Opening previews: what's the point?

[szilard]

(Again, sorry for my English.)

I mean, I always ffw to the opening. And when I loan the dvds to a friend I always tell her/him that you should ffw because there are massive spoilers in these intros. I know that many tv series uses opening previews but I don't understand their point.

An example: 5.13 - Professor Jonathan Higgins. If you watch the preview you will see the distant cousin right away. I think it is better to see her in the ep, because we and Higgins are suprised at the same time.

I saw the series 20-22 years ago for the first time but there are some ep. when I just don't remember all the small details, and the previews spoil them.

Is this just a tradition or just they have joy in spoiling our entartainment? (If you are a fan, you will see the ep., if you are not a fan you will not see even the opening preview.)

I hope that somebody can explain this to me. Thanks!

[J.J. Walters]

That's just the way it was back then for TV dramas: theme song > preview > episode. Nowadays you get a short little theme song and go right into the episode (followed by hundreds of commercial breaks).

[308GUY]

Nowadays you get a short little theme song and go right into the episode (followed by hundreds of commercial breaks).

One of the reasons I prefer to record a show and watch it later, rather than watch it when it is aired......an hour show once you skip over the commercials, usually takes less than 45 minutes to watch!

Also, don't forget the opening credits rolling through everything for the first 15-30 minutes of the show.....

[MagnumILWU]

(Again, sorry for my English.)

I mean, I always ffw to the opening. And when I loan the dvds to a friend I always tell her/him that you should ffw because there are massive spoilers in these intros. I know that many tv series uses opening previews but I don't understand their point.

An example: 5.13 - Professor Jonathan Higgins. If you watch the preview you will see the distant cousin right away. I think it is better to see her in the ep, because we and Higgins are suprised at the same time.

I saw the series 20-22 years ago for the first time but there are some ep. when I just don't remember all the small details, and the previews spoil them.

Is this just a tradition or just they have joy in spoiling our entartainment? (If you are a fan, you will see the ep., if you are not a fan you will not see even the opening preview.)

I hope that somebody can explain this to me. Thanks!

So, when you watch any Drama that is on TV today, you never watch the preview of next weeks show? That is all the preview at the beginning of the shows back then was! And it never ruined any show for me!

[Steve]

That's just the way it was back then for TV dramas: theme song > preview > episode. Nowadays you get a short little theme song and go right into the episode (followed by hundreds of commercial breaks).

Not to mention opening credits for some shows that seemingly go on for almost 15 minutes! It seems as though TV shows now have to show every single person involved as a "Producer".And funny how the end credits are either reduced to show previews of something else or sped up to be unreadable...............

[Sisophous]

I always fast forward through any previews and fast forward through the same video clips showing glimpses from other episodes. I press play on the remote when it comes to Larry Manetti digging a ditch, just before the episodes begin.

I also liked the original pre-show soundtrack in the first season than what they used throughout the series.

A reason why previews are shown is to entice the viewer to return for the next show. Soap operas back in the 80s would do this to lure people back and get them guessing what is going on.

an hour show once you skip over the commercials, usually takes less than 45 minutes to watch!

Pretty close, I think it is 48 minutes playing time from the opening to the end, minus the credits. So, you are eliminating about 25% of the nonsense if you avoid the commercials, pre-show and end credits.