The Tail Section

Listening to the official podcast yesterday, I was struck by the exchange on spoilers; particularly how it was alluded that spoilers contribute to a drop-off in viewers, or at the very least viewer satisfaction.  (And yes I know I’m reading from the perimeter here,  but the basis for this comment is all there.)

Does it strike anyone else as strange that the producers are that concerned by the impact of spoilers, yet the "official" community for LOST, The Fuselage, has a very busy spoiler section and is, in fact, quite a good place to go if you are looking for the latest LOST spoilers?  Does this mean the aversion to spoilers is all an act?  Are Damon and Carlton just dangling the forbidden fruit in front of us?  When they say they only worry when this stuff reaches the mainstream press, are they just trying to drive traffic to those of us out here in the fringe electronic mass media?  Cause looking at my numbers, guys,  if every unique visitor whopassed by the front page of TheTailsection told five friends, the entire viewer-base would have the spoilers.  And I don’t know five people who read Entertainment Weekly,  (although I’m sure that would be different if I lived in Hollyweird.)

But back to this Fuselage problem.  I’m not slamming the Fuselage, mind you, but hear me out.  The Fuselage has a very well regulated spoiler forum.  I still prefer www.spoilerfix.com but the Fusies forums are kept pretty clear of Foilers  (Fake Spoilers) and general bad sources of information.

If Damon and Carlton are to be believed, isn’t having this official site "by the creative team of LOST" promoting spoilers self defeating.  Isn’t this like paying your nurse to slip you a little strychnine with your laxitive?   Particularly if spoilers are indeed causing harm to the show?

And only worrying about spoilers making it into the mainstream?  As I’ve said before,  the fans who frequent the higher end communities and news sites like 4815162342.com, Sledge’s Lost Stuff, and of course The Tailsection, are the most active segment of LOST fans.  These are the guys and gals who cannot get enough.  These are the folks lead the water-cooler discussions,  or the one you go to if you want to find out what is going to happen.  So to say us getting our hands on spoilers is not significant is, well, not very perceptive.

I have personally started watching shows because of spoilers.  It’s true.  I overheard a conversation at work about this crazy show that I thought was just some scripted version of Survivor, not my cup of tea at all.  But these nuts a few cubicals down were excitedly exchanging info on what was going to happen in an upcoming episode and how crazy it was that the information had leaked out.  I said "There is a monster in that show?  I thought it was about a bunch of swimsuit models stranded on a deserted island eating gross stuff."  Needless to say, the show was "LOST".

So you see Damon and Carlton,  spoilers don’t always ruin the experience for everyone;  sometimes it just gets it started.  And judging by the excited tones in those guys voices,  I’d be willing to bet they tuned in that week;  if nothing else just to see if the spoilers were true.