The Tail Section

Interesting item in the NYtimes with regards to the LOST production staff’s mission to stop spoilers. A big part of this campaign, from my perspective at least, is to give the media cookies. Find the columnists that are publishing the most leaks, (Kristen, Aussie, Aicn, etc), and let them in the club house, where you can control them. Then instead of getting the steady diet of info, you get a lot of “I know something and you just won’t believe it! But I can’t tell you because Lindy will be mad. Oh, did I mention I have a set visit coming up?”

I can say that I am split on this. For a while, spoilers were an emphasis here, but now I’m more content to let superior sites like Spoilerfix.com maintain their dominance over that end of the market. I think that spoilers, presented in the proper way, enhance the viewing experience. Some gossip columnists are experts at presenting spoiler info in such a way that it becomes part of the mystery. With a show like LOST, deconstructing the mystery is part of the allure; knowing that something big will be happening, and having two-thirds of that formula going into reductio ad absurdium in your noggin, sets up a nice tension and release element that copywriters only dreams of. Spoilers have become an advertising medium.

Of course, occasionally things get out of hand. There is nothing worse then having some Neanderthal “reporter” hauling out his club of total-disclosure and whacking you over the head with it. Do we want to know exactly what happens? Well yes, but not like that. I think most of us would agree that the clumsy oafs posing as journalists who mistake the new pop-culture definition of “spoiler” with the literal meaning, “to ruin”, should have their sources cut off. (Like Aicn spilling the identity of the next LOST cadaver.)

The problem is when the information gets so controlled and editorialized that what the gossip columnists are handing out is largely just a reworded retread of the voice-over from last weeks promo, the magic doesn’t happen. So I beg you, LOST people (if you are out there), let a little bit out; it won’t ruin your ratings, or your show. If you are going to embrace this new medium, you have to let the leashes out a little once you’ve collared your hounds. Censor it too much, and it just isn’t any fun any more.