32 replies to this topic

[TWoP Barnes]

Please read and understand the Forum FAQ, before posting in this forum. That's where the rules live, which are strict and strictly enforced.

Compilation of Supernatural Forum Notes On Resolved Issues

RECAP DISCUSSION ETIQUETTE: Please don't say anything about a recap that you wouldn't be allowed to say about another post; don't say anything to/about a recapper that you wouldn't be allowed to say to another poster. You can politely disagree all you want, as your focus is the show, and as long as you abide by site rules. If you have something to say to Demian that doesn't fall within site rules, e-mail or PM him, just like you would any other poster.

Responses to the recaps can be a great jumping-off point for conversations that really are about the show, and not the quality of the recap. I want to allow for that, without giving you all the false impression that it's open season on the recappers, because it so very much is not. I don't tend to take action against posts complimenting the recapper, because I don't tend to take action against posts in which one poster is complimenting another.

CHARACTER DEVOTION: You may watch the show for one character, but that's not true for everyone here. Please you don't state your opinion as fact, and please don't post the same lament, all the time. That sort of poster is no different than the 'shippers referred to in the following section of the FAQ:

Q: What's the difference between a personal attack and taking it personally?

A: Consider the situation, here. If you're talking about a faction within the fandom of a given show -- like, if you're a 'shipper for a particular pair of characters -- what that boils down to is your turning one opinion you have about the show (that X and Y should be a couple) and choosing to define your entire identity as a poster by that one opinion. In that case, you may take it personally when another poster disagrees with that opinion about X and Y, but unless that poster denigrates you by name, it's not a personal attack.

If you choose to pledge allegiance to a particular sect of fandom, that's your business and your right. But it's not the same as aligning yourself with a political party, religious faith, or sexual orientation protected under anti-defamation laws.

To put it even more succinctly, just because you choose to take it personally doesn't mean it's a personal attack.

To put it in context for this forum, people are free to love and/or hate any character on Supernatural, and to express that love and/or hate, here. What they're not free to do is take offense at differences of opinion, and they're not free to keep posting the same opinion over and over again, which leads me to my next point...

REPETITIVE POSTING: From the Rules:

DON'T post the same opinion over and over in the hopes of wearing other people down or "winning" a discussion; just move on.

If, after every episode (or after each new spoiler you read), you post something like, "Dean never gets to be a part of the 'mytharc'," or "Sam's character never gets any development," you're posting the same opinion, over and over, even though new material inspired you to make the same bone tired complaint. If you don't have anything new to say, don't say it.

THE D.E.M.I.A.N. TREATY:

Devolving English Makes Itchy Angsty Nastiness. Damn Everyone Moderator Is Angry Now. Demian'll Eviscerate Initial Abusing Nimrods.

We aren't posting in code. We're posting in English, or at least American. Please spell things out. If your poor little fingers are too tired to do so, then you should probably rest up, and maybe not post at all. At the very least, please spell everything out once in each post. If you've already typed out, "What is and What Should Never Be," once in a post, nobody's going to object (aloud) if you then abbreviate it to WiaWSNB in the same post, but nobody's going to object (at all) if you spell it out each time, either.

Darlings, Endless Meaningless Initials Aren't Nifty.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Jan 19, 2009 @ 1:29 PM.
to remove spoiler information -- policy updated 1/19/2009 -- see post

[TWoP Barnes]

There's some site news, here. If you feel the need to discuss it in the forum, please do so in the Ask the Mod thread. Thanks.

[TWoP Barnes]

Please remember not to rehash the same old opinions over and over again. At this point in the game, posts stating that the writers are somehow mistreating your favorite is rehashing. You don't have to like the episodes in order to post. You don't have to hate the stories. You do have to find something to add to the conversation in order to post.

Constantly complaining and/or trying to prove that the writers aren't writing their characters the way you think they ought to (I sometimes refer to this as 'case building') is not allowed on these boards, because doing so adds nothing to the conversation. It is annoying to people who are trying to actually talk about the show. Believe it or not, most people don't come here to revisit your pet peeve. The FAQ and the DOs and DON'Ts are pretty clear about not banging the same drum again and again, so please don't.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, May 8, 2008 @ 8:27 AM.

[TWoP Barnes]

I couldn't believe I hadn't already addressed that issue in here. Now I will:

ANNOUNCEMENT: Please avoid using the terms Dean girls and Sam girls. I know it's a joke, but this forum doesn't need any more encouragement to split along those lines. Besides, comments like that are not about the show, they're about the temperature of the board.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Jan 19, 2009 @ 1:32 PM.

[TWoP Barnes]

Discussion of Spoilers and Other Information about Upcoming Episodes:

Please stop hinting at what you know (like, dislike) from the spoilers and media articles you've read about the show. It's inconsiderate. Also, because of the extreme character devotion this show seems to inspire, it's pretty obvious that, oh say, a Dean girl has read a spoiler, when she starts grousing about where his character is going or where the show is going. Please make sure you're being fair to the other posters here.

From now on, here's the spoiler policy for this forum:

1. Read the FAQ and understand what is and isn't a spoiler on TWoP.

2. If you have something to say about an upcoming episode/plot/event -- it belongs in either the spoiler thread ONLY, or the speculation thread ONLY. You determine thread placement by learning the spoiler policy as stated in the FAQ.

3. From now on, please do not even link to first party promo stuff in the media thread. If you're a spoiled person, take your link and subsequent discussion to the spoiler thread. If you're not a spoiled person, take your link and subsequent discussion to the speculation thread.

4. If you post in such a way that you spoil someone else for an episode (even hints) you will be banned.

[TWoP Barnes]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I'm making some changes to the forum, in an effort to exorcise some of the character/actor-fan pissing contests that are eating the Supernatural forum alive. I hope that some of these changes can be temporary. I'm sure many of you will share that hope.



1. The Spoiler thread is going to be reopened -- BUT it's going to serve as a spoilers-only thread.

While I hope this change can be temporary, for the meanwhile, it means there will be no discussion and no spoiled speculation allowed -- anywhere on TWoP's Supernatural boards. Please do all you can to ensure this is only temporary.

If the lovely, talented and saintly Pessimist wants to keep collecting spoilers and adding them to the pinned post, in hopes for a day when discussion is once again allowed, she may do so, but she doesn't have to. I'll keep the pinned post pinned, in case she decides she is so inclined. Pessimist -- we're sorry for the assaults on your sanity, and thank you for all you've done to preserve what remains of ours.

Q: Where should the spoiled members take their speculation and discussion?

A: They should take it to the rest of the internet.

Q: When can we have a Spoiler Discussion/Speculation thread back?

A: When I've seen evidence, in all the other threads on the forum, that people understand this forum is not an arena for pissing contests between fans.



2. I'm closing the Brotherly Bonds thread.

I hope the above can be a temporary change. In my opinion, the Winchester family dynamics are one of the more interesting and compelling aspects of this show. But too many people misuse the thread and treat it like it's a place where they can prove for all time how the show and the other brother mistreats their favorite brother. It sucks and we don't want to read it. If that's your main reason for posting about Supernatural, you probably don't belong here, because there is a site-wide rule against repeating yourself.

Q: Where should members take their discussion of the dynamics of the relationship between the Brothers Winchester?

A: They should take it to the rest of the internet.

OR

They can use the episode threads to discuss specific events in specific episodes that give them specific event-related insight -- in into the relationship between Dean and Sam.

Q: When will the thread re-open?

A: When I've seen evidence, in all the other threads on the forum, that people understand this forum is not an arena for pissing contests between fans. If the conversation in the other threads goes well enough and I can re-open this thread, that will happen before I allow conversation and speculation in the Spoiler thread, again. In other words, "Brotherly Bonds" will be the proving ground that we've recovered sufficient Zen to discuss spoilers without turning into raving, repetitive lunatics.



3. Posts that are meant to show that the writers are being mean to either Sam or Dean will not be tolerated.

Here's why: let's take MaryJane, who is a hardcore Dean fan. She spends her time talking about how wonderful the show makes Sam look, and how bad the show makes Dean look. Frankly, MaryJane? In addition to breaking the site rule that states people need to make their points and move on, your posts come across as both idiotic and insane and you're abusing the good will of the people who come here to discuss the show.

What's even worse about your style/habits/obsession is that even you don't believe your premise. I mean, if the show truly made Sam look more wonderful than Dean -- as you are arguing ad nauseam -- then you wouldn't be a Dean fan. You would, in fact, think Dean was a one-note useless lout with no purpose, and you would find him boring. At best, you'd cop to the fact that Ackles is pretty and/or talented. The end.

Let's take MaryAnne, who is a hardcore Sam fan. She spends her time talking about how wonderful the show makes Dean look, and how bad the show makes Sam look. Frankly, MaryAnne? In addition to breaking the site rule that states people need to make their points and move on, your posts come across as both idiotic and insane and you're abusing the good will of the people who come here to discuss the show.

What's even worse about your style/habits/obsession is that even you don't believe your premise. I mean, if the show truly made Dean look more wonderful than Sam -- as you are arguing ad nauseam -- then you wouldn't be a Sam fan. You would, in fact, think Sam was a one-note heartless lout, and you would find him boring. At best, you'd cop to the fact that Padalecki is pretty and/or talented. The end.

4. No more tit-for-tat posting.

Q: So like, what?

A: Say MaryAnne comments in the Jared thread that Friday the 13th had the best opening box-office for a horror movie in yonks, and MaryJane swoops in and posts that Jensen's My Bloody Valentine is has raked in more money to date. Mary Jane is getting herself banned.

And say MaryJane comments in the Jensen thread that My Bloody Valentine has done well domestically and she's waiting to see how it does internationally, and MaryAnne swoops in and posts that Friday the 13th had a better opening weekend. MaryAnne is getting herself banned.

5. I'm importing the next point from a post by Shotgun9 in the Mod thread (with some format changes -- for emphasis):

Erin, who used to mod the Alias forums gave me a very good piece of advice back in the day that I think it would benefit posters (in general! I don't care what [fill in the blank] fan you are):

Think twice, post once.

Is my post going to violate a rule?

Do I really need to post this?

Is is going to add anything of value to the conversation?

Has someone already said it better than I? etc.

It's so easy to do, and it really helps you look at your posts with a more critical eye. Because the problems that appear to be plaguing this forum are not individual problems -- they're a collective issue, and they can only be solved collectively.

From now on, that's our Golden Rule, here. If you don't like it, please leave. You'll be happier and so will the people who come here to discuss the show, rather than wage some misguided fan campaign. If you feel the sort of dedication or urgency you feel about your job or family when you're inspired to post here then UR DOIN IT WRONG.

Please understand this announcement should be taken as a final warning. If you post contrary to any of the guidelines in this post, you may be subject to immediate banning, without a prior note or warning.

Now please be as smart and insightful, as funny, and as full of interesting perspective as I know you all can be, so that I can re-open "Brotherly Bonds" A.S.A.P. and give the forum back a Spoiler Discussion thread.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Feb 27, 2009 @ 11:01 AM.

[TWoP Barnes]

WARNING: As common sense dictates, the Ask the Mod thread is not the thread to complain about individual posters (including TWoP staff). Using it for such will get you the boot.

If you have a problem with someone, rather than a question about the boards, PM me or send an email. Don't use any thread on these boards for picking on particular posters. It makes you look like a troll. Once you look like a troll, you're treated as such.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Mar 20, 2009 @ 1:15 PM.

[TWoP Barnes]

The Great Supernatural Summer Re-watch of '09

Here's the schedule thanks to Nicolethecylon:

The dates on the left and in Bold are the dates that we would bump the episode threads for the episodes listed (ie: May 21st, Pilot, Wendigo, Dead in the Water, Phantom Traveler threads would be bumped and discussion would begin).

May 21st: Pilot, Wendigo, Dead in the Water, Phantom Traveler
May 28th: Bloody Mary, Skin, Hookman, Bugs
June 4th: Home, Asylum, Scarecrow, Faith
June 11th: Route 666, Nightmare, The Benders, Shadow
June 18th: Hell House, Something Wicked, Provenance, Dead Man’s Blood
June 25th: Salvation, Devil’s Trap, (SEASON 2)In My Time of Dying, Everybody Love a Clown
July 2nd: Bloodlust, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, Simon Said, No Exit
July 9th: The Usual Suspects, Crossroad Blues, Croatoan, Hunted
July 16th: Playthings, Nightshifter, Houses of the Holy
July 23rd: Born Under a Bad Sign, Tall Tales, Roadkill
July 30th: Heart , Hollywood Babylon, Folsom Prison Blues, What is and What Should Never Be
Aug 6th: All Hell Breaks Loose 1, All Hell Breaks Loose 2, (SEASON 3)The Magnificent Seven, The Kids are Alright
Aug 13th: Bad Day at Black Rock, Sin City , Bedtime Stories, Red Sky At Morning
Aug 20th: Fresh Blood , A Very Supernatural Christmas, Malleus Maleficarum
Aug 27th: Dream a Little Dream of Me , Mystery Spot, Jus In Bello
Sept 3rd: Ghostfacers!, Long Distance Call, Time is On My Side, No Rest for the Wicked

Season 4 DVDs come out this week (most likely, based on the dvd release history). We can have a discussion and pick the top 8 season 4 episodes to view as part of the re-watch. Also, we don’t know the Season 5 Premiere date yet, so this will all stay To Be Announced as we get more information.

Sept 10th: Season 4 episodes to be announced
Sept 17th: Season 4 episodes to be announced
Sept 24th: Likely to be the Premiere of Season 5

Generally speaking, the rules are the usual board rules (found here and here).

Please remember, TWoP doesn't allow people to post about an episode during an episode. That rule carries over to re-watches. In other words, please don't post as you're watching. That live-blog style stuff doesn't make for good conversation on a message board. People just tend to post past each other.

Enjoy!

Edited by TWoP Barnes, May 22, 2009 @ 12:17 PM.
removed time

[TWoP Barnes]

The rewatch schedule has been changed. The following update is courtesy of Nicolethecylon:

Here is the updated and revised Re-Watch Schedule:

June 25th: Salvation, Devil’s Trap, (SEASON 2)In My Time of Dying, Everybody Love a Clown
July 2nd: Bloodlust, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, Simon Said, No Exit
July 9th: The Usual Suspects, Crossroad Blues, Croatoan, Hunted
July 16th: Playthings, Nightshifter, Houses of the Holy, Born Under a Bad Sign
July 23rd: Tall Tales, Roadkill, Heart , Hollywood Babylon
July 30th: Folsom Prison Blues, What is and What Should Never Be, All Hell Breaks Loose 1, All Hell Breaks Loose 2,
August 6th: (SEASON 3)The Magnificent Seven, The Kids are Alright, Bad Day at Black Rock, Sin City
August 13th: Bedtime Stories, Red Sky At Morning, Fresh Blood , A Very Supernatural Christmas
August 20th: Malleus Maleficarum, Dream a Little Dream of Me , Mystery Spot, Jus In Bello
August 27th: Ghostfacers!, Long Distance Call, Time is On My Side, No Rest for the Wicked
Sept 1st: Pick up a copy of Season 4 DVDs!! Episodes 1, 3, 16, 18, and 22 are part of the rewatch!
Sept 8th: Lazarus Rising, In the Beginning, On the Head of a Pin, Monster at the End of This Book, Lucifer Rising

Sept 10th: Season 5 Premiere!!!

[TWoP Barnes]

Hey, everyone. I'm cutting down my moderation hours for the summer and TWoP Tennison is going to be covering a handful of my forums, including this one. Tennison will be on duty here as of tomorrow -- Sunday, July 12, 2009.

If you're looking for me, I'll still be covering the forums for The Bachelorette, Eureka, and True Blood. Take care and enjoy your me-free summer.

[TWoP Tennison]

I'm your sub! I don't want to be spoiled for the new season, so I won't be checking the spoiler thread on a regular basis. If there's a problem in there, please PM me with a direct link and I'll run in there with one hand over my eyes to fix it.

[TWoP Tennison]

Depending on how the posting in this forum goes this week, I'm going to open the Brotherly Bonds thread for a test run, starting this weekend. There are many interesting things to discuss about the Winchester dynamics and I'd like for people to be able to do that. Keep in mind, though, that Barnes' post about pissing contests and tit-for-tat, etc., still applies.

If that goes well, then hopefully the spoiler discussion thread can be reopened soon, too.

NOTE: If you feel someone is breaking any of the above rules or trying to goad you into a fannish bickering match, then you need to ignore them. It's very rare that trolls get threads locked down. It's people feeding the trolls that gets threads locked down.

Edited by TWoP Tennison, Sep 29, 2009 @ 9:43 AM.

[TWoP Tennison]

The Brotherly Bonds thread is closed again for all the reasons Barnes cited back in February. I was really hoping we'd be able to have the thread open on a permanent basis, but it's not looking possible at this point.

[TWoP Tennison]

The Spoilers Only thread is locked until some real spoilers for next season start coming in. At that time, you can send me a PM and I'll reopen the thread.

[TWoP Tennison]

A Note About Supernatural: The Animation:

With the new anime show coming out soon, I wanted to post a reminder in here that it has its own thread in the Cartoons subforum. Discussion of the anime version should go in that thread.

Exceptions:

Once the show comes out in February, we may be able to allow comparisons in the Supernatural vs Other Shows thread. We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it.

[TWoP Tennison]

Everyone needs to be reminded of why the "the writers are mean to my favorite!" stuff is not welcome here.

Furthermore, if you see someone posting like that, don't make it worse by arguing for the other side. Don't even reply. Trying to bring the discussion around to sanity will only have the opposite effect.

[TWoP Tennison]

If people want to do a Summer Rewatch (of any season or combination of episodes), please let me know in the Q&A thread (not in this one). I can pin old episode threads accordingly, or start a general rewatch thread.

[TWoP Tennison]

Sorry, the above should have said the Mod thread, not the Q&A thread. Got my forum mixed up!

[TWoP Tennison]

Starting tomorrow, TWoP Lockley will be taking over as moderator.

Thanks for being such an interesting forum, everyone!

If you have any questions for your new mod, please post in the Ask the Mod thread, and not in here.

[TWoP Lockley]

Hello all!

Just to be clear, for the time being all previously established rules will remain in place. My philosophy is if you are being cool to one another, I have no reason not to be cool to you.

Ask any specific questions in the Ask a Mod thread.

Thanks and be seeing you!

Edited by TWoP Lockley, Sep 13, 2012 @ 12:05 AM.
I can't believe I signed my own post..doh

[TWoP Lockley]

Season 8 starts tonight. Now's a good time for everyone to review the FAQand Dos and Don'ts of the site. I'm the newest mod so I'm fairly hyper about the rules, lucky you!

Just a reminder also that all previously established rules specifically set for Supernatural remain in place. Please take another look at those from the top of thisthread.

[TWoP Lockley]

I've reopened last week's episode thread with a few edits to some posts. I'll be issuing warnings and suspensions this week for boards on boards and off-topic commentary as well as anything that could be read as egregious whining about the treatment of your personal favorite Winchester brother.

Please pay attention to the note posted at the top of this week's thread and keep it on topic. Just post thoughtfully and all will be well.

Thanks

[TWoP Lockley]

When I was a kid, the oldest of 4 siblings close in age, my mom got sick of hearing us whine about our perception of her treatment of us versus the other kids.

She put a ban on the words ALWAYS and NEVER when it came to that kind of discussion.

I am not putting a ban on the exact words per se, but please consider this an incredibly strenuous warning against using the following combination of words in your posts.

Sam always...
Sam never...
Dean always....
Dean never...

If you find yourself typing these words, please re-think the way you are about to express yourself. Take a moment to be thoughtful and logical.

This particular forum tends to devolve into a cavalcade of woe around those sentiments, so let's avoid it and embrace a space that is more clever and more respectful of all opinions than those borderline hyperbolic sentiments allow.

Now's a good time to re-read this entire thread and refresh yourselves on all the special rules regarding this forum. They remain intact even if they were set by my predecessor/s.

[TWoP Lockley]

I've locked the All Seasons thread. It will remain so for 24 hours.

In the absence of new episodes to talk about the conversation as devolved to more tit-for-tat Sam Versus Dean stuff with a bunch of generalizations about what the fan bases may or may not want to see thrown in.

Don't get caught up talking about these generalizations. Don't perpetuate that conversation. Talk about your own opinions.

While talking about your own opinions, please don't jump on anyone who doesn't share them. Stop repeating yourselves. I don't love having to repeat MYSELF on this point.

I am asking each and every one of you to spend some of this down time re-reading the entire mod announcement thread as a refresher on the special rules related to posting in the Supernatural forums.

Also, to put a fine point on it, the All Seasons thread is closed because I want to push pause on the discussion happening there, which means DO NOT simply take what you were thinking/hoping to post there to some other thread. Please make sure whatever you are posting is on topic for the thread you are posting in and that your comments fall within the rules of this site in general and this forum in particular.

Thank you.

Edited by TWoP Lockley, Dec 29, 2012 @ 3:31 PM.

[TWoP Lockley]

Supernatural is back.
....with a vengeance?
....like a bad habit?

Either way, since it's been a long dry spell I want to remind you of a couple of things:

• Keep it on topic, especially in the episode threads.
• Don't get into a loop challenging other posters about your differing opinions.
• Don't waste your time writing a 1,000-word post that takes a point-by-point approach to refuting another poster's thoughts. If it is remotely inflammatory I will delete it and issue warnings/suspensions. That's not to say don't engage in a back and forth conversation, just be aware of how you might be coming across to others and once you've made your point, let the conversation flow naturally.
• Also on that note, re-read your posts before finalizing. If you've made the same point over and over already, make a few edits and make sure you are adding something new to the conversation.
• Keep the Sam Vs. Dean love/hate rooted in the reality of the plots and the episodes (NO WHINING about how the writers are "abusing" your favorite).

Otherwise, have at it.

Edited by TWoP Lockley, Jan 21, 2013 @ 11:47 PM.

[TWoP Lockley]

Perk up your ears folks, some new rules and rule reminders up in here.

KEEP your comments ON TOPIC. That means if you are posting in the episode thread, you must be talking about the episode at hand. Brief, and I mean brief references to past events are allowed. If you’re confused about what is brief or not, it probably isn’t and you should take your thoughts to the All Seasons thread.

STOP rehashing every wrong you believe Sam has ever done in relation to comments about wrongs done by other characters, or in relation to comments about anything really. I'm sick of it.

I'm not asking you to like Sam if you don't, but I am (and I am sure other posters are) sick of all the repetition from a few of you about it and it is prohibiting interesting discussion so I am warning everyone en masse about it.

DO NOT use the words “woobie” or “whitewash” to describe your thoughts about Sam and his characterization this season or any season. Don’t get cute and try to say the same thing in a different way. These words are whiny. Stop being whiny.

These words are banned. Yep, banned. As you will be if you use either one of those words, without warning. THIS IS YOUR WARNING

USE only with extreme caution the words “always” and “never” when you are talking about your perception of Sam vs Dean. Those words just lead to rants that it’s quite likely you have already made ad nauseum.

STOP repeating yourselves in any and all threads.

STOP whining about the writers. STOP purporting to know what the writers think or want. You can mention the writing and you can criticize it, but if you pay attention to whether or not you are coming across as a whiner, you are less likely to come across as a whiner.

STOP engaging in tit-for-tat back and forth, Sam vs Dean commentary in any and all threads. Your goal MUST be to drive the conversation forward, not to go back and forth with your fellow posters about your perception of the behavior/treatment of your most precious character from a ridiculous TV show.

This posting mentality is not optional or “suggested.” It is required.

If you have any questions or gripes, feel free to PM me about it. Before you do that, please know that my efforts are in the service of making this a fun and interesting place to post for EVERYONE, not just for a select few who can't seem to let go of their problems with Sam.

Edited by TWoP Lockley, Feb 6, 2013 @ 8:13 PM.

[TWoP Lockley]

Hi everybody! Just wanted to say welcome back, sorry for the malware issues and please use our tech forum to report anything we should know about.

In the meantime, thanks for sticking with us!

[TWoP Lockley]

Here's another new rule.

If you have reached your threshold of annoyance with this show and are considering quitting watching altogether, that's fine and understandable. What's NOT fine is talking about your intention to quit watching the show. This forum is not about you and your personal viewing habits. It is about the show. If you want to quit watching, simply do it, there's no need to announce it to your fellow posters.

On another note, if you DO in fact decide to quit watching the show, it's highly unlikely that you will have anything of any intelligence to the conversation about it, and I expect your posting behavior to reflect your viewership level if you get my drift.

[TWoP Lockley]

Please watch the lengths of your posts folks. This is a discussion board not a group blog. If your post is 1,000 words or more, you are stalling the discussion and probably repeating yourself. if it takes several scrolls down the screen to get through your post, it's too long. Take a minute to edit yourselves. Thanks!

[TWoP Lockley]

Here's a refresher on the Spoiler rule for Supernatural.

You may have noticed there is no Spoiler Discussion thread here. That is because there is to be NO DISCUSSION of spoilers in the Supernatural forum, per a much-needed rule set by TWOP Barnes in 2009. I think we still need it and perhaps more than ever.

Since there is no discussion of spoilers allowed here and the spoiler thread is for Spoilers Only, there will never be a need for any one of you to use spoiler tags. Ever.

So if you're inserting spoiler tags into a post, you are willfully breaking a rule and will be subject to immediate banning.

Also, while I was digging around in the rules thread I found another awesome rule example from TWOP Barnes about some things that are still going on here.

Please make note and maybe spend some time reading this Mod thread from top to bottom for additional insight into the myriad special rules we all get to enjoy here at Supernatural.

But this part is especially important for everyone to remember...always.

3. Posts that are meant to show that the writers are being mean to either Sam or Dean will not be tolerated.

Here's why: let's take MaryJane, who is a hardcore Dean fan. She spends her time talking about how wonderful the show makes Sam look, and how bad the show makes Dean look. Frankly, MaryJane? In addition to breaking the site rule that states people need to make their points and move on, your posts come across as both idiotic and insane and you're abusing the good will of the people who come here to discuss the show.

What's even worse about your style/habits/obsession is that even you don't believe your premise. I mean, if the show truly made Sam look more wonderful than Dean -- as you are arguing ad nauseam -- then you wouldn't be a Dean fan. You would, in fact, think Dean was a one-note useless lout with no purpose, and you would find him boring. At best, you'd cop to the fact that Ackles is pretty and/or talented. The end.

Let's take MaryAnne, who is a hardcore Sam fan. She spends her time talking about how wonderful the show makes Dean look, and how bad the show makes Sam look. Frankly, MaryAnne? In addition to breaking the site rule that states people need to make their points and move on, your posts come across as both idiotic and insane and you're abusing the good will of the people who come here to discuss the show.

What's even worse about your style/habits/obsession is that even you don't believe your premise. I mean, if the show truly made Dean look more wonderful than Sam -- as you are arguing ad nauseam -- then you wouldn't be a Sam fan. You would, in fact, think Sam was a one-note heartless lout, and you would find him boring. At best, you'd cop to the fact that Padalecki is pretty and/or talented. The end.

4. No more tit-for-tat posting.

Q: So like, what?

A: Say MaryAnne comments in the Jared thread that Friday the 13th had the best opening box-office for a horror movie in yonks, and MaryJane swoops in and posts that Jensen's My Bloody Valentine is has raked in more money to date. Mary Jane is getting herself banned.

And say MaryJane comments in the Jensen thread that My Bloody Valentine has done well domestically and she's waiting to see how it does internationally, and MaryAnne swoops in and posts that Friday the 13th had a better opening weekend. MaryAnne is getting herself banned.

5. I'm importing the next point from a post by Shotgun9 in the Mod thread (with some format changes -- for emphasis):

Erin, who used to mod the Alias forums gave me a very good piece of advice back in the day that I think it would benefit posters (in general! I don't care what [fill in the blank] fan you are):

Think twice, post once.

Is my post going to violate a rule?

Do I really need to post this?

Is is going to add anything of value to the conversation?

Has someone already said it better than I? etc.

It's so easy to do, and it really helps you look at your posts with a more critical eye. Because the problems that appear to be plaguing this forum are not individual problems -- they're a collective issue, and they can only be solved collectively.

From now on, that's our Golden Rule, here. If you don't like it, please leave. You'll be happier and so will the people who come here to discuss the show, rather than wage some misguided fan campaign. If you feel the sort of dedication or urgency you feel about your job or family when you're inspired to post here then UR DOIN IT WRONG.

Please understand this announcement should be taken as a final warning. If you post contrary to any of the guidelines in this post, you may be subject to immediate banning, without a prior note or warning.

Now please be as smart and insightful, as funny, and as full of interesting perspective as I know you all can be.