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I've never understood the controversy that surrounds the dreaded spoiler. Mostly because I don't care if I know how a show ends or not. I'll happily read the entire script of shows before I see them and it doesn't lessen my enjoyment of the show. And with Internet, such "spoilers" are easy for me to find. Easy for everyone else to find, apparently. So easy, in fact, that people in Hollywood are actually taking notice. This article is all about how the producers of shows feel that such information distracts from the show.
I'm not sure that I totally agree with them. For me a movie or television show is as much about watching the unfolding of the story than it is about the twists and turns of the story. For me, "shock" value is not very valuable at all. (That could be why I don't like horror movies). Even after I know the twist, I love watching all the little hints and clues that lead up to the shock. I love watching good actors and interesting characters deal with the "shocking" event. In fact, I love those things more than I love the shock itself. I love the skills, both writing and acting, that allows a scene -- especially a shocking scene -- to be viewable over and over again.
So to me, spoiler-phobia was totally alien.
However, I recently started watching "Lost" and I've found that I have no desire to know any spoilers about the show. I don't go searching for them on the web, in fact, I don't even have much interest in reading upcoming episode descriptions. In many ways, Lost is all about the shock and surprise. I don't want to know what happens next before I watch the show.
But I also have no interest in going back and watching the episodes again because I just don't get the same enjoyment out of watching the show. I have a feeling that if I would know detailed spoilers, I would not feel the need to watch the episode at all, after all I know what it is I would be watching the show to find out. As nice as Sawyer or Sayid is to look at, that alone isn't enough to get me to watch. I also think the show suffers from that lack of depth. I know that there are a lot of people who like to go back and dig out the clues (like the whole polar bear in the comic book thing) but that is too much work for me. *grin* For me, once I know the "secret" of the episode, there's no need to watch it again.
It reminds me, in a lot of ways, of an O. Henry story. I mean, The Gift of the Magi is a good enough story, but once you know the ending there really is no need to ever read it again. That doesn't mean it's not a good story or that it's bad writing, but it does lack a certain compelling element that would make the story as interesting or as enjoyable the second time as the first. Lost is like an O. Henry story.
24, on the other hand, is like Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. (OK, I know a lot of people don't like Hemingway's writing but it's a good example, none-the-less). I know how the story ends and yet I can read it over and over because there is something more than the ending going on. The characters and the story are compelling enough to keep me interested.
I still love Lost, mind you, but I understand how someone can be spoiler phobic about the show. The good thing about Lost is that the story and the characters are compelling enough to keep me interested in the twists and turns, which is more than I can say about a lot of "surprise" television. Probably why I don't watch any 'reality' shows...
I'm not sure that I totally agree with them. For me a movie or television show is as much about watching the unfolding of the story than it is about the twists and turns of the story. For me, "shock" value is not very valuable at all. (That could be why I don't like horror movies). Even after I know the twist, I love watching all the little hints and clues that lead up to the shock. I love watching good actors and interesting characters deal with the "shocking" event. In fact, I love those things more than I love the shock itself. I love the skills, both writing and acting, that allows a scene -- especially a shocking scene -- to be viewable over and over again.
So to me, spoiler-phobia was totally alien.
However, I recently started watching "Lost" and I've found that I have no desire to know any spoilers about the show. I don't go searching for them on the web, in fact, I don't even have much interest in reading upcoming episode descriptions. In many ways, Lost is all about the shock and surprise. I don't want to know what happens next before I watch the show.
But I also have no interest in going back and watching the episodes again because I just don't get the same enjoyment out of watching the show. I have a feeling that if I would know detailed spoilers, I would not feel the need to watch the episode at all, after all I know what it is I would be watching the show to find out. As nice as Sawyer or Sayid is to look at, that alone isn't enough to get me to watch. I also think the show suffers from that lack of depth. I know that there are a lot of people who like to go back and dig out the clues (like the whole polar bear in the comic book thing) but that is too much work for me. *grin* For me, once I know the "secret" of the episode, there's no need to watch it again.
It reminds me, in a lot of ways, of an O. Henry story. I mean, The Gift of the Magi is a good enough story, but once you know the ending there really is no need to ever read it again. That doesn't mean it's not a good story or that it's bad writing, but it does lack a certain compelling element that would make the story as interesting or as enjoyable the second time as the first. Lost is like an O. Henry story.
24, on the other hand, is like Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. (OK, I know a lot of people don't like Hemingway's writing but it's a good example, none-the-less). I know how the story ends and yet I can read it over and over because there is something more than the ending going on. The characters and the story are compelling enough to keep me interested.
I still love Lost, mind you, but I understand how someone can be spoiler phobic about the show. The good thing about Lost is that the story and the characters are compelling enough to keep me interested in the twists and turns, which is more than I can say about a lot of "surprise" television. Probably why I don't watch any 'reality' shows...
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Sorry, Alliesings!
Date: 2005-02-21 10:19 pm (UTC)From:I got a copy of the reply by email, so I'm just going to copy and past it here.
That's an interesting perspective. I've been having conversations with a thoroughly spoiled friend of mine, and she doesn't see my point about wanting to be unspoiled at all, but I like the way you present your arguments.
MHO, just in case anyone wants to know, is that for SG shows and others that I'm vitally interested in, I'd rather not know. This is for a few reasons. First, I don't like spoilers that are full of fandom politics, such the ongoing boiling of lists that occured during the months preceeding "Chimera." Second, I don't like spoilers that are based on speculation, because that is a breeding ground for baseless panic such as "it's the end of the ship!!!!!" Third, sometimes a spoiler for the season finale of a show will make me so depressed I won't enjoy the rest of the season.
For a show I don't care much about and only casually watch, I don't suppose I'd mind spoilers, but I'm much less likely to come across them.