Outlander! Do we need two threads?
August 2, 2014 3:38 PM - Subscribe
The first episode of the TV adaptation of Outlander is online now, with the official premiere next weekend. Would anyone else like this to be a part of the regular Fanfare rotation? And if so, like GoT, does this warrant a "Book readers" and "Show only" split?
Given that the vast majority of fans right now are those who've read the books, I expect it'll be extremely hard to stay away from spoilers and discussions of what's been done differently from the books, but I don't know whether there's a critical enough mass of non-readers to make a show-only thread worthwhile. Thoughts?
Given that the vast majority of fans right now are those who've read the books, I expect it'll be extremely hard to stay away from spoilers and discussions of what's been done differently from the books, but I don't know whether there's a critical enough mass of non-readers to make a show-only thread worthwhile. Thoughts?
I'm a little skeptical there will be a big enough audience of non-readers watching the show to necessitate two threads. The books are some of my favorite things in the world and I tried to make my husband, who has heard about Jamie and Claire ad nauseam for years, watch the premiere with me today. It did not go well.
(That said I LOVED IT and am glad we will be talking about it here, one way or another.)
posted by something something at 5:34 PM on August 2, 2014
(That said I LOVED IT and am glad we will be talking about it here, one way or another.)
posted by something something at 5:34 PM on August 2, 2014
I'm a non-bookreader; was going to give it a try for an episode or two to see if I like it.
In terms of inclusion: bookreaders can participate in a show-only thread (although it can be frustratingly restrictive); but show-only folks mostly won't participate in a bookreader thread.
Suggests either two threads out of the gate; or follow Fanfare's GoT model and start with a show-only thread and add a parallel bookreader thread if there's demand for it?
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 6:38 PM on August 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
In terms of inclusion: bookreaders can participate in a show-only thread (although it can be frustratingly restrictive); but show-only folks mostly won't participate in a bookreader thread.
Suggests either two threads out of the gate; or follow Fanfare's GoT model and start with a show-only thread and add a parallel bookreader thread if there's demand for it?
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 6:38 PM on August 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
You read my mind! I woke up this morning thinking we should discuss this before the official premiere (having already watched the sneak preview last night).
I think you're right; the majority of viewers right now will be book readers. But if it grows in popularity it could become a problem when the bookreaders are commenting on future (past?) events in the only thread.
We had a deal, Kyle: I think in this case the opposite is more likely. So maybe two threads out of the gate and re-evaluate after the first (ugh) half-season?
something something, my husband watched it with me last night after years of listening to me every time I cycle through the books again. I hooked him in by telling him Ronald D. Moore from Battlestar Galactica was producing it, and it worked. He spent the first five minutes noticing similarities in style to BSG. Then he actually watched it.
posted by tracicle at 10:50 PM on August 2, 2014
I think you're right; the majority of viewers right now will be book readers. But if it grows in popularity it could become a problem when the bookreaders are commenting on future (past?) events in the only thread.
We had a deal, Kyle: I think in this case the opposite is more likely. So maybe two threads out of the gate and re-evaluate after the first (ugh) half-season?
something something, my husband watched it with me last night after years of listening to me every time I cycle through the books again. I hooked him in by telling him Ronald D. Moore from Battlestar Galactica was producing it, and it worked. He spent the first five minutes noticing similarities in style to BSG. Then he actually watched it.
posted by tracicle at 10:50 PM on August 2, 2014
In terms of inclusion: bookreaders can participate in a show-only thread (although it can be frustratingly restrictive); but show-only folks mostly won't participate in a bookreader thread.
I don't think this is necessarily true. And in this case, it's plausible that the bookreaders would so vastly outnumber the show-watchers only, that limiting them in that way would be frustrating them for almost no reason.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:22 AM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't think this is necessarily true. And in this case, it's plausible that the bookreaders would so vastly outnumber the show-watchers only, that limiting them in that way would be frustrating them for almost no reason.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:22 AM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Maybe someone should do a general FPP to the blue about the book series sometime before the show starts, to see if there really are all that many Outlander-book-fan mefites and so that there's somewhere to discuss any aspect of the books & leave the Fanfare thread for reactions to the show?
posted by oh yeah! at 10:38 AM on August 3, 2014
posted by oh yeah! at 10:38 AM on August 3, 2014
FWIW, I'm a non book reader, and I don't care about book spoilers, though I recognize I may be in the minority.
posted by yasaman at 10:52 AM on August 3, 2014
posted by yasaman at 10:52 AM on August 3, 2014
How does it work with Game of Thrones? Does "no spoilers" exclude things like commenting on casting? I think it makes sense not to talk about, say, things that happen in book 7 when we're only on season 1, but pretending the books don't exist at all would be kind of limiting.
posted by something something at 11:23 AM on August 3, 2014
posted by something something at 11:23 AM on August 3, 2014
Well, casting isn't that major a discussion in GoT now that they're four seasons in (with occasional exceptions), so Outlander I expect will have an initial spike of "I love Jamie and Claire!" "I hate Jamie and Claire!" that will probably settle down after a while (at least until the second season and more major characters are cast)
The issue I have, and that I know GoT has had, is book readers commenting on scenes that should or shouldn't have happened in an episode because it screws up some point later on. And I even have my list from this first episode. But for non GoT book readers (of which I am one) it is INSANELY annoying to have the readers going "x scene was a bad idea MAYBE SOME DAY YOU'LL UNDERSTAND" or "OH JUST WAIT", and I don't want to be That Person here for the newbies. But, I do want a place to discuss those differences!
Oh yeah!, that's an idea. I'll see if I can put something together.
posted by olinerd at 2:55 PM on August 3, 2014
The issue I have, and that I know GoT has had, is book readers commenting on scenes that should or shouldn't have happened in an episode because it screws up some point later on. And I even have my list from this first episode. But for non GoT book readers (of which I am one) it is INSANELY annoying to have the readers going "x scene was a bad idea MAYBE SOME DAY YOU'LL UNDERSTAND" or "OH JUST WAIT", and I don't want to be That Person here for the newbies. But, I do want a place to discuss those differences!
Oh yeah!, that's an idea. I'll see if I can put something together.
posted by olinerd at 2:55 PM on August 3, 2014
olinerd - this dailydot.com article might be a good link in an FPP.
posted by oh yeah! at 3:39 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by oh yeah! at 3:39 PM on August 3, 2014
So my theory is, since I put a spoiler warning on that one, let's get our casting/first episode inconsistency ya-yas out over there, get a read on the response, and unless the FPP response seems to require otherwise, plan on a newbie-friendly, show-only thread for the first few episodes and see how it goes?
posted by olinerd at 7:02 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by olinerd at 7:02 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
I can tell I'm too attached to this story when I'm indignant at the people who WON'T EVEN TRY IT.
posted by tracicle at 11:32 PM on August 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by tracicle at 11:32 PM on August 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
Yeah, the FPP is sort of depressing me. Ah well. Hopefully the people who DO give it a shot feel more positive about it in the future Fanfare threads.
posted by olinerd at 12:55 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by olinerd at 12:55 AM on August 4, 2014
I am excited to have a place to discuss this, whether it's show-only or includes books! None of my friends like Outlander, and the ones who've tried it downright hate it, mostly for reasons having to the with The Scene in the first book. If the Fanfare discussion is show-only, are we not allowed to discuss book inconsistencies that are non-spoilery? Like, we can never mention the books at all?
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 5:53 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 5:53 AM on August 4, 2014
I think the only problem with a show-only thread is that in this, bookreaders will vastly outnumber show watchers - also the books are done, so there won't be as much book speculation.
posted by corb at 8:32 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by corb at 8:32 AM on August 4, 2014
The books aren't done! She's still writing away.
posted by something something at 8:36 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by something something at 8:36 AM on August 4, 2014
Also - based upon the FPP it does seem like most of us watching are going to be readers.
posted by something something at 8:36 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by something something at 8:36 AM on August 4, 2014
It does indeed, but we've had a couple of non-readers. Is that enough for two?
posted by tracicle at 9:40 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by tracicle at 9:40 AM on August 4, 2014
I was about to suggest doing a non-reader pilot thread for everyone to see how it goes but even in suggesting it I'm realizing there's almost nothing to talk about without going "that thing that happens" or "THAT scene" about everything. I now understand the problem with GoT (which I don't watch and haven't read).
If we do two threads, I'll be surprised if the non-reader one gets much traction this season. I suspect the non-readers will wait and see how the show does, binge the first season, and then jump in later.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:09 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
If we do two threads, I'll be surprised if the non-reader one gets much traction this season. I suspect the non-readers will wait and see how the show does, binge the first season, and then jump in later.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:09 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
(FWIW: I mentioned above that I'm a non-reader considering watching the show; but I did also read the book-ish (and interesting! thank you) FPP.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:25 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:25 AM on August 4, 2014
Why don't we do two for the pilot, and then decide? We can see the responses.
I noticed that Breaking Bad has a first watch and rewatch, and the first watch thread only had three comments compared to 14 in the rewatch thread (and all three were by rewatchers anyway). I figure it won't hurt to try it.
posted by tracicle at 1:14 PM on August 4, 2014
I noticed that Breaking Bad has a first watch and rewatch, and the first watch thread only had three comments compared to 14 in the rewatch thread (and all three were by rewatchers anyway). I figure it won't hurt to try it.
posted by tracicle at 1:14 PM on August 4, 2014
Okay, sounds good. I'm happy to post the two next Saturday (I'm in Australia so it'll be before the US TV air time) and see how it goes. Fingers crossed!
posted by olinerd at 3:58 PM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by olinerd at 3:58 PM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Maybe we should ask the mods if we can go ahead and get the pilot thread(s) up now instead of waiting for the official broadcast premiere, since it's up for free viewing on so many platforms already? (I finally watched the episode last night via my cable on-demand, very pleased with it and looking forward to the in-depth discussion.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:19 AM on August 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by oh yeah! at 8:19 AM on August 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Do we need mod go-ahead, or can we just...go...ahead? If we can just post them, then I'll put them up shortly.
Oh, can one person post two threads in a row, or do we need to have two different posters? So many questions...
posted by tracicle at 9:55 AM on August 5, 2014
Oh, can one person post two threads in a row, or do we need to have two different posters? So many questions...
posted by tracicle at 9:55 AM on August 5, 2014
Matt's the man to ask about FanFare stuff - feel free to send a contact form message and he'll see it.
posted by restless_nomad at 9:59 AM on August 5, 2014
posted by restless_nomad at 9:59 AM on August 5, 2014
I just submitted the series name to the approval queue to be on the dropdown menu when it's time for episode posts to get submitted.
posted by oh yeah! at 10:39 AM on August 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by oh yeah! at 10:39 AM on August 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
I was going to wait for Saturday since I assumed more newbies would come looking for a thread for the TV premiere -- I figured the online episode was meant more for fans (notwithstanding the newbies who've watched it because of the FPP). Totally cool with a discussion going up earlier though - go nuts!
posted by olinerd at 4:40 PM on August 5, 2014
posted by olinerd at 4:40 PM on August 5, 2014
Matt replied to my contact question that we can go ahead and post the pilot thread ahead of the premiere, just that we should link to where it's up for free viewing. So, who wants to volunteer to post?
posted by oh yeah! at 5:35 PM on August 5, 2014
posted by oh yeah! at 5:35 PM on August 5, 2014
Oh, actually, I submitted a show-only thread, someone else will have to do the books-included thread since I can't post again for 24 hours.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:17 PM on August 5, 2014
posted by oh yeah! at 6:17 PM on August 5, 2014
Oh okay i'll do that one. (I guess now we know the answer to the multi-thread posting...)
posted by olinerd at 6:25 PM on August 5, 2014
posted by olinerd at 6:25 PM on August 5, 2014
Sure! I'm in Switzerland so my timezones are weird compared to you guys. What time is it airing on the East Coast? I'll try to match it.
posted by tracicle at 11:32 PM on August 5, 2014
posted by tracicle at 11:32 PM on August 5, 2014
Yeah +six hour time difference so 3am for me. I kind of wish there was a way to have time-delayed posting for fanfare in general but it would end up being too messy at the server end because everyone would queue whole series.
posted by tracicle at 3:31 AM on August 6, 2014
posted by tracicle at 3:31 AM on August 6, 2014
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posted by oh yeah! at 4:56 PM on August 2, 2014