Do spoilers ruin a show for you?
July 7th, 2008 | by cwalton |Do spoilers ruin a show for you? Have you ever found something out about a show and then regretted it? Or does it add to the fun? Do you seek out spoilers? Tell us in the forum.
The Amazing Race 13: Massive Country Spoilers!
Life is very confusing. Sometimes, TV can help you figure stuff out on accident. Example: I had always assumed that I loved Survivor and The Amazing Race because of the suspense, because I didn’t know what was going to happen next. So, last year, when I inadvertently read the spoilers (big, big spoilers) for both of those shows that extended deep in the season, I assumed that my viewing experience would be ruined. This turned out not to be the case. I was shocked to discover that I enjoyed both series just as much knowing the result as I did not knowing them. It’s not like I seek out spoilers these days, but I am no longer deathly afraid of them. Therefore, when I found some big-time spoilers for the new season of The Amazing Race (premiering September 28), I read them without hesitation, seeing as it was journalistic duty.
Before I get to the spoilers themselves, the above realization (that spoilers don’t particularly effect my enjoyment of a show) is an important one. I’ve wondered, often, if this is a singular or universal phenomenon. Does it mean that I have essentially tricked myself into liking some shows, and that my enjoyment is mentally falsified simply so I have a show I can say I’m a fan of (kind of like anyone who says they enjoy Bingo or knitting or Sandra Bullock films)? Or does it mean that process is inherently more important than the result, and that the most effective aspects of The Amazing Race and Survivor are their production values and structure? Is all reality TV, therefore, essentially the same thing, and viewers just enjoy seeing people do unscripted things on a television set?
Who the hell knows? Can we get a sociologist to look into this?
Read the entire article at The Amazing Race 13: Massive Country Spoilers!.
Tags: ace, reality tv, tv
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3 Responses to “Do spoilers ruin a show for you?”
By EileenJarrett1 on Jul 14, 2008 | Reply
My son (Tane Jarrett)was injured while working on “Survivor”. He was to be flown from Gabon to Johannesburg for surgery, but we’ve had no contact from him (or anyone else for that matter)prior to his airlift (no timeframe around that either!!!). Is there anyone out there who can give me details of where he is, or his condition. The name of the hospital where he was to be flown to would be a start. IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE CAST OR CREW!
By EileenJarrett1 on Aug 4, 2008 | Reply
Subsequent to my email posted 14 July, Tane has been located and has indeed been very well looked after by the Survivor production company (huge thanks also to Debbie at the New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria). While it was really difficult for us as his family not to know what was going on for him at the time, the company made every endeavour to ensure that he was getting the best care possible, for which we are sincerely grateful. Now back in New Zealand, he is coping well.
By missiann on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
Yes, I think the spoilers do ruin the show. I personally like the suspense. I don’t like knowing ahead of time of what is going to happen. I have waited all this time until the new season and have someone come up and tell and tell me who the last three is going to be just ruined the whole thing for me.