What Constitutes a Spoiler?
With DV-Rs and online streaming giving people delayed viewing schedules, what does or does not a spoiler make?
- http://clatl.com/atlanta/ImageArchives?by=1223504
- Exhibit A, the Internet Troll - someone who spoils just for the nastiness of it
There has been a lot of debate recently on Twitter and Facebook about spoilers. Let's strip this down to the basics, and then I'd like to hear what your thoughts are about it, dear readers. There seem to be as many opinions as TV shows.
Traditionally, a spoiler is something that has not aired yet. For instance, many of the shows I review are sent to me on discs from the networks that contain several episodes. So while the viewing public may have just watched Episode 1 of "Sons of Anarchy," I have access to the first three full episodes, and so forth. For me to mention something pivotal, shocking, or any kind of plot twist that is happening down the road that would ruin it for other viewers would be lame, unprofessional and a bit unethical. In fact, it's something studios and networks try very hard to avoid.
A few years ago this wasn't quite the same issue as today. Some entertainment journalists might tease spoilers for fans who didn't care if they were telegraphed certain upcoming plot devices, but the goods were always clearly marked with a SPOILER! tag, or put behind a cut, or had to be highlighted to read. These kinds spoilers were (and are) typically so benign though that even someone who wanted to know if She hooks up with Him, or if He is trying to leave the show is still left without much gratification. But then something changed. The DV-R. Online streaming. And a general delay in watching that completely fractured our understanding of spoilers.
It's easy enough at the literal watercooler, when someone starts to say, "Oh my gosh did you see last night on 'Lost' …" to stop them, cover your ears and "LA LA LA LA LA" until they get the hint that you haven't seen the episode yet. But it's much harder to avoid a Tweet or a Facebook status that casually says "I can't believe John died." And yet look at it from the perspective of the person posting that. Twitter and Facebook are virtual watercoolers. After (or during) a particularly intense episode, there's a natural reaction to want to discuss it. How do most plugged-in people discuss most things and get crowd-sourced opinions? Twitter and Facebook.