The only
B5 discussion groups I participated in while the show was in production were U.S.-based, run by Amiericans, had the participation of the show's creator - who naturally referred to the show's U.S. release schedule - and were about a show produced for American television. So,
yeah, I'd expect Brits who were getting first-run episodes on a slightly different schedule to a) be aware of that fact and b) careful about spoilers. That was reasonable under the circumstances. I'd similarly expect any Yanks who logged into British sites or newgroups to either expect spoilers or deal with it when they learned the actual situation.
This board is a very different situation, being a much more international group than many, while primarily discussing series produced in one or two countries. The situation is not at all analogous to the old
B5 days.
Asking everybody in the United States to take a one-year vow of silence on
current American TV programming because all the episodes might not have aired in Andorra yet is simply ludicrous. Do any of
you have a giant world map hung up above your computer showing when every series produced in your country will be airing in every
other country in the world? Do you then check every internet post you make to it against that chart lest you inadvertently post a spoiler? How about the contries that don't currently have the shows. Are you going to hold off on mentioning a
M*A*S*H episode because they're just now getting that in Latvia?
Of course you don't. and of course you won't censor your TV show comments that way. It would be unreasonable to expect you do to so. So why are you insisting that Americans do so? 99% of the people in
your countries have no clue in the world when the TV shows they watch air in other places around the world and they frankly don't care. This is not a crime. It is
nice when people make an effort to educate themselves on these matters and polite to try to avoid spoilers. But it is not a violation of the Geneva Conventions when somebody slips up.
Excuse me, I have to go back to watching the "Roll around on the grass while faking a knee injury in the hope of getting a penalty shot Cup" highlights.
Regards,
Joe
