Why Spoilers Should Not Cause the Turmoil They Do [OPINION]

As I finish another rewatch of Grey’s Anatomy for a countless time, I wonder why a show or a film’s ‘rewatchability’ isn’t more of a determining factor in its quality? I can rewatch several shows and films. I am sure this is common for most people. It becomes almost a ritual when needing background noise or something to calm down with before heading to bed. For films, I can go to a movie a couple times in theaters. I saw the first installment of the It remake about five times in theaters. I don’t think this is simply an individual behavior. I can talk about watching certain shows and films with others who do the same or are that way with another piece of media. This is what leads me to confusion over a certain concept that storms social media. That is spoilers. I do not believe they exist. 

Okay, they might exist but not to the extreme extent that social media likes to fight over. Spoilers have always been an issue. It became a major phenomenon with Fight Club and its first and second rule- don’t talk about fight club. This increased Fight Club’s word of mouth popularity and accumulated its cult following. It was more light-hearted but still taken seriously. A fun way to interact with the film outside of simply watching it. In more recent years, spoilers have brought on turmoil. Game of Thrones and Steven Universe have been big shows that spoilers have caused issue among Facebook friends and social media feeds. People will set warnings of spoilers in their content so others can decide not to read. Unfortunately, online trolls will just put spoilers in unrelated comment sections for people to unknowingly read. The Russo Brothers even put out a no spoiler statement which urged fans to not spoil Endgame for a week after its release. Overall, it seemed to work. This interaction baffles me. I understand not wanting to know what happens in a film, but it is extreme to say it ruins the film for you. If knowing how the plot pans out or which characters dies transforms the experience so entirely, was it ever actually quality material to begin with? A film or show that solely relies on the spectacle of surprise does not necessarily translate to quality. At least, it shouldn’t translate to that. Social media is definitely responsible for spoilers.

I do not mind spoilers. The only reason I started watching and enjoying Marvel films was when a friend “spoiled” Captain America: Civil War for me. It is personal preference to a degree. We are passed the personal preference mark when spoilers cause such turmoil. A perfect example of this is the work of M. Knight Shyamalan. His work has had this critic following it for years, but it is the most recognizable example I can think of. Once you know there aren’t any monsters in the surrounding woods, do you ever really want to watch The Village again? Once you know that the grandparents were dead all along and these old people are from a mental institution, would you ever want to watch The Visit again? Once you know that Bruce Willis is dead, would you ever want to watch Sixth Sense again? Additionally, if you discover these twists before watching, it does tarnish the viewing experience because they truly rely on the element of surprise for enjoyment. Now, take another example. Does knowing King Joffery bites it at his wedding ruin the viewing experience of Game of Thrones or even that episode? No, it is still amazing to watch Joffery choke as his character development factors into the viewers hatred of him and delight in his downfall. Does knowing any character’s death ahead of time ruin Game of Thrones? No. There are other factors and elements that make the show entertaining. Does knowing that Tony Stark dies at the end of EndGame ruin the entire Avengers series? Of course, it doesn’t! It is not the only thing that makes these films and shows entertaining, memorable, and special to us.  Spoilers are disappointing but they do not ruin films or shows. I could go on and on with examples where spoilers do not ruin the viewing experience because more often than not it doesn’t. More often the story and journey to a spoiler moment outshines the actual spoiler. If a story takes the best path to its climax, it will inevitably cause tears, gasps, or heartache. 

This piece is not to say go spoil films and shows for people. Do not be a troll and do it on purpose. It is still a lame thing to do. If something is spoiled for you, do not take it so seriously. The film or episode will still be awesome if you let yourself enjoy the journey. If it is really amazing, then the fifth time you watch Christina Yang leave Grey’s Anatomy will still rip your heart out. Media shouldn’t rely solely on spectacle of surprise to be impressive. Well-crafted films and shows do not. Spoilers are not as serious as they are made out to be. Take a breath and let yourself enjoy the film or episode you were so excited for just a moment ago.