I am so damn tired of the Internet Spoiling Shows

[Kaodi]

I half-remember hearing about research that at least suggested that generally speaking being spoiled did not actually ultimately ruin the enjoyment of most things.

 

[el-remmen]

I have a friend who, while better about it now, used to be so bonkers about spoilers that he’d get mad even if you told something that didn’t happen, even if it was obviously not true.

Me: “And then Jon Snow didn’t pull out a pulse rifle and started blowing away white walkers from atop one of the dragons that turned out to not be a robot!”

Him: STOP WITH THE SPOILERS!

 

[Willie the Duck]

I half-remember hearing about research that at least suggested that generally speaking being spoiled did not actually ultimately ruin the enjoyment of most things.

Yes, I recall it as well. Thing is, this only tells us that there was at least one study which suggested this to be the case (likely verified to p<0.05). This is like those reports that coffee or chocolate are good for you bad for you good for you bad for you good for you what was the question again? good for you bad for you good for you bad for you good for you. They aren't necessarily wrong, and they advance the science by a step, but it's really easy to forget that a single study does not generally settle an issue.

Beyond that, the generally speaking part there is doing some heavy lifting. That's at the demographic level, and covering a broad range of specific situations.

And even beyond that, people can have dissatisfaction with not being given the choice whether or not to have something spoiled, and that can affect how satisfied they are with the situation.

I have a friend who, while better about it now, used to be so bonkers about spoilers that he’d get mad even if you told something that didn’t happen, even if it was obviously not true.

Me: “And then Jon Snow didn’t pull out a pulse rifle and started blowing away white walkers from atop one of the dragons that turned out to not be a robot!”

Him: STOP WITH THE SPOILERS!

Sounds a little like he was most upset with (the perception that) you were poking fun at/not taking seriously their preference on the matter. He obviously knew you hadn't actually given away any information.

 

[Ryujin]

These days the studios spoil their own movies, in the trailers. Not so bad up until the release data, in most cases, but major plot points get dumped in post release trailers.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Back in the day, I had to worry more about friends posting spoilers for Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead on social media. These days, its news articles dropping spoilers within the first day/hours of a show's release. Absolutely maddening.

These days the studios spoil their own movies, in the trailers. Not so bad up until the release data, in most cases, but major plot points get dumped in post release trailers.

I've gotten into the habit of only watching the teaser trailer or the first trailer, for that very reason.

 

[Willie the Duck]

These days the studios spoil their own movies, in the trailers. Not so bad up until the release data, in most cases, but major plot points get dumped in post release trailers.

Back in the day, I had to worry more about friends posting spoilers for Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead on social media. These days, its news articles dropping spoilers within the first day/hours of a show's release. Absolutely maddening.

I recall back in the 90s and earlier, shows were promoted on their own channel ('Tune in Thursday, where on a very funny Seinfeld...') where the surprise of the episode or whatever was completely spoiled. I think the Simpsons had is happen a lot, ER was a bit more vague ('someone will die'), and I recall a That 70s Show where two of the kids spiked the special brownies with laxatives (which is apparently funny) where that was like the main joke of the episode and the ads for it gave it away.

 

[billd91]

and I recall a That 70s Show where two of the kids spiked the special brownies with laxatives (which is apparently funny) where that was like the main joke of the episode and the ads for it gave it away.

Spiking the special brownies with laxative might be the main joke situation of the episode, but I'm not sure I'd call it much of a spoiler. It's the SETUP for the humor that follows from the consequences of that action. It's revealing the punchlines that come after that setup that would really be spoilery, at least when it comes to comedy.

And I think that kind of gets at some of the discussion above about what really constitutes a spoiler. Is it literally anything from the show/movie/book because it reveals something even if small? Or is it OK to tease some things to drive up anticipation of the resolution or reveals to follow. For example, we know someone's gonna get murdered in an episode of Murder, She Wrote or any Agatha Christie novel. Revealing that happens - not really that much of a spoiler though it does reveal something about the show. The main payoff is when the protagonist solves the case and reveals the killer.
Similarly, it isn't that much of a spoiler to know there's a confrontation between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. We were kind of expecting it. Luke getting his ass handed to him and finding out Vader's his old man - THAT'S the spoiler.

 

[Willie the Duck]

Spiking the special brownies with laxative might be the main joke situation of the episode, but I'm not sure I'd call it much of a spoiler. It's the SETUP for the humor that follows from the consequences of that action. It's revealing the punchlines that come after that setup that would really be spoilery, at least when it comes to comedy.

Oh, what followed was a lot of visual comedy that the ads also spoiled.

And I think that kind of gets at some of the discussion above about what really constitutes a spoiler. Is it literally anything from the show/movie/book because it reveals something even if small? Or is it OK to tease some things to drive up anticipation of the resolution or reveals to follow. For example, we know someone's gonna get murdered in an episode of Murder, She Wrote or any Agatha Christie novel. Revealing that happens - not really that much of a spoiler though it does reveal something about the show. The main payoff is when the protagonist solves the case and reveals the killer.
Similarly, it isn't that much of a spoiler to know there's a confrontation between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. We were kind of expecting it. Luke getting his ass handed to him and finding out Vader's his old man - THAT'S the spoiler.

Generally, it would be the functional elements, whatever those are. Yes, in Murder, She Wrote, it would generally be who the killer is/how Jessica solves the case (although someone might also be miffed if they find out who the victim is before that is established). In Columbo, it would only be the how does he solve it, as we generally know who the killer is from the start.

However, in some shows/movies, there's a lot of worldbuilding type stuff that people also place a lot of importance on. I think this could be stuff that could be spoiled as well, provided that knowing it ahead of time would impact how someone experiences the media. I'm kinda convinced by the argument that it is completely tautological and a neutral proposition -- if I told someone waiting to see the thing, and they might wish I hadn't, it's a spoiler (with the discussion about whether this or that spoiler was unacceptable being a downstream point of discussion).

 

[VashVet]

I half-remember hearing about research that at least suggested that generally speaking being spoiled did not actually ultimately ruin the enjoyment of most things.

I can’t say that it ruins things entirely, but I have noticed that spoilers will often reduce my interest in actively going to a movie in the theater, or seeking it out on streaming. Then it just becomes a matter of whether I happen to catch it on TV.

 

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