to think people who tell you the plot are BU? And dull.

[MardyBra]

I hate it when people just tell me the plot of a film or TV programme. And it's particularly endemic amongst viewers of soaps.

Do they really think they can convey the carefully thought-out plot, dialogue, acting and scenery and do it justice.

By all means, please talk about a film or programme. But don't just relay the plot.

For example, I had the two following conversations about Gravity before I saw it:

"Gravity is a great film. Sandra Bullock is in space and then this happens and this happens and this happens. And it ends up with such and such, and this happens. Oh and George Clooney does this and this. And at the end, such and such occurs."
Even if there are no spoilers, it's just basically dull.

Or alternatively:
"I'd really recommend you see Gravity. Sandra Bullock, in particular, gives a great performance - there are some interesting parallels with Sigorney playing Ripley in the Alien films. George Clooney's there too. He's great eye candy but I think Sandra was the more important role. The film has got some amazing visuals, it's beautiful to watch. Just go and see it."

Some people can't help themselves! It's terrible.

Do soaps have a plot?

I thought that the point was that they made no sense until you'd been watching for a year at least, ad even then they don't make sense, you're just indoctrinated so it seems like they do.

My mum is terrible for giving away plots. She prefers to know as she hates the tension but I love the excitement of being slapped in the face with an incredible plot twist.

When the Harry Potter books came out I would go on media black out then spend the weekend holed up in my flat reading. Yeah, I'm a bit sad!

You clearly don't have enough professional film critics as friends.

My Mum does this. Drives me up the wall!

You should meet my husband. He won't read film reviews in case they give the plot away. He's also not keen on films of books he's read but I think that's just mad.

It doesn't bother me unless of course it was something like being told what the twist was in The Sixth Sense or The Others or Atonement (if you hadn't read the book).

So far as soaps, I literally( and I am using that word correctly) have never seen even one episode of East Enders or Coronation Street.

YANBU I have a work friend who cannot help himself. When he read the fourth game of thrones book he kept trying to tell me stuff in such a way as he thought he wasn't giving anything away, but it meant I knew x, y and z characters don't die until after the fourth book etc. no amount of refusing to listen made the slightest difference

Is your objection aimed at people who reveal spoilers or people who regale you with their personal review? As far as I can gather you don't like negative reviews but you're not a huge fan of positive reviews either.

You're one of those people.

And snobby, because only soap (!) viewers inflict this pain on you.

I'm not sure why it reminded me of this but I once took huge enjoyment in revealing the entire plot of The Woman in White to an ex, as he was one third of the way through the book. He was a complete cock and I took genuine pleasure in ruining the book for him.

I can't stand plot ruiners when it comes to books. I love film, but unless a film has a genuine 'twist' I like to know the plot, and concentrate on everything else that's going on, and appreciate the work that's gone into it. Dh can't stand it, but as I make sure I don't ruin it for him I can't see the problem!

I gave my friend a synopsis of the lot of Gravity after id seen it: "dull as fuck"

my 10yr old dd had a friend over and she had seen every single film ever made! We were watching life of pi and she kept telling us what happened before it came on and saying things like 'this bit is really scary' all the way through. Even when I told her not to she still did. It was so annoying and ruined the whole film.