shows, where (I assume) the mods need to find suitable poster and banner artwork. But I not sure it's necessary for, for example, the umpteenth episode of The Walking Dead to wait for approval.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:58 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

In my opinion, one advantage to posting the brief synopsis over any kind of recap means that there is no ownership of any show and the posts are fairly standardized, meaning anyone can post.

FWIW, I think that's more true of current shows than of (a) rewatch shows, and (b) movies, where there's a lot more scope for the More Inside.

(And, as ever, JHarris's Last Week Tonight posts are the outlier exception.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 12:01 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

I thought the queue was to prevent spoilage of stuff that hadn't yet aired in other time zones? And/or to cut down on double posts?
posted by poffin boffin at 12:47 PM on November 4, 2014

and presumably to prevent me from posting unauthorized uefa threads
posted by poffin boffin at 12:50 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

Didn't see the question from the OP answered, so for the record: There are indeed Show Mods, much like the Show Trial you will be receiving. The REAL Mods dwell in an invisible Star Chamber (starchamber.metafilter.com) and pass terrible and unyielding judgement upon us all.
posted by selfnoise at 1:25 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

Yeah, we're lifting the queue soon, so things will go up when they get posted, immediately. Time zone spoilage didn't seem to be much of a problem in practice, at first we worried about it, but recently I just approve them after they get posted, sometimes 2+ hrs before they air on the west coast and we haven't heard any complaints (I just don't read them until I've seen it out west).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:45 PM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

FWIW, I think that's more true of current shows than of (a) rewatch shows, and (b) movies, where there's a lot more scope for the More Inside.

My only experience is with current shows. I didn't realize it might be different, but my points of reference are a few current shows.
posted by Room 641-A at 1:46 PM on November 4, 2014

I've been chugging along posting threads for Sleepy Hollow, but I don't know that I feel any ownership over it, nor do I put up any sort of recap - I just figure I'm putting up a spot for people to talk. In fact, I kind of wait to post until other people have said something, I guess so I don't feel like I'm steering the conversation too much? (And generally speaking, nobody posts until the next day no matter what so I don't know why I feel the need to post a thread as soon as the show is over, but I do.)

So I guess I may be a little out of sync with Fanfare norms, because I'm one of the borderline lazy people, and maybe I should step aside for somebody who wants to do a more recappy post. If anyone feels this way, please let me know and I'll stop putting them up.
posted by PussKillian at 2:09 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

I don't think there's any particular "line" for FanFare, but rather a place for options. Summaries seem to generally run anywhere from a short sentence to a brief paragraph, and sometimes additional bits in [more inside].

Don't let any perceived norms stop you from making FanFare posts. It's a pretty relaxed environment.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:23 PM on November 4, 2014

I've been chugging along posting threads for Sleepy Hollow...

PussKillian, your diligence in posting the Sleepy Hollow threads every week is amazing. Speaking as the only other person who has posted a thread for that show so far, I encourage you to keep it up!!!

Like can I please send you a list of all the other shows I like so you can watch and post them too? Because I struggle to remember what day of the week today is much less when my shows are on, and the appearance of a new Fanfare thread is often my only reminder that there's a new episode of a show I'm following.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:05 PM on November 4, 2014 [3 favorites]

FWIW, I do feel ownership over the ones I post: Under The Dome (not currently airing) and Breaking Bad (rewatch, standing in for scody). I tend to use a consistent style/format and I would be slightly miffed if someone jumped the gun with "something really short and borderline lazy."

Overall, this is really a show-by-show decision. I love the BB discussions but it's a Rewatch of a pretty serious show and I as a first-time watcher am perfectly happy to wait patiently to let someone else craft a proper post.

Whereas when the last season of True Blood was airing (it seems like another era already, doesn't it?), I don't think anyone gave a rat's ass that I pulled shit like this.
posted by psoas at 5:21 PM on November 4, 2014

Hah, ok, Jacqueline, I will proceed with your blessing. For whatever reason my schedule on Sleepy Hollow nights is to head right to my computer after the show is over, and it's easy to post the thread, so I just do it. And I try to have a little fun doing a short "summary" of the show and yet keep it spoiler free, which I guess isn't strictly necessary since people who are really spoiler sensitive probably have those turned off, anyway. But yeah, I guess each show sort of evolves its own norms.
posted by PussKillian at 6:32 PM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

Maybe I should read your Under the Dome posts, We had a deal, Kyle, because they told me it would be a mini-series and I believed them and then Season 2. Why do I always believe the TV people?

Have posted the latest episode of The Good Wife and quite likely made a hash of it.

The spoilers concern is - and I only realized this while posting - not something I've ever dealt with. And then I wasn't sure that Kalinda's orange notebook is a Moleskine and lost my mojo so I'm banking on flt's notion of a "pretty relaxed environment."

I had completely forgotten shows come on DAYS instead of just appearing on Hulu and Netflix. Does it make me a crotchety old person or an annoying hipster?
posted by Lesser Shrew at 7:00 PM on November 4, 2014

I had completely forgotten shows come on DAYS instead of just appearing on Hulu and Netflix. Does it make me a crotchety old person or an annoying hipster?

I don't know, but that's most of why I don't post shows very often -- either something is on my computer and I watch it eventually, or it's not there yet. I don't have the best sense of when the transition time is between the two. When I was trying to talk about all the new fall shows I had to actually pay attention and keep checking the calendar and watch things right away. It was harder than I expected to be that aware.
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:29 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

I never mind who posts about shows I like. Sometimes I get around to it first, other times it's other folks. I figure as long as there are folks talking about it, it doesn't matter who gets dibs on putting up new recaps.
posted by Kitteh at 4:24 AM on November 5, 2014

Chiming in to say I cannot wait for the "mystery queue" to disappear and be able to post immediately to FanFare. Also, I *do* feel a great sense of ownership over the movies and TV shows I do, so I wanted to leave a comment to that effect as a sort of counter-balance to some of the opinions expressed above.

I don't see it as totally relaxed environment at FanFare: some people are putting in quite a bit of work in their TV series / movie posts, and it would be a courteous thing to pop them an email first, before stepping on any toes. Basically it's about being mindful and aware of previous work and communicating.

I'd also like to see FanFare promoted more by site mods in the podcasts and more integral to MetaFilter projects (e.g., "Best of MetaFilter" blog) but my ponies, they no trot.

Just my two cents, obviously opinions vary.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 10:10 AM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

It looks like the queue is gone now, I just put up the latest episode of Marry Me without having to wait.
posted by Small Dollar at 10:42 AM on November 5, 2014

Bah, someone just hack together a bot that scrapes the TV Guide website and autopost. Autopost.


Autopost.
posted by sammyo at 12:57 PM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

Yes, autoposted threads for new episodes would be wonderful. Fanfare is unlike the rest of the site in that the post itself doesn't really matter and is just a placeholder for "Show SXXEXX: Discuss."
posted by Jacqueline at 2:19 PM on November 5, 2014

I would also support auto posts. The post is just the marker to indicate where the discussion is going to occur.
posted by PussKillian at 9:25 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

My problem with auto post is that I want at least one person to start a discussion on purpose. Maybe the answer is to have a just the facts initial post - show, episode name, season, episode.

If I do another post, I'll try that.

Some people, I think, enjoy crafting a witty recap to lead the discussion. Those are more fun to read, but not always necessary.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 6:09 AM on November 6, 2014

But the way I see it is ownership has responsibilities: you wanna be the owner, you gotta stick to the schedule.

Especially for the re-watch threads that have an agreed upon schedule. I am in the middle of posting the Star Trek original series re-watch every Saturday. The pace is slow and it will take us about a year and a half to get through them all, which is entirely okay with me. At this point, I guess I feel a certain ownership with the posts, but would not feel stepped on if someone wanted to post before I got to it. The only request would be to respect the post format, which seems to be working okay for discussions thus far (i.e. helpful links like where to watch the show online and any additional episode information).
posted by Benway at 9:17 AM on November 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

So it seems like there are two different situations: new shows and shows where someone starts a FanFare Talk post and organizes viewings. New shows seem well-served with a brief synopsis and recaps linked in the sidebar (and, optionally, a direct link in the comments) and viewings organized by one person seem to be working well on a case-by-case basis. The only real potential conflict I see is for some new shows like Game of Thrones where someone may get a head start on posting the first few episodes with longer recaps but others may also want a chance to do it in their own style, but that's a bridge we cross if and when it comes up.

I think it's often fine for anyone to make a post, but nice to follow both the schedule and style of previous postings in the series. [...] It's weird because it seems like it should be fine for anyone to post, but I don't quite know if I'm stepping on toes.

For new shows I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea that they should follow an established format because 1) that means viewers on the east coast will always have a jump on what that format is and 2) if it becomes bad form to deviate from that then it kind of confers default "ownership" to the person establishing the format anyway.

(For the record, I have zero interest in writing recaps. I do add interesting links and recaps when I find them.)

the post itself doesn't really matter and is just a placeholder for "Show SXXEXX

Man, I need to get Cinemax.
posted by Room 641-A at 11:43 AM on November 6, 2014 [1 favorite]