Comments on: Darlton Jump into the LOST Spoilers Debate with Guns Drawn

By: Mister

Mister — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:57:59 +0000

How are you interested in spoilers, but not in the actual show? The written spoilers are also in the actual show, along with visuals.

By: Mister

Mister — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:55:32 +0000

Ha!

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:54:29 +0000

What’s the point of having cake if your not going to eat it?

By: TRoss

TRoss — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:16:54 +0000

Damon and Carlton didn’t mention being against books at all. In fact, I’m sure they’re flattered someone would take the time to write an entire book dedicated to their show. And a book doesn’t write itself, Doc had to put a fair share of his own creativity in it as well.

What the producers seem to be really unhappy with is the sites that posting spoilers solely for the sake of making money, and that they have no scruples when it comes to divulging entire synopsis of episodes instead of teasing them with a few minor spoilers, like a promo would (though TPTB have complained before that at times ABC promos have given too much away).

By: ForgivenTheWarlord

ForgivenTheWarlord — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:34:57 +0000

I agree 100%. I learned my lesson back with Buffy spoilers… I like teases, but I hate those spoilers that detail either just the important parts or the “entire episode”. Invariably the people writing the show are far better writers than those writing the “precaps” so I’ve found them to be just the worst possible manner in which to find out what happens in the episode.

By: Crazy Bearded Jack

Crazy Bearded Jack — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:17:20 +0000

I’m against spoilers. With a show as great as LOST, there are so many moments that have literally taken my breath away. I wouldn’t trade those for the world. In fact, I fondly remember watching, for the first time, some of my favorite scenes. The Season 2 premiere and season 3 finale are two of my favorites. Spoilers would have ruined them for me.

Damon made a great analogy once – Reading a spoiler is like turning to the last page of the book. Sure, you’ll know what’s going to happen, but you’ll miss out on the entertaining, thought-provoking, emotional journey that gets you there. That journey is what makes LOST so graet.

By: aprilshowers

aprilshowers — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:31:45 +0000

You’re hardly mercenary, Doc. Your site hits the right mix. It keeps the fans interested, especially over the hellacious breaks, but isn’t in your face. I did the same as other here and got completely spoiled for S3 and I’ll never do it again. But on the flip side, my attention span isn’t as long as it used to be and without a tidbit here and there.. meh, who knows. I, for one, appreciate the way your run your ship.

By: LostTvFan

LostTvFan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:12:14 +0000

I learned my lesson with the full spill of the S3 finale and never again. I agree with this: Do spoilers wreck the show? Simple answer: Yes. That said, I wouldn’t be half as excited as I am for S5 without the promos, sneak peeks, teasers and light spoilers we have gotten. Let’s remember the on line fanbase is probably less than 10% of Lost’s audience, but we are the hardcore viewers. I love being teased, getting a line of dialog here and then, hints, bits and pieces. Still I don’t want the entree, just an occasional h’orderve that doesn’t spoil the meal when it is finally served!

By: uberchef

uberchef — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:43:18 +0000

Don’t blame the guys for having some manner of artistic integrity!

Does anyone read the last chapters of a book before reading from the beginning? I’ve got to agree…just settle back and enjoy the ride for what it’s worth. Or, if you just simply need to know, don’t spoil it for all the other people.

By: Angel

Angel — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:37:32 +0000

LOL now i got a new term. dude went Keamy. thanks!

By: the_professor

the_professor — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:59:36 +0000

I’m pretty sure they don’t mean this site, Doc, and I think your concern about the “venom” might be a little too, well, overly concerned. I know I’m on the fringe of all this, and I don’t personally know the people who create and maintain the blogs, but to me there seems a pretty clear divide between those who manage the spoilers considerately (like you) and those who go too far (DarkUFO being the example offered, and I agree).

I also think there’s this myth around the idea of some intrinsic value of being “hard-working.” It matters much more what you are working for and how you go about it. Charles Widmore is pretty hard-working, I imagine.

By: docarzt

docarzt — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:47:57 +0000

I agree with that. The spoilers I publish are a necessary evil, but I try to do it in a way that is complimentary to the show. Tease an aspect of a reveal without giving away the meat… it is the heavy handed sites that have evoked these comments from Darlton.

By: docarzt

docarzt — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:45:36 +0000

You miss the point of the paragraph though. My concern is that the criticism is too wide-sweeping. I explicitly agree with them in the very paragraph you are referring to:

“…There are definitely merits to everything Darlton has to say about the topic, but it is so wide sweeping that it risks offending even casual fans…”

What I am getting at is that the fans and supporters of those sites may be offended by the venom. That’s all. If you have been visiting for any time at all, you know that my position on spoilers is that they need to be tempered into good teases…

By: cutterxxiii

cutterxxiii — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:41:35 +0000

Last thing…

“The idea that spoilers promote the show is ridiculous.”

True. But spoilers promote your site. I doubt any Lost-related site could compete with the others if it didn’t provide spoilers somewhere. Even if they’re “hidden,” or “only by choice,” you gotta have the spoilers.

Anyway. After all that I also would like to say sorry…I don’t mean to rake you over the coals, Doc. Somebody peed in my Cheerios today or something.

By: cutterxxiii

cutterxxiii — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:35:09 +0000

Sure it’s familiar. But then you went on to say what I quoted. And that’s what I take issue with.

If you were *completely* humble about what well the water comes out of, you wouldn’t have felt the need to express “the other side to this.”

But you did. And…I mean, the blue bar at the top of my browser says “Lost News, Lost Spoilers” when I come to your site. I don’t blame you for getting defensive.

But look on the bright side. At least they said “mercenary” instead or “parasite”!

All that said…once again, I like your site, Doc. But I also hate spoilers, and I hate the inevitable backlash every time the prodcuers express how much they hate them as well. It’s not a new thing.