Ask The Tropers

No one should be putting stuff about that episode until a week after it airs, let alone two days before. Feel free to revert those edits.

EDIT: Crap, I was looking at the forum rules regarding spoilers. Never mind, just until broadcast then.

Wait, are we talking spoilers, or stuff from official press releases? Because I'd think anything from an official press release before the airdate would be fair game.

^^ ...there's no rule you have to wait a week. There's a rule that you have to wait until the official release, but I have no idea where you're getting the week after it airs part.

Not every viewer has the time to hunt down press releases regarding the plot of upcoming episodes prior to air date.

Your point? The information has been made publicly available by the Powers That Be behind the show. (ETA to add) Sure, tag it like you would any other recent spoiler, but it's not like it was information the showrunners wanted to keep hidden.

So you're fine with enough plot being posted before the episode AIRS that watching the episode loses its point? I really don't think a "wait until it's been broadcast" cutoff is that horribly unreasonable, unless someone's ego is pumped up by being the early spoiler bird.

Nobody is forcing anybody to read the recap pages before watching the episodes. It's the "recap" page, it's obviously going to contain the plot of the episode. It exists for that reason and anyone who spoils themselves going there has only themselves to blame.

If it's info from an official source (preview video, press release, etc.) I don't think there's any reason not to post it. Anyone who's not a Spoiler Hound can just not go to the page.

Also, the "waiting until a week after" has no basis as far as I know. There are spoiler rules on the forum not to post spoilers until the media is publicly available, but that's it.

And is it still OK for people to make edits to trope pages based on episodes not yet broadcast? If so, one would pretty much have to avoid the whole wiki to avoid getting that premature information (or just give up watching the show and follow it via "see how fast I am with info you don't have yet?" posts). Strikes me as counterproductive to allow that for the sake of some posters' "Look here! I'm first! I know things you don't!" ego-fests.

Can we get a moderator ruling on this?

If you have to link to a press release for info about basic plot points, you should probably just wait for the episode to come out. And speculation is definitely not acceptable.

I think what they're talking about is when someone has spoilers about what happens. Like an early leak. I agree that it doesn't belong on the page until official release, but I completely disagree about keeping it off the page for a week. Don't open up spoilers if you don't want to be spoiled on something.

Of course, then the question becomes the release date for WHO?

Traditionally, since this is an English-language wiki based in America, whenever it's released here. But a few hours early isn't going to kill anyone, especially since people on the east coast get it three hours before the west.

A few hours (especially from my west coast perspective) is "oh well, just avoid Tropes for a few hours". Expecting someone to avoid the wiki for several days because someone posts stuff on Thursday for an episode not being broadcast until Sunday just so the early bird can show off is IMO rather inconsiderate.

My short opinion: once the episode has aired, it's fair game for trope additions. If it hasn't aired, tropes shouldn't be added. If you don't wanna be spoiled before you can see the episode, don't go to the page.

Just because someone has seen an episode and wants to trope it doesn't mean they're showing off. It means they've seen an episode and want to trope it.

^^First, I find your constant assumption that people adding a couple tropes from press releases are doing it to show off more than a bit rude, but that's not my point here. My argument is that press releases should be subject to the same rules as episodes. If it's been officially announced by TPTB, it should fair game for troping.

So you're saying it's better for people to have to avoid using the site than for some to exercise some self-control and consideration by not playing the "I'm first to post this episode, aren't I great?"

I can't manage to think of any other motive for the "too bad, you don't want episode details days before the episode, don't read Tropes" contingent.

It's the same principle as avoiding forum discussion threads that may have spoilers in them.

See, you did the rude "they're obviously only doing it to show off" thing again.

@Rose: I don't trust creators enough to trope something about an episode before actually seeing it, regardless of what they release, besides which, that would likely be made into a "this leaked from a show insider, so I can trope it!" argument. Better, imo, to wait for the episode to air.

Seanette: If the episode, say, airs in the UK on Thursday, and in the US on Saturday, then I don't see any reason why tropes shouldn't be added to the page, because it's already aired somewhere. It bears repeating: Don't add tropes about an episode until it's broadcast. Once it's broadcast, it's fair game.

I can't manage to think of any other motive for the "too bad, you don't want episode details days before the episode, don't read Tropes" contingent.

I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean. What do you think motive for adding any trope to a page is? I would say because it interests people. How can you think they're selfish for adding the trope after the episode is aired, when you are being equally selfish by demanding they cease all activity until you've seen it?

I tend to watch episodes, movies, video games later than most people, but I don't complain that people like to add tropes regarding it. I can show some self restraint by either staying off the page, or simply reading with spoiler tags on. I would dream of ruining someone else's enjoyment of the wiki, when the wiki itself has a whole function from protecting me from spoilers.

Of course, if people are putting up major pre-release spoilers without tags, then we have a problem. I'm not sure how many major spoilers you'd find in a press release, though (I don't really read them.)

Not many. Maybe a couple of general plot points (X and Y get married at long last, for instance, Big Name Celebrity is guest-starring, Z wrestles with [topical issue]) — they tend not to get into specifics.

Back to Series.Once Upon A Time, people have been putting plot details (especially on the funny/awesome pages) a couple days before release, and something needs to be done.

I'm personally of the opinion that if the plot details come from an official, publicly viewable source (i.e. development blog, officially released preview video, etc.) that they're subject to the same rules as episodes; once they're available, they're fair game. Unofficial leaks are not and shouldn't be troped until the episode airs.

Thank you Japanese Teeth for saying in two sentences what I apparently couldn't in five. Bless you good sir/madam!

One thought: if you trope an episode before it airs then one might ask how you got the details. Bought the episodes from Mick Gatto?

(He claimed because he received no money for Under Belly he got bootleg copies and was selling and giving them away.)

Episode-only details prior to airdate would fall under "unofficial leaks" even if it's a bootleg/early copy of the episode, methinks.