ESL Podcast 470 - Avoiding Show and Movie Spoilers
season - the period of time when a series of programs are shown on television each year, usually in the fall and winter
When will the next season of Lost begin?
to premiere - to be broadcast or shown on television or in a theater for the first time
We look forward to watching the new shows that will premiere next month.
spoiler - something that is said or written that lets other people know what happens at the end of a book, movie, or show
If you want to enjoy the movie as much as possible, make sure you don't read any websites with spoilers that talk about how it ends.
guest star - an actor who appears in one or two shows in a series, but who is not a regular part of the program
His favorite actor is going to be a guest star on a popular drama tonight.
to make an appearance - to be present; to come to an event or to be on a show for a short period of time
The president of the company won't be able to stay at the party for very long, but she'll try to make an appearance for at least a few minutes.
plot twist - something unexpected that happens in a story, especially in a book or movie
In an interesting plot twist, the main character found out that her best friend was actually her twin sister.
to come up - to be in the near future; to happen soon
How many of you have a birthday coming up in the next month?
movie trailer - an advertisement for a movie, often shown in a movie theater before another movie begins playing
That movie trailer was fantastic! I'm definitely going to see that movie when it comes to the theaters in December.
review - a written opinion about the quality of a book or movie, usually found in a newspaper or on a website
Devon always reads the reviews to decide which movies he wants to see.
to spoil - to ruin something; to make something less fun, useful, or helpful
Their outdoor wedding was spoiled by bad weather.
suspense - a feeling of anticipation and excitement or worry, waiting to find out what will happen next
The students felt a lot of suspense as they waited for their teacher to announce their grades on the final exam.
spoiler alert - a written comment on a website or in an article that lets people know that the text in a particular part of the website or article has information about what happens in a movie or show, so that people who want to be surprised by what happens in the movie or show can choose not to read that section
I wish they had spoiler alerts in the newspaper! After reading that movie review this morning, I feel like I already know everything that happens in the movie.
to stay in the dark - to not know something; to not be told something; to be unaware or ignorant of something
They've been planning Beryl's surprise birthday party for months, and somehow he has stayed in the dark about it.
Got it? - an informal phrase used to ask someone if he or she understands what one has just said
This family has to stop spending so much money. Got it? No more new clothes, expensive dinners, or concerts.
to let the cat out of the bag - to accidentally tell a secret; to let someone know something that he or she was not supposed to know
Pauline wanted to surprise Dmitry with a new mp3 player for his birthday, but her brother let the cat out of the bag, so he wasn't surprised at all.
in for a wild ride - going to have a period of time with a lot of excitement or surprises; being in a situation where there are many unexpected things happening
The global economy is going through a lot of changes, and economists say that we're all in for a wild ride for the next few years.