Everyone has that friend who always finds a way to ruin the movie or television show you have waited to see.
Spoilers generally come unannounced in the middle of a conversation, “everyone knows that the characters in (insert movie title here) were already dead.”
My friend’s impromptu outburst squelched my desire to watch the movie in question, of which I have omitted the title to avoid being that guy.
But the problem of having a movie or show spoiled for you by a friend in a face-to-face situation has become commonplace in the virtual world.
Online “friends” are now the major culprits. It’s gotten so bad that I refuse to look at social media until I have watched the latest Walking Dead or Game of Thrones.
Even though both of those shows deal with story lines where you learn not to get attached to a certain character, you still don’t want the surprise ending spoiled by some rant about how the death of their favorite character will ruin the rest of their week.
While it’s not such a deal breaker with an ongoing television show where a missed episode will mean large gaps in the plot line, when dealing a movie spoiler, especially concerning the ending, I can’t find a reason to watch it once I know the outcome.
It’s unfortunate people feel the need to be the first to post major plot points on the Internet for all to see, but I know they don’t always try to intentionally ruin the fun for everyone. They obviously feel that sharing their thoughts about an engrossing story will help them connect with others who are interested.
However, I allow them to garner the backlash from those who missed the premier, and keep my thoughts to myself.
So if you are one of those unlucky enough to miss your favorite show the night it comes on, perhaps a brief hiatus from social media might be necessary, until you see that week’s episode that is.