I looked this up and found that many dictionaries have a definition for the term 'spoiler' relating to the context of the use of by this soapboards' forum.Originally Posted by maidmarian
One example is Oxforddictionaries.com which defines 'spoiler' as:
'A description of an important plot development in a television show, film, or book which if previously known may reduce surprise or suspense for a first-time viewer or reader.'
Source:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...nglish/spoiler
(What follows are my thoughts and opinions.)
So, a spoiler does just that, it spoils the story for the viewer as there is then no alternative storyline for the film/programme/book to follow and the viewer is not able to use guesswork and imagination throughout the viewing experience to think about possible outcomes for the ending.
A good example is for the film 'The Sixth Sense'. Someone who sees this for the first time, and who doesn't know the ending beforehand, will have a very different viewing experience throughout the film and during the climax at the end than someone who has been told the ending spoiler before the film starts.
Official sources (like TV programmes Press Office, professional media outlets, reputable newspapers and magazines) are one type of source of spoilers which are likely to be true, but beware of incomplete and ambiguous statements.
TV journalists very often include quoted speech from actor interviews and these are another source of spoilers which are likely to be true, especially if the actor is someone reputable and quoting something which they have done or seen already in the past.
Sometimes a journalist will include his/her own comment which sounds more like fact rather than opinion and will give away a spoiler like this and which is more likely to be true than not. For example, whether it was intended to or not, the chatty journalist comment 'Michael and Anthony are busy boys on-set these days after the fall-out from the wedding revelations continue for Pete and Ross' published in Sunday World on 16-08-15, blew the secrecy for the storyline that Ross was not dead in the woods but would be returning alive to Emmerdale in due course.
Sometimes a journalist will suggest what sounds like a spoiler but is instead an unanswered question. 'Speaking of Bob, are his feelings for Harriet purely platonic?' (metro.co.uk, 03-09-15). Suggestions like this may or may not have a possible future and need further information and reader experience to decide upon, otherwise they remain unanswered, ambiguous and a source of unsubstantiated gossip.**
Personal opinions (such as from members of the public, twitter, facebook, message boards) can be good or poor sources of spoilers. Good ones are those based on fact and experience and which have had some thought given to using them to predict the storyline. Poor ones are often those based on random guesses and personal desires, such as whether a character is liked/disliked. The personal opinion might also come across as being not definite or even be ambiguous. Spoilers from personal opinions can be useful or misleading and need further information and reader experience to decide upon.
Fake spoilers are made up and usually come from lack of knowledge or from some motive intended to deliberately deceive. Often, fake spoilers are so incredible and unlikely to happen that they are quickly noticed by some regular fans as being out of character for the programme/film/book. Anything ambiguous or inconsistent is a bad sign. It is much easier in life to tell the truth than to remember a lie, so liars and fakers usually get found out after a while as they grow careless and over-confident and give out far too much information which then doesn't match previous claims or the genuine claims from reliable sources. Mike Parr is a classic recent example of this, as a simple over-confident ambiguous one-line twitter comment blew him apart when analysed by myself. BTW, Mike Parr re-appeared as Ross on Emmerdale on Tuesday 25-08-15. Mike Parr really blew his secret storyline when he talked to an Irish journalist during the week before Sunday August 16th 2015, when she later betrayed Emmerdale completely by publishing the written words 'Michael and Anthony are busy boys on-set these days after the fall-out from the wedding revelations continue for Pete and Ross'. This could really be the worst storyline leak in Emmerdale's history.
The alarm bells were ringing very loudly for me by August 20th when Mike Parr's Twitter comments just didn't add up and he was clearly (to me anyway) being ambiguous, even totally deceitful:
Telly Watcher posted on August 20th 2015:
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Here are some Twitter posts Mike Parr has made about Ross since he got 'killed off' on August 6th.
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 6
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Cheerio Ross!!! You caused some trouble in that village lad!
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: Cheerio Ross!!! You caused some trouble in that village lad! But Ross is going to be back in a while to cause even more!)
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 6
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Michael Parr retweeted Duncan Foster
Giz a job. In all honesty I've never been prouder to be part of a piece drama. Thank you for your guidance x
Michael Parr added,
Duncan Foster @duncanfo
@MikeParrActor you were superb mike. Catch up soon. C
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: Giz a job. In all honesty I've never been prouder to be part of a piece drama. Thank you for your guidance x. But I'm laying low for a while but I'm still on Emmerdale soon in the future and need something in the meantime to tide me over.)
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 7
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I forgot how much auditions absolutely suck.
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: I forgot how much auditions absolutely suck. But I like to see what else is around that might pay better and add kudos points to my CV. Whatever happens on this, Ross is coming back on Emmerdale in due course, as the pay, working conditions and banter between me and fellow actors are just awesome.)
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 14
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Off to London now. Got a new job, can't say what it is but when we start rehearsals I'll let you know.
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: Off to London now. Got a new job, can't say what it is but when we start rehearsals I'll let you know. It's only a short fixed-term contract thing, maybe part-time for now, but I want to see what else is around that might pay better and improve my CV. Whatever happens on this, Ross is coming back to Emmerdale in due course.)
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 17
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Michael Parr retweeted Loz Wuz
It's been overwhelming. Thank you so much to everyone who signed. Very proud to have worked with Kate Oates
Michael Parr added,
Loz Wuz @LauraWoollin
You must be pretty chuffed if you're an actor that leaves a show and people start a petition to get you back @MikeParrActor
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: It's been overwhelming. Thank you so much to everyone who signed. But the petition wasn't necessary really. Looks like the people up North, especially around Yorkshire (where Emmerdale is filmed and I'm known really well) and Merseyside (where I come from, that's St Helens, mert) knew all along that I haven't left Emmerdale but to suggest this really helps to keep viewers glued to Emmerdale episodes on the TV and keeps viewer ratings high until I come back as Ross. Very proud to have worked with Kate Oates. But our professional relationship isn't over yet, she's a really great boss and I'll be seen in Emmerdale on TV in the not-too-distant future, you'll see later.)
Michael Parr ?@MikeParrActor Aug 18
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Bailey....can't find you on here. Quinny finally gave me your presents. Thank you so so much, not necessary but I'extremely generous x
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>>Telly Watcher: (This could mean: Bailey....can't find you on here. Quinny finally gave me your presents. Thank you so so much, not necessary but I'extremely generous x. I haven't left Emmerdale really, you've wasted your time and money getting me presents though as I'm back on Emmerdale on TV really soon, just you wait and see.)
Source: https://twitter.com/MikeParrActor/with_replies
Adlibs by Telly Watcher ;)
In all seriousness though, what I'd really like to read is something very definite about Ross on Emmerdale from Mike Parr, with no ambiguity at all.
For example, Twitter post "Very proud to have worked with Kate Oates."
Here are two possible instances for what this could really mean, if a definite unambiguous statement was made.
1)
Very proud to have worked with Kate Oates. I had a great time on Emmerdale from 2013-2015 but my Ross character was killed off, I am no longer one of the Emmerdale cast and I now have a full-time job in London which involves rehearsals until the show begins later this year. I am also playing the role of 'G' in the next instalments of the film 'Dark Ascension'.
or,
2)
Very proud to have worked with Kate Oates. I hope that I can give much more to Emmerdale, the future looks really exciting for Ross and the latest script is terrific. Anthony is such a great guy to work alongside and the rest of the Emmerdale cast are a great laugh and we have great banter between us, especially between me, Kelvin, Danny and Adam.
I suppose that time will tell what happens next.
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Source:
http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/s...721#post828721
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My view on this is that Bob and Harriet have been growing closer together lately. Rescue stories often make emotional bonds happen between two people, and the prison/court storyline for Bob and Harriet is a good example of this. Add in that Brenda did shop Bob to the police, and that Ashley is difficult to manage at times, so it could be that a Bob/Harriet relationship might develop.
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