If it's been shown on TV as a special TV movie event, as indicated on the poster, that's fine, I think. (TV movies are allowed. I think maybe they aired/re-cut some unaired original pilot as a TV movie)

I just don't get why we need to stuff everything that's even lightly related to a show in specials (probably because TVDb does that?), but we have a movie section, they don't xD

@alltimemarr said:

If it's been shown on TV as a special TV movie event, as indicated on the poster, that's fine, I think. (TV movies are allowed. I think maybe they aired/re-cut some unaired original pilot as a TV movie)

It looks like NBC ordered/aired this tv movie first and then they commissioned/aired the series (apparently it's called a "backdoor pilot" - never heard this term before). So, there is a connection, somehow - but I don't know how to make this connection visible here and how to avoid the double TMDb entry? Because it is basically the same - and all the available infos on both pages should also be the same, in my opinion. However, that's not very practical to achieve ...

I just don't get why we need to stuff everything that's even lightly related to a show in specials (probably because TVDb does that?), but we have a movie section, they don't xD

I don't know?!? To be honest, I don't understand those specials at all. The other day I saw that there are 36 different specials for The Walking Dead at the moment! Are those longer previews or trailers, or behind-the-scenes documentaries, or DVD extras, or I-don't-know-what-else-thingys?!? What makes it elligible to add something as a special instead of a video? It's weird.

I have something similar with The Good Wife. There's currently 1 special, called The New Beginning. As long as I remember, this circulated on the CBS website before season 3 started as a promo for season 3, and then it ended up on the season 3 DVD as an extra. Is that enough to count as a special? I'm not sure right now, but I think there aren't even any credits, and I remember many more of these promos from the show ...

Anyway, I'm not the one who has to decide this. Can I close this thread or do you want to keep it open?

Best wishes,

janar

"Love [...] is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being." - Ellen Page

but I don't know how to make this connection visible here and how to avoid the double TMDb entry?

You can't. We currently don't have a way to link TV and movie entries. Maybe that will be possible with the universes, but I'm not sure.

I just don't get why we need to stuff everything that's even lightly related to a show in specials

But a pilot?

There's currently 1 special, called The New Beginning.

It was a TV special!

I also know a lot of The Walking Dead specials are TV specials. We are generally not too picky, but I think Travis said he would add more video options.

@banana_girl Thanks for your answers! I was already so tired when I wrote this yesterday ...

but I don't know how to make this connection visible here and how to avoid the double TMDb entry?

You can't. We currently don't have a way to link TV and movie entries. Maybe that will be possible with the universes, but I'm not sure.

I meant this entire paragraph above in a more general way regarding the way those entries appear here on TMDb. See, it's simply like that: You have something that aired at a specific time like this pilot/tv movie - it is one entity in real life at one specific time. Yet, here on TMDb, this "one thing" is represented in two separate forms with two separate links in two separate places. In general, this is not perfect, and in practice, it leads to confusion for people who see those pages and who contribute to them. The part you quoted from me is saying what you say here: It's not possible to link those 2 pages at the moment.

However, what I wanted to say was: Why do you allow 2 seperate entries for the same thing? If you can't link them, wouldn't it be better to make a decision for only one of those two and delete the other one? From an uninformed user's point like mine (I have no idea about this pilot or the show at all), this would make much more sense, because I wouldn't recognize the double entry on other pages that are linked to these two pages (for example, for cast and crew entries). I know this is theoretical and very general; yet, for me, it's just confusing to come along those double entries quite often (I always ask myself, should I report it or not). At least that's my perspective on this ...

There's currently 1 special, called The New Beginning.

It was a TV special!

Yes, you're absolutely right! Thanks for the link - I actually never knew this aired on CBS before season 3 started. Or I forgot about it, which is also very likely. So, as a rule, if something aired on the network/cable of a show and it is about this show, it could be added as a special? Otherwise (website or public presentation or somewhere else), it's not a special?

I also know a lot of The Walking Dead specials are TV specials. We are generally not too picky, but I think Travis said he would add more video options.

Wow, so many TV specials for 1 show - that's great! I know there is an option like "featurette" - I would add such stuff there. The problem is to find those things on youtube - it's often deleted by the network/cable. But I think you mean something else ...

Anyway, last question: What should I do when I come around something like this or something similar again? Should I report it to you or ignore it?

Best wishes,

janar

"Love [...] is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being." - Ellen Page

For walking dead, they had a lot of short (web)series, I don't know if they actually aired or only went online, but they are generally fine (although it can be argued to give them a separate "own" entry, because we do allow web series, especially if it has their own website. But the behind the scenes episodes, are probably just added here because they are on TVDb (I asked there before, either they should add everything (Every episode has such an episode) or remove them all. Also the show has much more of those streamable stuff, and they don't add that either... I never noticed they were added on TMDb before though..)

And yes, (unaired) pilots are of course fine to add, haha, I was once more merely voicing my frustration with the crazy cluttering of specials for some shows cough Doctor Who cough

Welp my answer was a mess! I meant that I think we pretty much all want only one entry, but right now (I think) there is no good way to make that happen until a) specials are their own searchable entity or b)Travis build a new collection-like thing that could link TV entries with movie entries. But that's definitely a talk we will need to re-have with the other mods and Travis in a little while.

So, as a rule, if something aired on the network/cable of a show and it is about this show, it could be added as a special? Otherwise (website or public presentation or somewhere else), it's not a special?

It's all allowed, but specials episodes 100% belong in the Specials (bloopers, recaps, preview, documentaries, etc.). TV pilots and Webseries are fine. We only tolerate some DVD bonus, online bonus and whatnot (please don't add them! lol).

What should I do when I come around something like this or something similar again? Should I report it to you or ignore it?

Maybe it's a bit too soon for that. There is not much we can do right now.

EDIT:

Many series has mini webseries, but without poster, good images, etc. they are kind of sad looking.

@alltimemarr & @banana_girl Okay, I read everything, and I think I understand ... sorry, don't have much time today ...

It's all allowed, but specials episodes 100% belong in the Specials (bloopers, recaps, preview, documentaries, etc.). TV pilots and Webseries are fine. We only tolerate some DVD bonus, online bonus and whatnot (please don't add them! lol).

Will do ...

What should I do when I come around something like this or something similar again? Should I report it to you or ignore it?

Maybe it's a bit too soon for that. There is not much we can do right now.

Okay, I understand. Maybe you'll all find a good solution until August? (I'll close this thread now.)

Best wishes,

janar

"Love [...] is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being." - Ellen Page