Television Template‑class

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I really think the infobox now looks dull and, frankly, quite unenthusiastic. The text is spaced close together and there is a lot of extraneous code. If consensus is reached here to redesign the template, I would be more than happy to keep all of the parameters the same and redesigning it through the {{infobox}} template. Suggestions and ideas are appreciated! obentomusubi 00:40, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I wasn't aware that infoboxes needed to look snazzy.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 01:14, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I really appreciate your fetid sarcasm. I simply feel that infoboxes should be aesthetically pleasing... If you could refrain from your snide remarks, that would be greatly appreciated. :) obentomusubi 01:43, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Not to mention, for convenience sake, I believe many infoboxes should be converted to {{infobox}} for standardization to some degree. obentomusubi 01:46, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sarcastic, sure, but it wasn't snide as it was a genuine question wrapped in sarcasm. You came here criticizing the aesthetic of the infobox. Infoboxes are just there to convey general information. They are not images used for the purpose of decorating an article. As for this idea that this one is "dull" with "text spaced close together", that seems to be your personal opinion. Frankly, I do not see anything different in this box than I do at Template:Infobox Film, or any of the others. Exactly what makes {{infobox}} so much better a template? Why is that one prettier than this one? If your issue with text spacing, then you are free (I don't own this page) to adjust the text a more presentable spacing size (not really sure what you are referring to by that...is it the font size that bothers you or the spacing between the letters?). Are you proposing that this infobox be deleted in favor of the putting this information over at {{infobox}}, or are you wanting to redesign the whole thing but keep it on this page? If the latter (as I doubt there would be consensus for the former as there are far too many articles using the TV box), could you provide an example of how you would make it look (i.e., maybe a sandbox rendition)?  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 01:51, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Alright, I apologize since I didn't use a good choice of words. I'll try to make a test at my sandbox to see. obentomusubi 02:48, 27 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

There already is a sandbox version using {{infobox}}, at Template:Infobox Television/sandbox. As I've intimated to Obento Musubi before on other infobox templates, I firmly disagree with overriding the default styling of that base template in general. But I think this needs discussed at WT:TV rather than just on this template talk regardless. Chris Cunningham (not at work) - talk 10:52, 28 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I agree, it needs to be discussed there. There is nothing to look at in that box, no actual example to see what I full version of the box could look like.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 12:33, 28 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Template:Infobox Television/testcases. Chris Cunningham (not at work) - talk 14:51, 28 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Other than the banner, and "running time" being moved up to the broadcast title, I don't really see a difference. Personally, I like the banner at the top of the box and I'm ok with the running time being moved up to the new location. Just to know, we're actually going to be removing some sections of the infobox that are basically irrelevant to articles anyway, like "picture format" (doesn't add anything) and some of the various producers (executive producers and regular producers are all that matter, those "associate" and "assistant" are generally not in charge of anything specific that requires one to discuss them in prose later in the article). You can see in the above convo the other things being adjusted.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 17:14, 28 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I don't actually think the current sandbox is in sync with the template code at this moment; I was just pointing out to Obento Musubi that such a thing already existed at a standardised location. Chris Cunningham (not at work) - talk 23:20, 28 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Update

I've now made this migration (although I'd actually forgotten that the sandbox had been updated, so did it from scratch). There should be not change to output except that the "broadcast" header only appears if that section actually contains some attributes. Chris Cunningham (not at work) - talk 13:23, 14 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The links to IMDB and TV.com should be shortened and placed on a single line similar to the links in Infobox Film.--Marcus Brute (talk) 05:51, 14 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Both infoboxes are currently getting the links removed and moved towards the External links section. --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 23:12, 6 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I was hoping to get some discussion on this. I am having a dispute with an editor on CSI: NY regarding this template. He claims that all the show's stars, past and present, should be listed in the "starring" field of this infobox, "per convention." I say the convention is to only list current stars unless it is a canceled series. I have successfully brought an article up to FA status using my method and never heard anyone say I was wrong. What is current consensus on this field? Redfarmer (talk) 09:08, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Generally, we show all characters as it reflects an "overall" perspective on the series, rather than just an "in the moment" one. Per the WikiProject Television style guidelines:

"Articles should reflect the entire history of a series, and as such actors remain on the list even after their departure from the series."

and

"If the cast list gets too large you might consider linking to a section of the article instead."

Hope this helps. --Ckatz^chat_spy 09:35, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Those do not address infoboxes, however, which are not intended to be comprehensive and can only give snapshots. Such thinking would utterly fail on series that have had a large revolving cast, such as Last of the Summer Wine, Law & Order, and any soap opera. Redfarmer (talk) 09:37, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, the second quote is from the "Infobox" section. It suggests that, in situations where the cast list is too long, a link to the "Cast" section can be used instead. This has been successfully employed in a number of situations. --Ckatz^chat_spy 09:40, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

This question has been brought up very recently at Talk:Criminal_Minds#Cast_inclusion_in_infobox. You may find some opinions there as well. – sgeureka ^t•c 10:13, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Why is format one of the options ? I thought that was deprecated years ago in favor of "genre" --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 14:29, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I thought it was removed. I'm not sure what "format" it is currently referring to.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 14:56, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

readded. Here someone mistakenly figured that the "old" format param was referring to Television format i think. This is in fact incorrect. The old format was indeed "genre", and was renamed for that reason. It stayed in place, because we didn't do an all out "replace war". --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 15:45, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'd been wondering about that as well, and the doc is useless on it. I'd say let's get it out. -- Collectonian (talk · contribs) 16:01, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I say these options can now be removed. I suggest to remove them visually and let the categories in place, to make sure that the bulk of them was truly removed. --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 15:04, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Weren't they already removed?  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 15:06, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nope, the bot was still working on moving them. I removed them now however. --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 15:51, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Category:Television articles with an IMDb link in the infobox and Category:Television articles with an IMDb link in the infobox --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 15:55, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I have a question, I hope it's appropriate to ask it here. For certain shows, if they have an expected ending to their run, yet the show is still airing, should the "original run" date be "– present"? Or "–date"? The main article I am asking for is LOST. The show is scheduled to conclude 2010, but, in the infobox should it read "September 22, 2004 – present"? Or "September 22, 2004 – 2010"? Just wondering. --HELLØ ŦHERE 23:24, 15 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

In theory, there is a chance that the series could still be continued beyond it's currently intended ending. Although unlikely in the case of Lost, it wouldn't be the first time. Due to a strike, difference of opinion or sudden lack of money, the series can also be shortened unexpectedly. So "present" is more accurate than "planned". --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 00:24, 16 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

What am i meant to do for Voice Director? IAmTheCoinMan (talk) 00:08, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

What are you looking at, because "Voice Director" isn't a field in the template.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 01:12, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That's exactly my point Bignole. I have a series that has no director, but has a voice director, assistant directors and various other ones. My original question was what do i do.IAmTheCoinMan (talk) 03:11, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

You mean like a Voice Director for every episode, who works in the same vein as a live-action Director? You'll have to show me what you're looking at (series and the source that has the "Voice Director"), because I'm not sure what you're referring to precisely. My assumption is that the "Voice Director" is the "Director" of the episode, because animated series don't generally have "direction". Someone draws and someone writes, and then you have someone who directs the people doing the voice work. "Assistant Directors" are just assistance, and they don't typically get mentioned.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 03:23, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

But you generally do have directors on animation, because someone has to tell the storyboarders, and then the animators what the hell to do in relation to shots, camera movement, colours, characters etc. The problem is it's too hard to tell if the voice director is in fact the director, or the producers and assisant directors are doing the job. IAmTheCoinMan (talk) 03:31, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Again, without example with some links I cannot tell you. There isn't a section for it, because it's not something that comes up regularly. If "Voice Director" is what is listed then use that. "Assistant Director" is the same no matter what you're working with. They're the "AD", and they are not listed on any infobox we or anyone has. It's just the personal assistant of the director.  BIGNOLE  (Contact me) 04:01, 17 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]