Do you know when your favorite shows are starting for the season? Whether you’ve already marked the date on your calendar and are counting down the days and set up your TiVo Season Pass to ensure you’ll never miss an episode, you don’t want to risk anyone spoiling the excitement that comes with new episodes. Because while social media is great, scrolling through your Facebook News Feed can be full of spoilers you don’t want to see.
A recent study conducted by TiVo, called the TiVo Spoilers Behavior Survey, found that 78% of the 14,673 respondents reported having a movie, show or sports game has been spoiled for them before. Friends, acquaintances, and co-workers were blamed most often for spoilers. Of those who spoil shows, 40% do it accidentally and feel guilty about it but other causes include:
- News headline on the internet (59%)
- Live television (57%)
- Facebook (49%)
What are the most common spoilers?
TV spoilers are more common and considered worse than movie spoilers and here’s what we dislike the most:
- Major plot point on a TV show being revealed (64%)
- Character death (56%) reported a character death on a TV show being exposed. For 23% of respondents, the worst kind of spoiler is the
- Final result of a sports game they planned on watching later (23%)
How can you prevent the plot of your favorite show from being spoiled?
The easiest way to not subject yourself to the plot of the next episode of your favorite TV show is to take precautions until you’re ready.
- Hold your own media blackout—71% of us ask those that we know not to tell us what happens. 30% of those who live in the Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii time zones avoid the Internet as soon as a show they really care about airs in other time zones. By avoiding social media, certain websites, and live TV, it’s easier to keep viewing spoil free.
- Be considerate of others— Those who live in Eastern, Central, and Mountain Time Zones try to be considerate of West Coast viewers where shows air three hours later than they do on the East Coast. 13% avoid talking about shows they really care about until more people have had a chance to watch it.
- Tell people “no spoilers”— 33% get upset by spoilers so chances are those that know you will respect that you haven’t seen the episode yet and keep the plot to themselves until you have a chance to watch. Put a sign on your office door and announce it on Facebook so your friends know not to reveal what happens next. Unfortunately there is the very tiny 2% who intentionally spoil favorite shows or movies guilt-free.
This fall make a point of letting those you know that you haven’t yet watched the newest episode of your favorite show or aren’t quite ready to know the score of the game and swear off social media until you have a chance to watch the recorded version on your TiVo.
Survey Methodology: TiVo Research conducted the TiVo Spoilers Behavior Survey in June 2014. Respondents were part of the TiVo Advisors Panel, an opt-in panel of approximately 30,000 TiVo subscribers whose second-by-second viewing behavior is anonymously tracked on an ongoing basis.
As a #TiVoMom member, I receive products for my participation but am not compensated for my role. All opinions are my own and based on my longtime love of TiVo that existed well before I became a TiVoMom.
