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| Kitt Harington |
It is Game of Thrones season for social media. For the next 10 weeks, talk of the show will be at a fever pitch no matter where you go, with many memes sure to follow. While the show expectantly features uproar over salacious plot points involving sex and violence, last night's episode pretty much left audiences complaining in a different way. Beloved character Jon Snow (Kitt Harington) was brutally stabbed last season and the cliffhanger rested on whether he lived or died. Two episodes in, the show has given an official answer - and one that makes more casual viewers upset as they get a big reveal via random Twitter and Facebook posts from friends and news outlets; crying that it was wrong for the internet to converse with spoilers so soon after the fact. However, I don't think you should really care about whether or not you know spoilers. It doesn't ruin the show in any significant way.
*Spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones' most recent episode "Home."
Jon Snow lives. After being legally declared dead, Snow was brought back to life via magic. His first gaping breath as he returned to life marked the end of the episode. In those brief seconds, the show garnered a moment so visceral that audiences wouldn't feel like ignoring it. It was like The Red Wedding, King Joffrey's death, or last season's "Hardhome." These were the moments that made the HBO fantasy series so beloved with a fan base that surpasses any other major TV series at the moment. Its social media presence for all of these moments are well documented, quickly becoming memes in a matter of hours. The amount of parodies of the "Shame" scene from last season's finale that popped up over the past year alone is evidence of this. The show has always been about shocking moments, and one knows what to expect when addressing its content online. It's a dangerous territory, but one can easily circumnavigate the culture if you're that dire about avoiding the story.
Before I dive into my reasoning why spoilers are a dull construct to be worried about, I will give my reasoning for why Snow living isn't particularly shocking. For starters, his corpse was the cliffhanger that lead many to speculate his status. The news cycle in the off season included various reports of seeing Harington arriving in the country to film. There was already a voyeurism to the entire thing, especially since it does feel like any spoilers that we do know is stuff that actually was leaked by HBO and subsequent authorities. However, the belief that Snow lived continued to spark curiosity and the fact that his corpse was still at The Wall suggested something was up (not to mention suspiciously still being in the title credits). While one could argue that this doesn't constitute immediate answers, it does provide a basis for plausibility. Either he lives or dies.
Also, there were far more interesting things going on in the episode, such as Arya continuing to be beaten while blind, Tyrion unleashing the dragons, the return of Bran, Ramsay killing his newborn brother, and an introduction to the Drowned King. It's a rich episode that is worthy of discussion if you're into the series. There was even the premiere of a line that is likely to become its own "Shame"-level meme with "That's what I do. I drink and I know things." For what the show is going after, it was a very good episode with plenty of great moments. However, they're all overshadowed by Snow's seconds-long gasp for air. Suddenly, the idea of revealing a plot point became overwhelming. Frankly, it's not even a great one compared to the levity of everything else on display in "Home."
Considering that this is the first season written after the book continuity, it does seem likely that spoilers will become more of a sensitive topic. It isn't like before where the fun was more determining what wasn't from the books. Now everyone is on a level playing field. Suddenly those who know what The Red Wedding is or know that Joffrey dies don't have an edge over the casual viewers who couldn't name a dozen characters. Which brings me to my point. How did the internet live in a time where the major beats were first being shown; in a time where Ned Stark was still alive? Of course, the general culture was different, but it still applies that audiences were discussing the series and looking for answers in just as explicit of ways. What we're left with is the fact that spoilers aren't that damaging if you know them.
It's an ongoing struggle, and one that has become increasingly complicated with the birth of recap culture on social media. To make matters worse, the decline of appointment TV may have paved the way for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, but it has also resulted in a more convoluted way of talking to fellow fans about your favorite shows. It's bizarre that in the modern era, Game of Thrones is capable of being appointment TV. It's likely because of how much it influences internet culture while winning Emmys and putting other popular series like The Walking Dead to shame in every facet. However, it's still a conflicting era for talking about shows because while audiences are accustomed to Sunday night viewing, there's at least six airings of the series per time zone, meaning that the west coast will have to pick up the vague pieces hours before the first available showtime. Overseas, it's a tad bit worse with many having to wait days to catch up. Considering how necessary many see Twitter nowadays, it's a certain handicap that most don't want to have.
The truth is that there are great shows out there worthy of being viewed. Breaking Bad perfected the suspense model, which paid off nicely with the final episodes featuring their highest ratings. In a time where culture is spoken with such openness, it's interesting to see what shows matter. However, it is also where the series in question go from being fun to an exclusivity club that mean that if you're behind, you'll have to catch up or face not understanding the jokes. Here's my advice to everyone who worries about avoiding spoilers: don't. In all honesty, it probably makes TV better if you just go in seeing it regardless of your status. Who cares if you know if Jon Snow lives. He'll live next week, and for seasons to come (presumably).
For an apt comparison, spoilers are essentially like consuming something for the second time. You know the twist. You know where things end up. Good writing will compliment this advantage by letting you look at the puzzle pieces that lead to this conclusion. While the initial satisfaction may be absent, it's something that will open up the media in a new way. Suddenly, you're allowed to dissect the story and understand the construct clearer. The logic that spoilers are a hindrance is ludicrous. A good story allows you to have more than the thrill of a shocking plot point. To summarize, you wouldn't avoid watching something a second time just because you know the third act, would you? It's essentially the same thing. The only difference is that knowing a spoiler allows the images to be fresh on the first go.
I'll admit that it becomes difficult really to assess this as a phenomenon. In a lot of cases, pop culture is spoiled in the marketing and hype machines that fans create. The aforementioned "Jon Snow lives" debate was ruined months before this episode ever aired due to publicity. However, sometimes it comes down to mere announcements. While not always the case, news websites are quick to report on casting choices for various projects. This includes Game of Thrones actor Ian McShane, which left many to wonder who he would play. Some of the answers are often more explicit, giving credits to a question that would've been better discovered in the final product. For instance, Captain America: Civil War finds Spider-Man finally within Disney's ownership. While this is fine to know, the choice for the marketing department to merely drop him into the marketing materials is far more crass. Suddenly the thrill of discovery is gone.
While I am not offended by spoilers, it's more the choice for marketing to present information straightforward that is more problematic. I know that trailers are meant to be geared at the average audience who probably never visits online news sources. However, the idea of letting some surprises appear in the film seems to diminish with time. It may be why some people cling onto the hope that there's another "twist" to everything. Still, the idea that any of this ruins one's relationship with the final product is laughable. While overexposure (as is the case with Captain America: Civil War) may be more damaging, knowing what you're getting into isn't. Knowing where things go just puts a certain ease to being surprised. If you're watching TV just to be surprised, then I feel bad for you.
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| Maisie Williams |
The answer may not entirely be as clear as I state. In a perfect world, there would be more marketing in line with J.J. Abrams' mysterious trailers. TV series would be discussed in unison and not as we see fit. However, the world doesn't run on a tight schedule. With so much content being pumped out every day, it's a miracle that something can be as popular as Game of Thrones in the first place. However, the offense to knowing how something goes is a little silly. Just accept that it will happen and at worst it will vaguely alter your relationship to watching an hour of TV or two hours of a movie. If the entertainment is truly good, it will transcend this problem and you'll be captivated anyways.
For the sake of compromise, I am willing to suggest something for all sides. If you're still worried about spoilers, just know that the internet isn't for you. Avoid it like the plague. It may be difficult, but ignoring the feedback is a good way to keep your blood pressure down. I did it with Breaking Bad during its final stretch of episodes, and I think it made for a rich experience. So while I don't condone keeping your hands over your eyes, I get it. There's an allure to innocence. However, don't let the passion that you are soon to join make you mad. Likewise, those who enjoy speaking about culture at length, just put up some warning until there's a legitimate gestation period (a week or two?). Even if it's merely an asterisk next to the word spoilers in all caps, it will ready audiences for what you have to say. If you don't do this, the least that I ask is that you don't provoke aggressively.
With all of this said, I leave it to you readers to respect each other. While the Jon Snow lives beat may make me a little annoyed, I have done my best to not bring it up around shy company. Still, if we're going to cry foul of each other, just know that the best way is neither to reject spoilers nor to antagonize those who need that barrier. Both will emerge at some point, but give them space to enjoy entertainment at their pace. Just know that if either shows up too soon, it doesn't matter. The show will still be good. You'll just have to play with new ways to consume the episode at hand.
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