166 replies to this topic

[TWoP Mars]

Hi everyone. You might have noticed me around here, so I figured I'd let you know that I am your official moderator here. And I do watch "Mad Men," so that's a plus for all of us.

Feel free to PM or e-mail me with questions, or post them here, if they pertain to the forums. I'll post important announcements here, too, so please read this thread when you see it's new. Thanks!

[stillshimpy]

Hi Mars! Nice to have you as our mod and I'm glad you like the show. Hopefully we'll all be well behaved and not give you any migraines! By which I mean, hopefully I won't personally screw up too much.

Edited by stillshimpy, Aug 31, 2007 @ 12:54 AM.

[Nouvelle Fille]

Hi, Mars!

Dunno if this is a question for you or not, but will there be additional sections to the MM forums besides the General Gabbery?

[TWoP Mars]

As of now, I'd assume we'll just have this one. That means that you can add the stuff that would normally go in the character/actor subforum and the whimsy/creative subforum right here into General Gabbery.

[Nouvelle Fille]

Cool. Thanks!

[bluenote123]

Hi, Mars. I already posted in the episode thread for "Red in the Face" because it didn't occur to me that I might have done so in the wrong place, but I'm going to ask the question anyway because I can fix my posts if I was wrong: are we allowed to speculate about things that happened in the episode in the episode thread itself, or do we need to take our speculations to the speculation thread?

Right now, there is a conversation about the possibility that Trudy is Jewish because we learned in this episode that her maiden name was Vogel. Is it okay for us to have this conversation in the episode thread because the basis of our speculation came from the episode itself, or should we move it? Thanks.

[TWoP Mars]

It's completely fine in either place, bluenote123, as long as the stuff in the episode thread stays related to the topic of the episode. When it veers too far away from that, I'd just move it to the Spec thread or the character thread if I were you. Thanks for asking!

[bluenote123]

Okay, thanks!

[TWoP Mars]

I just posted this in the episode thread, but I've seen some of the off-topic stuff going on elsewhere, too, so I want to make sure everyone reads this:

There's been too much off-topic discussion in here. I edited some of the off-topic posts, but not all of them. But here is what's off-topic: Your personal stories about 1960 that have nothing to do with the episode. They're probably better off in the Nostalgia thread if they have to do with the era of the show (and being set there doesn't necessarily mean they do). Otherwise, take them to the Meet Market (which is for off-topic discussion) or to your blog. I realize a lot of people have been through a lot, but that's not what these forums are for.

Also, talking about Comcast OnDemand and HD service don't belong here. If you have questions about how or where to watch the episodes, we have a Ratings and Scheduling thread where that is appropriate. It's not appropriate in the episode thread. Thanks.

On that same note about where and how to watch the episodes: Don't talk about that in the Meet Market. That's not where people will go to look for that discussion, so please keep it in the Ratings/Scheduling thread.

[TWoP Mars]

I'm seeing a lot of discussion across the boards about the role of women and the role of men in "Mad Men." I think a Gender thread has potential, so if anyone agrees and wants to discuss it, feel free to start one. If not, no big deal.

[mothra1orbit]

I think a Gender thread has potential, so if anyone agrees and wants to discuss it, feel free to start one.

I personally am finding the proliferation of threads to be off-putting and an impediment to the flow of conversation. I think that the nature of this show is going to cause posters to refer to things that happened not in the current episode, or things relating to details like names or gender roles, because they illuminate what's going on now. I liked it a lot better when we didn't have so many sub-fora; I think they've put a real damper on discussion. I've never participated in a forum with so much moderator interference--and I know I was guilty of misbehavior, and you were perfectly right to correct me; there's nothing personal in this complaint. Your chiding is very gentle and easy to take, but I think a basketball referee who stopped the game as often as you do wouldn't be a very good referee.

[Nouvelle Fille]

Actually, the number of threads here is relatively small in comparison to the other full-recap, full-forum shows. Perhaps if we had separate sections (like the other f-r, f-f shows) it wouldn't be quite so overwhelming.

Edited by Nouvelle Fille, Sep 5, 2007 @ 2:01 PM.

[TWoP Mars]

mothra1orbit, most people like having a full forum. I'm really sorry you don't like it. One solution might be to change the number of topics that appear on each page. I know I have more than the default on mine and it works out quite nicely.

Also, I like to think of my "interference" as moderating. And with new designated moderators, you are likely to see more of us around than before -- and that's one of the negatives of having a full forum: you have an active moderator watching over you all the time.

Anyway, sorry you don't like it, but there are rules here for a reason. They keep things organized and flowing smoothly. And I for one love organization and ... smoothness.

And, Nouvelle Fille, I agree that's why it seems like more threads than it really is. But bumping up the subforum size isn't my decision. I'll pass the word along to the Heads of Programming, though.

Edited by TWoP Mars, Sep 5, 2007 @ 3:46 PM.

[mothra1orbit]

...keep things organized and flowing smoothly. And I for one love organization and ... smoothness.

Me too! But seriously, that's my complaint: interrupting an ongoing conversation to reposition it in some other thread--where it is generally dropped, by the way--disrupts smoothness if not organization. Organization for organization's sake stops conversation just as surely as nit-picking about grammar.

I of course bow to your experience--I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a moderator and to try to maintain a balance between facilitating conversation and not letting things get out of hand--but it seems to me that if the majority of posters really wanted all those subfora, you wouldn't have to keep stepping in to tell people to take their conversation elsewhere.

I see a need for a subforum about where the actors have been seen other than this show, for spoilers ("speculation without spoilers"? Isn't that what the bulk of the current discussion about whether Pete's going to kill people is?) and of course a place for people to reminisce and share personal experiences not directly related to the episode under discussion. I think a general music subforum is a good idea as long as people are allowed in the main forum to talk about the significance of the song played at the end, or about any other music featured in the ep. But it seems to me <snark alert> that the main justification for most of the subfora is to allow people to express their clever ideas for titles, not because there is some popular demand for them.

I'm really not trying to start a pissing contest, and I am very grateful for your hard work. As I said, I can't imagine how difficult a job this must be; I know I couldn't do it (hell, I was a lousy referee).

[TWoP Mars]

I'm sure the "interrupting" will stop once everyone figures out how to stay on-topic. And I don't mean that in a condescending way. When you go from a single forum to this, it can be hard to remember to take off-topic conversation elsewhere. And I do let lots of stuff that's sort of off-topic remain if it has something -- even tangentially -- to do with the thread it's in. I draw the line when the conversation stops being at all related to the thread it's in and becomes about another topic.

The reason I have been posting those issues publicly is because this is a new forum and I'd like everyone to learn the rules so that you won't see me around as much (although I will still be here).

I do understand your complaints and I'm really sorry it frustrates you. Again, that is one of the negatives of having a full forum such as this one: You have to remember to stay on topic in a particular place, which means there are many conversations going on at once instead of just one. I couldn't make an exception in this forum to the standard site rules, even if I wanted to.

Edited by TWoP Mars, Sep 6, 2007 @ 11:21 AM.

[mothra1orbit]

Thanks for hearing me out, TWOP Mars. I appreciate the respectful way in which I've been treated here, and while we must disagree I do understand your reasons and the rules. Thanks again.

[the shatner]

I've left my TIVO unattended and, alas, many of the first episodes of MM have dropped off the selection menu. I didn't fret, initially, because of the TWOP recaps....until I pulled them up, to discover with shock and awe, only episode SIX to present available. I dying to know why? Was it a late TWOP entry? Am I incapable of navigating the New and Improved Site? What am I missing, for I am certain that it is I who is missing the obvious. Be gentle.....

[unclewiggly]

I don't think TwoP began to feature Mad Men recaps until a few episodes in, so the recaps aren't quite caught up yet. I'm eager to read them when they're available!

[TWoP Mars]

unclewiggly's right: TWoP added "Mad Men" late. I'm not sure if there are plans to recap the first five episode. Sorry, the shatner!

[Nouvelle Fille]

I know I've asked this before--okay, a few times--but when will MM get multiple sections for its forums? Even shows that have been added later--How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl--have subcategories. TWOP Mars, is there any way you could use your clout with the TWOPTB?

[TWoP Mars]

I'm working on it. Now that it's been picked up for a second season, I think it will happen soon. Thanks.

[JennyDiver]

As an impartial observer (both Don and Pete are on my "meh characters" list), I haven't really interpreted this exchange as "snotty" - people are just analyzing the character's motivations, and since many of the characters are contrasts to each other, it makes sense to compare them in light of specific actions and relationships. I didn't see any personal attacks or anything...

But I'm not one to argue with the PTB - I guess it doesn't really belong under "Indian Summer", so maybe there could be a separate thread started for "Don v Pete"?

Edited by JennyDiver, Oct 9, 2007 @ 6:35 AM.

[TWoP Mars]

I agree with that. Someone can feel free to open a Don vs. Pete thread, as that conversation is getting pretty off topic in the episode thread. Thanks.

[jakesmom]

I'm thinking Matthew Weiner did it on purpose, just like he's referencing Ayn Rand for Don, some Helen Gurley Brown for the office in general and Joan and Peggy, and some Jack Kerouac for Cooper's Zen stuff. Plus "The Apartment," "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit," "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "The Best of Everything," and probably a few dozen other books and movies.

So I hate to promote the proliferation of threads (and think that it's too late in the season to do this now), but perhaps next season a thread for literary and/or theatrical/film allusions might be considered? The show is just so rich in these references, and there are times when it seems there's a desire in the group to discuss them that ends up leading us a bit too far off the topic at hand. Just a thought ...

[TWoP Mars]

You're welcome to open that thread now, jakesmom. This forum stays open between seasons, so you don't have to wait until next season to open it.

[bratschenspieler]

I think that's a great idea, jakesmom. If you start the thread, I'll be all ready with a question about The Apartment.

[qiqa]

I was wondering if there can be a "season 2 wishlist" thread. I have seen it on other TWoP fori, and frankly I think it would help with the withdrawal some of us are experiencing. Please?

[TWoP Mars]

Of course. And don't feel like you have to ask to open a new topic. I'll close the ones that I don't think are necessary, so just open whatever you think we need.

[albaniantv]

Hello Moderator--i have a note & warning attached to my replies, but i did acknowledge them previously in a checked box. How long will the note & warning continue to be attached to my replies?

[TWoP Mars]

albaniantv, there's an item in the FAQ that answers that question. I hope that helps.