on spoilers, press, and fans

[veronica_rich]

The more fist-shaking I see in the fan community at the press for leaking spoilers about the new series of Red Dwarf, the more amused I get. I know it's just because I'm both press and a longtime diehard fan of several rotating franchises. I can't decide if those on the TPTB and production side of Red Dwarf join in the fist-shaking every so often out of genuine annoyance, or to make us in the diehard fan base feel better; I highly figure it's the latter. Because there are things I'm sure TPTB understand about entertainment and publicity that some fans don't (I don't say all, since of course some fans do):

1. What a normal person considers spoilers is not remotely like what a diehard fan considers spoilers. Seriously. For us, a picture of an actor in a new costume is enough to generate two days of speculation (and has to go under a cut on a post! LOL). For the casual viewer, it's enough not to know the lady is actually a dude before seeing the movie.

2. Producers and creators of a work can't keep the press quiet like they can fans - there's not the same incentive. I have a feeling there's a smidge of genuine annoyance or outrage among some fans who managed to watch these episode tapings and keep their mouths shut on details for 9 months, that advance-screening reporters are not doing the same. No show-runner expects them to ... indeed, the point of playing an episode for reporters is the hope that they'll go out and enthuse about it to draw in casual viewers and non-fans (they don't need to appeal to fans; they've already got us). And if I've never watched a show, I need some details to tune in. So far, the details I've seen in press reviews seem reasonable for reeling in this demographic. And if fans want another season, they need to accept the show needs to draw new viewers.

3. A repeat of #1 above. Let's say someone has never seen RD, or has but isn't a diehard. A synopsis for the old episode "Polymorph" might read: A psychic-feeding lifeform gets aboard Red Dwarf and sucks out the crew's most negative personality traits to feed; hijinks ensue. This is a reasonable summation for someone you're trying to introduce to the show, or lure back after a long absence - but of course, as you are all fans of something (or you wouldn't be on LJ), you know darn well this is a DEFCON 2-level type of spoiler.

My worry is not that the new season won't be good; I'll watch almost anything Red Dwarf. My worry is new fans and how they'll fit in with us old fans. I've seen friction in past fandoms when new canon airs, bringing in new blood - but it can also be good. We were all new to it once. As long as the newbies don't try to take over and insist they're right about everything too stridently, I think it'll all be good. (And so, to that end, if Red Dwarf airs in your area on PBS or whatever in October, I encourage you to watch it - it's hilarious British humor, but there's a fair amount of pathos in it, too).

BTW, this is unlocked 'cause it's not directed at anyone on my f-list; I just felt like writing it and realize there's no other place for it but my own LJ.

Comments

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

I remember in the Harry Potter fandom and all the strict rules on spoilers. lol.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I can understand it in fannish spaces - that's totally fine. We're the ones who get our panties in a wad, after all - the general public doesn't. And I want spoilers hidden. But we're also the ones who will definitely be watching/reading no matter what, with few exceptions. It's a weird dichotomy, LOL.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I think there's two main reasons why some RD fans are so concerned about spoilers - the worry that if too much gets out, subsequent series might be denied an audience. I can see where they're coming from - RD really is a show which works far better with one.

Secondly, if they're die-hard fans who really want to avoid spoilers or are angry on behalf of others. Again, I understand this and have tried really hard to respect it. :)

It can become ridiculous though. I read a post on TOS by a poster who seems from her other posts to be a reasonable individual. But she stated that she feels the title sequences of classic Dwarf are too spoilery, citing as an example the fact that she didn't laugh when Lister catches his privates painfully in "Polymorph" (hey, alliteration!) because she'd already seen that bit in the titles. Er, hello?! Personally, I feel the titles do exactly what they're meant to - whet your appetite for what's to come.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Eh, I think the audience thing is kind of BS - Dave is putting out an excuse to justify not funding another series if it can't afford it later or it doesn't get the ratings, it sounds like. Because how on earth do spoilers the press is publishing a month before airing affect the live tapings ... that took place 9 months prior? Presumably if there's a Series XI, it'll be new plots and the press won't have access to spoil those until close to XI's airtime, too. And the audience DID behave this time, and the network should be well aware of that.

Let me be clear: I'm not talking about Dave asking fans at tapings to keep their mouths shut for several months. That's justified. I'm only referring to the very recent flailing in official and adjacent circles about slight press synopses and reviews being held up as OMERGERD, NOBODY WILL WATCH NOW. The ones that came out today, those are pretty darn spoilery, I'll say. But up to today it hasn't been too bad, IMO at least. Which is just my opinion and why it's posted here. :-D

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I see and I'm not really disagreeing, just trying to see it from all angles. I suppose if you're someone like Seb P or Andrew Ellard, who've presumably spent the last 9 months being constantly pestered and having to bite their tongues, it might be a bit galling. ;)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

True - then again, they're paid for their silence. You weren't. LOL