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feliciakwNOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ACTUAL SPOILERS IN YOUR RESPONSE. I cannot stress this strongly enough. I am trying to remain as spoiler-free as possible (without completely leaving the Internet) until September 18. (Note to self: Stay away from TVGuide.com.) Here's my question:
For those of you who live for spoilers, who go hunting them down, who read the sides, who grasp at any and every spoiler as if it is a life preserver . . .
Has knowing the surprises and twists and turns and reveals of a show ever really enhanced your enjoyment of it?
The reason I ask is this: I've been watching YouTube vids of yesterday's SPN panel at SDCC. For the most part, I feel I came away minimally spoiled (yay!). Much of what was mentioned I read weeks ago (and promptly stopped reading spoilers), and some of it (like a guest casting mention and episode plot) was more like "coming attractions" than actual "spoilers." However, in one person's question, I learned something that doesn't really surprise me, but now I've lost the "Oh! Of course! That's awesome!" that I would have otherwise had when watching the season opener. Now this particular piece of information might not even be considered a spoiler to some folks. But I, now knowing to expect this piece of information, will miss out on the nifty-neato coolness of discovering it for myself (amidst all the angst).
So my question is . . . do you really enjoy the show more when you know what's going to happen? Do you worry for no reason when rumors or publicity prove to be misleading? Do you cope better with big reveals that disappoint when you know them ahead of time?
Because me? Half the fun of SPN is not knowing what's going to happen next. (Granted, this is a double edged sword, as not knowing also contributes to much viewer anxiety in the midst of the story arc. Of course, previous betrayals by various shows contributes to that, but I digress . . .) Some things I'm not surprised by, even if I'm not spoiled for them. (Dean's circumstances at the end of S3, for example. No surprise. Otoh, Don and Charlie's circumstances at the end of N3 last season? HUGE surprise. I was closer to tears for that one than for SPN, precisely because I did not see it coming.) But I would have been VASTLY disappointed if I'd been spoiled for the twist in "Mystery Spot," for example. Or if I'd known how S1 ended.
So I'm curious. If it does enhance the show, how so? If it doesn't, why do you spoil yourself?
Inquiring minds want to know.
For those of you who live for spoilers, who go hunting them down, who read the sides, who grasp at any and every spoiler as if it is a life preserver . . .
Has knowing the surprises and twists and turns and reveals of a show ever really enhanced your enjoyment of it?
The reason I ask is this: I've been watching YouTube vids of yesterday's SPN panel at SDCC. For the most part, I feel I came away minimally spoiled (yay!). Much of what was mentioned I read weeks ago (and promptly stopped reading spoilers), and some of it (like a guest casting mention and episode plot) was more like "coming attractions" than actual "spoilers." However, in one person's question, I learned something that doesn't really surprise me, but now I've lost the "Oh! Of course! That's awesome!" that I would have otherwise had when watching the season opener. Now this particular piece of information might not even be considered a spoiler to some folks. But I, now knowing to expect this piece of information, will miss out on the nifty-neato coolness of discovering it for myself (amidst all the angst).
So my question is . . . do you really enjoy the show more when you know what's going to happen? Do you worry for no reason when rumors or publicity prove to be misleading? Do you cope better with big reveals that disappoint when you know them ahead of time?
Because me? Half the fun of SPN is not knowing what's going to happen next. (Granted, this is a double edged sword, as not knowing also contributes to much viewer anxiety in the midst of the story arc. Of course, previous betrayals by various shows contributes to that, but I digress . . .) Some things I'm not surprised by, even if I'm not spoiled for them. (Dean's circumstances at the end of S3, for example. No surprise. Otoh, Don and Charlie's circumstances at the end of N3 last season? HUGE surprise. I was closer to tears for that one than for SPN, precisely because I did not see it coming.) But I would have been VASTLY disappointed if I'd been spoiled for the twist in "Mystery Spot," for example. Or if I'd known how S1 ended.
So I'm curious. If it does enhance the show, how so? If it doesn't, why do you spoil yourself?
Inquiring minds want to know.
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Re: LOOOOONG Ramble ahead :)
Date: 2008-07-29 04:08 am (UTC)Or maybe I've just got all my buffers in place and I need to re-watch the ep with fresh eyes and unbuffered emotions.
I'd pretty much been expecting Dean's death since the deal was made. My constant refrain has been "I hope they do the storyline justice." "I hope they do right by the character." I tend to agree that saving him before the deal would have been a cop out. And I do continue to hope that they do right by both characters. I'm not up on my hero's journey paradigm, but I know that seems to play a big part in how all this plays out.
Re: your PS . . . yes, I do love Dean. He's the character I most relate to, through whose eyes I tend to see things first. That could well be why I had my buffers in place for that scene. Because, dude. If I didn't? Well, denial ain't just a river, baby. :-)
Re: LOOOOONG Ramble ahead :)
Date: 2008-07-29 02:48 pm (UTC)As for the hero's journey, I'm not really that up on it. I just remember some of the basic parts in a general way and that trip to the underworld is a biggie(it needn't be literal obviously but in Dean's case it just happens to be, 'cause SPN is cool like that - in Sam's case I think he carries the underworld with him in a way, because of the "demon blood"). Though sometimes I wish they'd unwrite all of J. Campbell's books because I do get rather tired of all the writers who seem to use his "hero's journey" descriptions as a checklist instead of as what they were initially(I think), looking at many works of literature and legend and finding the similarities in order to show what they meant to the humans who were telling, hearing, writing and reading them. To my mind the "checklist" effect has just meant way too many genre movies and tv shows recently with "Chosen Ones" who are actually called...Chosen Ones. LOL
You're right, too, my main concern is just I hope they really do justice by both characters. And actually I see what you mean by not being as affected by the death. I have to say things prior to that may have been more emotionally affecting, even in the moments before but I guess that's okay. In a way it makes sense, I guess - the writers did use the "terminal illness" metaphor when talking about it. I mean we knew it was coming, we were waiting for it, prepared for it. So it hurt but maybe not in quite the same way as if it had been unexpected or sudden.
But it'll definitely have less impact in retrospect if they ever kill Dean again so, you know, I really hope they don't go there and turn this into "Oh Daniel Jackson is dead again? He'll be back, give him a few days". :) Mind you, I loved Daniel Jackson but there is still truth to the phrase "too much of a good thing".