Deep, passionate and fascinating discussions took place this week on social media and in real life about spoiler alerts. Although we’ve discussed it before, and I’ve jokingly taken to Twitter to warn against anyone spoiling things for me, it has really stepped up in light of the Breaking Bad finale.
Viewership of that show’s last episode doubled from its regular run because so many people didn’t want to get left out of the loop. Twitter and Facebook lit up, blogs were posted immediately and one had to be very careful to avoid details if one didn’t get to watch it immediately as this one did not. Social media is about what’s happening now and if you don’t want to participate in now, you need to be your own filter.
However, spoilers are a “thing” that also happen right now. Every newspaper I checked the next morning had a generic headline about the finale and then gave you the opportunity to click further if you wanted details or to just move on. No one wrote “Walt dies, Jesse lives!!” or anything else that would give it away. That’s out of respect for their readers. Even as late as yesterday, five full days after the finale aired, people were still ranting about having the show spoiled and websites were still warning visitors that they were about to read crucial details.
I don’t think people who worry about spoilers make up the majority but I also don’t believe most people watch TV by appointment anymore. Many hear about a great show, go on with their lives, and then binge on it on DVD or Netflix when they are ready. I think we owe it to people to be sensitive to that. We can still discuss the value of the show without giving it away. We can blog about it and send those who want to read, to the blog. Someone said “it was the water cooler topic the next morning.” I don’t think it was, not in the way that Seinfeld, Friends or even MASH was. Spoiler alert: times have changed.
Seems silly but I’ve just UNfollowed SNL on Twitter because their incessant “as it’s happening” tweets during the show routinely spoil surprises for our Sunday viewing (and yes, I get that “LIVE” is in the title LOL). Knowing about Aaron Paul’s participation in skits last week was a real spoiler. So, I’ll just wait to see what Miley’s tongue does when we get time to watch tomorrow.
Isn’t it amazing that today I happened to read a spoiler online, on People.com, about a major, unexpected development that’s going to happen in a series two weeks from now? Furious doesn’t begin to explain my reaction. It was so needless and thoughtless. I agree with you – if people are watching it what’s the point of tweeting it to those who aren’t? To get them to tune in?? It’s all mixed up.
And on an unrelated rant, just who does Global hire to run the feed of SNL? I know it was delayed Sat. due to football, but to miss most of the first “fake ad” skit that aired right after the monologue because someone jumped the gun and went to real ads, was just careless and stupid. It’s done at least 50% of the time (if not more) – why can’t they just freaking pay attention??? (PS, the skit featured different “stars” auditioning for 50 Shades of Gray. I’ll look it up on youtube.)
I know! I yelled at the TV!! I couldn’t believe it and then they came back for the last part of it. It was just careless and awful. And it might have offered one of the few funny moments of what was otherwise, in my estimation, a pretty flat show.