Okay. I LOVE all the Lost theories people have around here. I love the screen-caps, the translations, everything. I think one of the best parts of this show is that there is always something new to find out. That someone out there will figure something out (like the shark symbol, the switching around of the hatch rooms, etc.) that you didn't previously notice. It's all really great and makes the show that much more appealing and gives something extra to look forward to all week: the hunt for clues.

But I HATE when people break the fourth wall by looking for clues and spoilers in IMDB, actors bios, etc. I think that is cheap and ruins a lot of the fun. The whole point should be to figure things out from the show and the show alone. Going to IMDB and seeing what actor isn't or is on the next episode's cast list or whatever nonsense like that completely ruins the theatrical element and the fantasy aspect of this wonderful show.

I, personally, never read spoilers or watch the previews. I know they're there and I know that some people just can't deal with being surprised every week, but for me, my favorite part is not knowing. Still, I accept that these things exist because they are usually based on previews. Snooping into anything beyond the show it self seems a little rotten, in my opinion.

I guess this is mostly just a rant thread (because I just read some thread about someone's IMDB info that may or may not have wrecked something for me). But I do wonder how it is that some people aren't content to think about the theories of the show without breaking out of the fantasy by pursuing the "reality" behind it?

(sorry for the convoluted nature of this rant -- I was in a rush to get my thoughts out.)

An example of "breaking the fourth wall" in the television/film industry is when the actor speaks directly to the camera, destroying the illusion that we're peering at them through the fourth wall of the set. I'm confused as to how spoilers/internet research fit that phrase, unless it's the destruction of the illusion part.

However, the traditional breaking of the fourth wall can be used artistically and well, such as in the recent remake of the movie "Alfie" where the title character narrates his life to the camera constantly.

To answer your rant more directly, there are people who love a mystery, and there are people who love *solving* a mystery. There's a distinction there. The solvers will usually go to great lengths to dig up what they believe is a satisfying answer.

Of course, there are also people who need to be the first person to figure things out. They love the acclaim and attention they get when they're the first person to post something that later is confirmed. Check out any message board for one of the popular MMORPGs and you'll constantly see posts about people who were the *first* to figure out a tricky quest, or the *first* to reach the maximum level allowed.

Then there are those people who are actually painfully *bothered* by the fact that there's an unsolved mystery. Imagine if the fictional character Monk (a detective on a show by the same title on the USA network) watched LOST. If he didn't figure everything out in the first five minutes, he'd obsess and obsess and dig and dig until he solved it. He just can't help it.

The "destruction of the illusion part" is exactly what I meant -- resorting to information that is not part of the show's world in order to figure things out about the show. It bugs me.

I know there are solvers and mystery-lovers. Mainly, I was just particularly pissed that the IMDB thing I read on here was not put in the blacked out spoiler type, and therefore I was forced to read it and now I'm annoyed by knowing what was revealed.

But what can ya do? I guess I've just never been one of those people who reads the last chapter of a book first. For me, the journey is the destination.

Ah well.

The "destruction of the illusion part" is exactly what I meant -- resorting to information that is not part of the show's world in order to figure things out about the show. It bugs me. I know there are solvers and mystery-lovers. Mainly, I was just particularly pissed that the IMDB thing I read on here was not put in the blacked out spoiler type, and therefore I was forced to read it and now I'm annoyed by knowing what was revealed. But what can ya do? I guess I've just never been one of those people who reads the last chapter of a book first. For me, the journey is the destination. Ah well.

I certainly can understand what you mean. Many times its pure overkill - with people googling every word in a script for hidden meanings. Or coming up with theories that don't hold a thread to what we've seen on the show. And lots of people don't consider that many others don't want to read spoilers of any kind. Etiquette and consideration should be part of forums such as this, but many times it's little things that are overlooked such as the title of a thread or including a quote without spoiler font in a non-spoiler section, or not simply providing a link. Responsible posters generally do a preview of thier post and re-read thier entry to make sure it doesn't spoil people or contain major errors. But everyone's definition isn't quite the same. That's why forums such as this one aren't enjoyed by everyone.
On a positive note for you, information from IMDB is not always accurate. So whatever you read may or may not be accurate.

On a positive note for you, information from IMDB is not always accurate. So whatever you read may or may not be accurate.


Thanks for understanding.

And yah, someone else was saying that IMDB likes the red herrings, so I'm hoping. :)

If this kind of thing bugs you, I would recommend not logging into message boards anymore. You are not going to be able to get away from it I'm afraid, This is a show about clues, and a big mystery, with tons of little mysteries inside of the big mystery, and ABC itself is posting that diary stuff, and IMDB as crappy as it is has become part of the investigation for the online folks.

Message boards like this could also be considered breaking the illusion of the show.

What I've noticed this season is lazy posters who don't search to see if there is already a thread about the subject they start a thread about, and even if they do people are posting with such cryptic and nonsensical thread titles they would not be able to find it with a search anyhow.

I see stuff like "Ana is a_______" and think it could mean anything.

Anyway, IMDB sucks, and has published extremely false casting on thier website.

Njc--------------

IMHO the IMDB is the Star or National Enquirer of the internet. LOL

mkyrownkndofmusic, I agree with you about the way peopel gather information about this show. I used to do the same thing when I first watched Survivor, analyzed screencaps/editing/etc, read "spoilers" from friends and family of the contestants, all to figure out who was booted next and who won before any of it happened. Eventually though, I grew jaded with the search and found it took away from the immediate pleasure of the show, which is what television is, an immediate escape from our lives.

With LOST, however, the producers have figured out a way to make the internet part of that diversion by creating websites, planning quotes to say in interviews, and messing with the cast. They are masters at what the WWE is just learning to do with the Internet Wrestling Community. In other words, the producers are the ones breaking the fourth wall, perhaps in a revolutionary manner.

ETA: For example, while it's not likely, who is to say the producers (or perhaps an intern) aren't the ones messing with the IMDB cast list.

Does anyone remember the Blair Witch? that movie was built/pushed by the webiste; this is very simialr to that. Half of this shows success is due to these sites and the ability to post theories and share ideas; this is becoming a cult like rocky horror, only for the next gen, the web gen.

I read the spoilers and I admit on occaison I do read and listen to gossip about the actors if it might lead to a clue..for instance if a certain actor was seen in Hawaii last week. I might put that in my mental file and see what I can deduce from that. I will say though that I keep such speculations deep within the spoiler forum and I would never put XXXXX was on the island last week! in a thread title out where everyone could see it! That's just RUDE.

However to HATE the way other people do it is a bit..strange. Somone could say they HATE when people only take clues from the show and never step outside the little box to figure things out or they HATE people who like to be surprised. That would be pretty silly but the thing is..its no better or no worse than trying to figue out things on your own. There is really no 'right' way to watch a tv show or no 'right' way to figure out a mystery. Everyone does what makes them happy and should be allowed to do so without censure. Be surprised or work on trying to find out what's going on..its all good as long as we respect one another's space.


However I have not bothered much with the internet sites. The only reason I have visited Oceanic was for preview clips. I haven't been to the Hanso site or any of the other sites or bothered much with fake scripts and have taken most of what the creative team/actors have said with a whole shaker of salt knowing that they are masters at deflecting answers.

And I certainly do not use IMDB in any of my speculations. I could write in and say I was the third castaway on the right and who would know?? (except the fanatics on this board of course. ;)

I don't mind minor spoilers such as who the next episode is going to center around andfeature flashbacks of but I don't like the big spoilers, I love this board and boards like because I love to hear the theories others come up with but I wish ALL spoilers were tagged as such so each person could choose how much they wanted to be spoiled.

I think a lot of the recent problems are from new users that don't know the spolier etiquette here. It is very annoying that so many spoliers are out there in thread titles, in posts, or being discussed w/o spoiler font.

If this kind of thing bugs you, I would recommend not logging into message boards anymore. You are not going to be able to get away from it I'm afraid, This is a show about clues, and a big mystery, with tons of little mysteries inside of the big mystery, and ABC itself is posting that diary stuff, and IMDB as crappy as it is has become part of the investigation for the online folks.



I've been coming to this board for almost a year now and I've been able to stay pretty spolier free (since I kicked the habit). This site is very good about keeping spolier topics separated from people that don't want to be spolied. The mods are very good at house keeping and moving or spolier fonting threads that need it. And if worse comes to worse and I stumple across a spolier, I report the post for not having spolier font. Many people at this board are spolier free, and we shouldn't have to leave just because of few people that don't follow the rules of the site.

I just want to remind this thread-starter - to each his/her own. I love spoilers and solving the mystery. You don't. This board can meet both of our needs, but there is no reason to put the other person's way of enjoying the show down. This is a huge public forum where everyone is welcome. Part of the price you have to pay for this level of access is that not everyone knows the rules right away. Oh & "breaking the 4th wall" in this show seems to be the involvement of the fans by internet - and I am lovin' it!

If this kind of thing bugs you, I would recommend not logging into message boards anymore.

It's funny you just said this, Noeland, because over on the IMDb message boards people are reeling over the most recent "spoiled spoiler," and I actually recommended that people who were concerned about spoilers (and/or generally wanted a more welcoming atmosphere) should hop over to thefuselage. If anyone thinks that this board is crazy with "Ana Lucia is a ____" and other spoiler threads, et al, go to the IMDb Lost board... haha :cool:

i agree with violentcorpse. i think a lot of the allure of the show comes from the web stuff; the official sites, the fake sites, interviews, quotes, sightings, previews, photos, gossip etc. it all adds to the mystery and it builds up an entire aura around the show so it somehow seems more than a one hour a week program.

i think the imdb-ers kind of spoil it for themselves. i love the mystery and the build-up and as much as i love vague spoilers and teasing snippits of info, i'd never want to know a major upcoming plot point or find out which actors are slated to appear in which forthcoming episodes. i actually think this board is pretty good; yesterday, several of my friends who are casual 'lost' viewers kept asking if i'd seen the big spoiler going around several of the major entertainment/gossip sites and i hadn't seen anything here or on the other boards i use (although i do stay away from the 'spoiler' forum ;p).

i supose we have to keep in mind that if it's posted on imdb (factual or not), it's out there on the web for all to discuss.