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It’s not Scifi specific, but Daisy Whitney has a great column up at TVWeek all about when it’s okay to spoil. Here’s a bit. But you have to go and read the whole piece, it’s so appropriate for not only TV reporters, but for TV fans in general.
Am I allowed to mention that Izzie is having sex with Denny on “Grey’s Anatomy?”
It’s not the sex part I’m worried about. What I’m wondering is—is it OK to “spoil” that she did it with a dead guy more than two weeks ago?
I’m guessing that “more than two weeks” probably falls outside the spoilers statute of limitations, even in our digital video recorder and time-shifted world.
But what is the acceptable grace period? How long must we sit mute before we blog, Twitter or post Facebook updates on the cliffhanger or resolution in a new episode of a television series? In this hyper-connected social media world where our friends and our followers see our status updates about watching Meredith die—oops, she’s alive again—what is the netiquette for revealing the ending?
(Disclaimer: The Meredith dying episode ran two years ago on “Grey’s Anatomy.”)
“for people who can’t keep up and watch the show on time the burden is on them to avoid the internet.”
I can agree with that. That’s why I said Spoil away! (even befor the show) just give people the tools to avoid them if they desire.
One of the best ways to do this is to have a spoiler category. Then people can even subscribe specifically to that if they are into spoilers, and people can also delete the email/rss when item is in that category. Pretty cool.
Hey Cynthia:
Nice work here at SF Universe…some great stories & comments. I found you through your comments at Daisy’s TV Week blog.
Why not survey your own readers and see what you get?
Or…I think Twitter & other social media sites might ultimately want colored labels, like gmail, to enhance the labeling of spoilers. Pop right out at you.
I’ve never understood why people get their panties in a wad over spoilers. I feel like when it’s aired, it’s aired. And for people who can’t keep up and watch the show on time the burden is on them to avoid the internet. But then, I never felt like spoilers ruined a show in the first place. Although I am amazed that people actually want need or care about spoilers for a show like Grey’s Anatomy. Not bashing the show but it’s just a bunch of doctors having sex, it’s not exactly Lost is it?
& btw you do an incredible job of handling spoilers here. That’s one of the reasons why I love SF Universe so much. I know its safe to be a month behind on T:SCC and Heroes and still process your feed every day.
THANK YOU
I HATE HATE HATE ANY AND ALL SPOILERS.
That said, I am REALLY good at avoiding them. (I don’t even read dust jackets and blurbs. I just saw Wall-E in the cheap theater 3 days ago and didn’t know what it was about. Hancock was a real shocker) So as long as you give your readers, on whatever platform, fair warnings, we will take care of ourselves. It’s only when some people put spoilers (like mentioning the winner of Survivor) in post titles and stuff that we can’t stop reading what we are seeing in time.
All IMHO