I remember watching the previews for a new show called The Walking Dead on AMC over 10 years ago. It looked interesting and I got quickly hooked. It aired on the perfect day and time Sundays at 9 pm (EST) as I was almost always home then and a few hours before bed.
After 4 or 5 seasons of reading other viewers reviews as well as the professional External ones AFTER the latest episode of TWD had aired I began writing fairly short reviews myself just for fun. I would jot down bullet point topics while watching and then quickly bang out my review while everything was still fresh in my mind.
I would NEVER read other people's reviews or any of the professional external ones until after I had submitted my review as I did not want to be influenced in any way, shape or form directly or even perhaps subconsciously.
This worked out great for me until recently.
Apparently if you pay extra money or purchase an upgraded package or whatever from AMC you get to see the newest episode of TWD a day or so earlier than everyone else.
I have absolutely no problem with that.
What I do have a problem with is IMDB now allowing rating scores and reviews to be posted PRIOR to the latest episode has being aired on traditional cable tv.
I know, I know - Why don't I just NOT read them until AFTER I have watched the latest episode at its regular time? Fair question.
The answer is before the new episode starts I would always review the cover page and read the basically spoiler free AMC synopsis. That way I got the general gist of whats going on, Is this a continuation of last weeks episode or something different like Michonne going to the island or Morgan's one off back story.
I would also then go back to last weeks episode and re-read my review as well as reading everybody elses and the profession external reviews to be all caught up from last week as a lot of things can happen IRL in any given week, this week being no exception.
I would also glance at the characters to see if there were any new ones and if so how to correctly spell there names.
I CAN'T do that anymore without seeing the average vote from over 300 viewers who have all seen the newest episode early, not to mention the over a dozen reviews some with already over 50 pro or con votes (obviously those are much easier to ignore).
My point is that I never use to have to go through all these various gyrations.
So now its not fun anymore and I have just stop writing reviews.
The solution to this problem is very easy. IMDB should simply NOT post RATING SCORES or REVIEWS until AFTER the new episode has aired at its normal time when MOST people watch it. Is that really that hard?
OK, I've vented. I was just curious if anyone else felt the same way?