Television Without Pity (TWOP) is, in my opinion, one of the best websites devoted to TV. Its staff of writers recaps reality shows and dramas every week. Aside from well written summaries, each staff member interjects their own usually not so nice comments about a show or its cast into the recap. Readers then have the ability to grade the episode of a show and comment on the past week in the forums.
On TWOP, you will find a forum for every show that is recapped, along with other forums for non recapped shows that are still open for discussion. These non recapped forums are shows that fall under these categories:
Candid Reality
Cartoons and Kids
Competitive Reality
Dramas
Game Shows
How to Reality
News Shows
Non Fiction Shows
Pop Culture Shows
Science Fiction Shows
Sitcoms
Sports Shows
Talk Shows
Another forum, TV Potluck, does not cover specific shows. Instead forum members talk about everything from commercials to local news and cancelled shows that other people may not remember.
I am not a member of TWOP but I do enjoy reading the forums and recaps when I get free time. I have to say the forums are the best part because they are so well run. The moderators have zero tolerance for anyone who breaks the forum rules, giving them a warning or suspending or removing their account. You are to take moderator action on your account seriously. They even have guidelines regarding usernames.
If you register for TWOP, you will not be able to use a name that indicates you are an obsessive fan of any show. For instance, if you submit a screen name where your alias is “MrsMcDreamy” (in honor of Patrick Dempsey on Grey’s Anatomy), your account will not be approved for registration and you need to think of something new. Your username of choice must also be free of AlTerNaTing CaSe UsE, all capital letters or any decorative text such as XxAliXx.
Before you start posting, make sure to read TWOP’s forum FAQ and do’s and don’ts. You are expected to search for a topic before you post it and not start a new thread to discuss something that happened on your favorite show. You have to put all those thoughts in the episode thread.
You are also not allowed to: post lists without explaining reasons behind each listing, start your posts with “Um” (which is viewed as you being superior over another poster), post that you agree with something without explaining your reason, or post until you read the last fifteen pages or days of content. The last rule keeps everyone from repeating the same opinions without substance. You are also not allowed to post anything self congratulatory after you get through the content or sign your posts.
If a post goes too far off topic or people personally attack each other, a moderator can lock it whout a warning and not reopen it until he or she feels that the posters can stay on topic or stop fighting with each other.
TWOP may have a lot of rules, but they’re in place for a reason. There are many other rules for the forums but these are just the basics. However, don’t register or post until you thoroughly understand what is expected of you. TWOP is one of the best run message boards on the Internet and they don’t want unknowledgeable newbies ruining the site for the veterans. There will be problems if you break the rules and you won’t have a chance to explain yourself. Keep in mind that it is strict, but at the same time, you will have fun once you get in the posting game.
