“Open spoilers” in thread episodes means open spoilers for the episode that the thread is about. This is a matter of convention.
I always took “spoilers” to mean events that happened in the show. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a casting decision being considered a spoiler.
I believe in spoiler boxes, (and use them because I read all the spoilers for this show), though it’s REALLY been difficult to avoid the news about Will Farrell. Not taking sides, but It’s not hard to make the extra effort when you can. Even the OP didn’t see spoilers until last night, and there was really no need to go spoil it to him/her that it’s just a ‘arc’.
Honestly, outside of an earlier topic we had about it and the preview from tonight, I haven’t heard anything about Ferrell coming on.
Whether the previews are considered a spoiler for next week is a debate that has been going on for years with no resolution. I spoiler them out of politeness but others don’t see the need.
The best solution I have seen is that a thread be started for the next episode and previews can be discussed there and then the episode can be discussed once it airs. It never took off though.
I avoid the end-of-show previews and spoilery ads like the plague. But the casting of Will Ferrel was everywhere when it happened. The web, Entertainment Weekly, newspapers and Mindy Kaling was talking about it on Letterman the other night, as presumably Ferrel himself will be doing on talk shows in the coming weeks. Even if you feel spoiled from reading here, it would have been just a matter of time before it seeped into your consciousness, if you pay any attention at all to the world of TV entertainment.
I am usually careful about spoilers, but I agree with this. I don’t even pay that close attention to stuff and I knew Will Farrell was coming on for a bit to help transition Carell out.
(in the staircase) ‘… and this is where we first made love.’ :eek:
TMI!
We already knew about that.
Michael, can’t they hear us?
Not if we turn this knob ALL THE WAY DOWN.
I believe the office got robbed that night when they forget to lock the doors on the way out.
Oh right, now I remember that episode where they got robbed…
No, I think the true best solution is that if someone is that uptight about spoilers, they stay out of discussion threads about the show until about a decade or so after the series ends, on the off chance that someone might hint at an upcoming movie; such knowledge would clearly ruin the entire series for someone who doesn’t want to be spoiled.
As long as the words “OPEN SPOILERS” appear in the thread title, it’s hard to understand how the fuss about spoilers is at all valid.
I don’t think a casting decision is a spoiler, but your comment is nonsense. “Open spoilers” simply refers to the very specific episode that is ALSO in the thread title - in this case, the 3/24 episode of The Office. Many people feel that anything that isn’t from earlier in the season and in this specific episode should be spoilered (including the “tune in next week” bits). Because they’re spoilers. Used to be a time where you’d open up a thread about a TV show and there’d be nothing BUT spoiler boxes - it was absurd.
Let me ask you this. If someone had inside knowledge that knew exactly how Michael Scott was going to be leaving, or of major plot elements for the rest of the season and posted them in this thread without a spoiler, do you think that would be okay? If you think it is, let me assure you that it’s not. If you’re confused by the convention just because you think “open spoilers” gives you free rein, let’s clear that up right now. Episode threads should contain a free discussion of that episode and what happened before it. Spoilers for things in the future that have not been aired should be spoiler boxed. It’s very simple.
Thank you. We all appreciate that you have made your final ruling. :rolleyes:
mmm
You’re absolutely welcome. If there are any other perplexing aspects of societal norms that you’re incapable of gleaning even the tiniest bit of understanding from, let me know and I’ll see if I can help out.
Not so simple, the preview has been aired. Some people just chose not to watch it.
Really going to the mat over this one eh?
Look, I’m as spoiler-averse as anyone, and I also watch the show on Hulu, so I don’t see the previews. But the Will Ferrell thing was already widely known, has already been mentioned in these threads, and it was shown on Thursday night as part of the show’s principal broadcast. It’s not a secret. We don’t even know if this is really a spoiler at all. Does knowing that he will take over as boss of the branch give away any of the plot of next week’s episode, or will the episode begin with him already in place? If the latter, what’s been “spoiled”? Why on earth does the identity of an actor who’s going to join the show for a few episodes need to come as a surprise?
Yea, I don’t see it either. Casting decisions for upcoming movies and TV shows are discussed all the time on this board without the spoiler tag. Just looking at the first couple threads right now, The Mars Needs Moms threads discusses the cast, as dose the current Hobbit thread.
Absolutely. Previews are the one gray area where there’s always some disagreement. Personally, previews are so misleading, and are rehashed so often in commercials for the entire next week that it’s pretty pointless to spoiler box them, as they’re near-unavoidable. Plus, they’re so misleading that it’s almost pointless to comment on them.