It was a while ago but I remember watching TV shows on an actual television as a kid. I would do my homework before 8 o’clock primetime, which was when I would plop down on my couch and flip through the channels. TV was my down-time as I would plan a TV schedule for every weekday. I would immerse myself in the winding plots of “Smallville”, “Supernatural”, “Chuck”, etc. Back then, watching television was simpler. I would spend an hour of my time on a show once a week and if I was lucky, there would be the occasional two-hour special. Sometimes, the season would go uninterrupted. Other times, it would be a few months of re-runs before a new episode was aired. I hated these brief periods of watching old episodes. However, they did give me a chance to speculate on what would happen next. Anticipation and excitement were part of the whole television experience. What will the protagonist end up doing? Will someone die? Who’s that mysterious dude in the background? Back then, TV was a weekly cycle of contemplation.
Nowadays, due to the immense popularity and prevalence of the internet, people wildly speculate about everything. Posts on Facebook and tweets on Twitter about the latest “Breaking Bad” or “Game of Thrones” propagate uncontrollably. The wide range of possibilities and theories that people come up with may be refreshing for those who want to engage in their television shows in a new way. But is it really satisfying? After all, the conversations take place almost everywhere so that it’s almost impossible to not see a television related post when digging through your Facebook newsfeed or Twitter feed. Is speculation the new spoiler?
In addition, with the emergence of Hulu, Netflix and other streaming services, more people binge-watch and get through seasons in a matter of days, not months or years in which television shows were originally prescribed. I think this spoils the general TV excitement that many people have experienced before the internet age. With television shows so accessible, people hardly sit back after an episode and think about what’s coming next.
With speculation frenzy and TV-binging, will we ever become truly satisfied from the TV shows we watch? Call me old-fashioned, but I like to watch my shows on the television and will only talk about my favorite TV moments in person.
Link to article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/magazine/speculation-is-the-new-spoiler.html?ref=television&_r=0
I like how you shared your childhood memories before discussing about the emergence of new type of spoilers through social media! It gave me a sense of reminiscence and reminded me of my own childhood when I used to watch television shows. Now, I don’t watch as much TV as before as a child. But it feels almost as if I do, because my facebook newsfeed just tells me so much. Many of my friends share their thoughts and concerns about TV shows such as Breaking Bad and The Legend of Korra. I don’t necessarily think that publishing your opinion about what will happen later in the show is wrong, as I sometimes gain new insights about some of the earlier events that I have overlooked before; one may build one’s speculation based on the past behaviors/events of the characters. Nevertheless, spotting spoiler everywhere does sometimes get frustrating when I want to be surprised by the new plot.
Remember when we watched the real TV!? It is crazy to think that I haven’t turned on the TV in months because of the availability of full seasons of shows on Netflix or Hulu. I miss the days when I would wait all week for the new episode of a show only to be left on the edge of my seat for what would happen next week. I think the most obvious and the biggest cause for the switch is the fact that Netflix causes immediate gratification. With the changing times, people are actually too impatient to wait a full week before finding out what happens next on a show. With Netflix, one can immediately watch the next episode. I have to remind myself not to go on any social networking sites the nights that shows are actually on because I know somebody will ruin what happened for me. It is crazy how much everything is changing.
It is true that the combination of computer and internet has replaced the need for TV. From my own experience, with computer and internet one can do everything that TV can do and a lot of what TV can’t do. For myself, I have scarcely used TV after learning how to watch TV shows online.
As for your comment on how it seems bad that people are discussing future plots online and how people are getting through a series within a matter of days, I can’t disagree more. The discussion of possible future plots is one aspect of TV show that makes it so fun, and it can bring together people with common interests. There is nothing bad about such occurrences. On the other hand, finishing TV shows within days may cut the fun out of anticipation for next week’s episode, but there are always more shows coming out. As long as there is more TV shows, one can always experience the fun of waiting for a new episode, so it is nothing that negative.
Your childhood was very similar to mine. Although I didn’t watch TV so often, I still anticipated my favorite shows on Disney Channel. There wasn’t any Facebook or any internet really to ruin it. But yes, today, with all the speculation, it is really ruining it. Why are people speculating? I think this is much like art itself where you have to appreciate art, not take it apart.
My least favorite thing is when people disclose everything that happens on Facebook or social media while its happening on TV. It really ruins it if I want to be able to watch the show on Netflix later on. That is much worse than posting statuses of things that people are anticipating.
Janice Fong
I cannot remember the last time I sat down in front of a television and watched a show in its entirety without fast forwarding through commercials. Because of DVR I have found myself spoiled and bratted when it comes to watching tv. No longer can I completely enjoy live television because I am so used to the convenience of fast forwarding. Unlike you, however, I do not miss the days of sitting through repetitive commercials about products and services I have no interest in. No, I do not need viagra, and no Stanley, I do not need my carpets cleaned. On the other hand, I do agree with your point that “binge” watching television series is both out of control, and ruins — to a certain extent — the destined integrity of the show.
Thousands of hours and dollars go into making a series, and a person can sit in their house for two days and blow through all of it. All those resources and efforts provide a person with a mere two days of entertainment. With binge watching, the demand for more shows arises, as well as the movement away from live tv. Why would someone spend years watching a series they can finish in a couple of days?
The only explanation I can think of for this dramatic shift in the way we watch television is technology. As much as we like to think that technology has put the world on our fingertips, making life easier, the truth is that technology has made it harder for us to manage time. In addition, there are so many shows on TV today that it’s hard to keep track of all of them. As a result, advertising has become the biggest asset a show can have. If you can create publicity and attract viewers to watch your show, you have won half the battle. Today, the best example of this would be “Doctor Who”.
However, I agree that an experience of watching a show without having to wait for the next episode is largely incomplete. The suspense evokes more curiosity in the viewer and usually draws more audience. It also creates loyalty for the show. Now, we see that trend is changing, and whether that is good or bad is arguable. However, if the television industry wants to retain its power, then it needs to bring back viewership and make watching TV a more exciting experience than, for instance, surfing the Internet.
Moreover, I found it really interesting that you questioned if speculations are the new spoilers. I have always thought of speculations as a person’s way to exercise and expand his or her imagination. When we think about the possible direction a story can take, we place ourselves in an uncharted territory where we assume the roles of the writers, directors, and producers. This can only add to the experience of watching a TV show.
Although I don’t join in with the mass speculation after weekly episodes, I enjoy reading other people’s speculations because I personally don’t have many thoughts after an episode. Reading other people’s thoughts is like reading the comment section on youtube, there will be those insightful comments and then the annoying spam comments. In order to avoid accidentally encountering spoilers, I find that the weekly flood of posts encourages me to watch the episodes weekly. I’m the type to binge-watch, so I would rather wait until the series is over and marathon through the episodes in one night. But by watching the episodes weekly, I get to enjoy the weekly excitement after the episode airs with other fans. I don’t think speculation is necessarily a bad thing because it adds to the excitement of watching other episodes. Your theory of what’s going to happen next can be either true or false. When it comes true, it’s a surge of smugness from having been correct, but when it falls short, you get more info to base your new theory off of.
You know, this is quite an interesting idea. It’s definitely true that many of us have begun to stray away from television because we can watch things much more quickly online. On our computer we have to sit through less commercials and there is a shorter wait to get from episode to episode if we watch a re-run.
I also used to plan around certain TV shows that I wanted to watch, but I still do that now sometimes. The internet is only helpful if you are watching a series that has already finished running. Meanwhile, if you are watching a current game show or talent show, there really is no way to avoid the week wait from one episode to another. Thus, it seems kind of surprising to me that so many people have stopped watching television all together, since it is much easier to watch shows on TV, then when one is multitasking on the computer. Sometimes I feel like you just want to relax and put on the tv, not sort through pages and pages on the internet looking for a show. Meanwhile, I also put on the television when doing chores around the house. Watching the big television screen is much more practical than the computer.
On the other side, the internet is helpful in the sense that one can watch tons of reruns and be introduced to loads of shows that were popular decades ago, and no longer run on television. That is pretty amazing.
I personally have never utilized Netflix or the internet to watch t.v. shows. I only watch the actual television. I’ll do my work look at the time and hope I can make it in time to watch my favorite show. If not I wait till the next week when it airs again before the new episode. This does not mean that I do not like the idea of sites like Netflix. I think it really comes in handy. As college students, we understand what it’s like to be working on a tight schedule constantly busy. Netflix helps you work around your schedule at a time that is convenient for you. That way you can enjoy your shows on your own time, at your own pace. Netflix is made for the people and has only improved itself over time: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/netflix-spruces-service-television-screens-20871464
I totally agree with you, Julian. When I was younger, I remember quickly finishing my homework in order to watch my favorite shows on television. Every night I had a specific schedule to watch new episodes my shows. Now a days, since almost every show is readily available through Hulu or Netflick, I just watch television online. I occasionally watch television on an actual television but not as much as I use to. This change in the way we watch our shows is mainly due to the advancements in technology. It much easier to watch shows online on own free time.
In addition, I somewhat agree that speculations are the new spoilers. Personally, I enjoy reading people’s speculations for my favorite shows. As we all eagerly await the return of our show, we all have certain ideas of what we want to happen in the upcoming episodes. For me, it is interesting to read other people’s ideas. Most of the speculations swirling around the Internet is incorrect so I don’t lose interest in actually watching the show.
However, I still hate spoilers. Since I watch my shows online these days, I must wait until it is up on the sites. I absolutely hate when people who have already seen the episode reveal what happens on Facebook or Twitter. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to avoid spoilers.
I can definitely relate to how you feel. Although I have used streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu to watch entire television series that aired throughout the span of a decade in less than a month, I do agree that it spoils the anticipation and excitement we experience when watching new shows. Nowadays, most people watch TV episodes on their laptops and personal computers, rather than on their actual televisions because they are more readily available online. I think this trend is becoming more and more popular because improved technology and a shift in consumer desires has caused viewers to want entertainment on demand. The Internet also provides viewers with a means of communicating with others who are equally as passionate about a particular show as they are. Forums have been created to allow them to discuss their opinions on their favorite shows. I guess that in a sense, watching television series on computers has its positive qualities. Nevertheless, I prefer watching shows the “old-fashioned” way.
I don’t remember the last time I turned on the TV. Chances are it was at least a month ago, and that was a one-time thing. The internet just provides us with so many options that we don’t have to wait a week or sit through commercials. I remember when I would turn on the TV on Saturday mornings right before Saturday school or wake up early on Sunday and watch the Sunday shows, but that is no longer the case. Maybe it’s because I don’t like many of the shows on TV anymore and if I do, it’s right on the internet. I guess this change just shows how much more important the internet has become over television.