Spoilers are the bane of many fans’ existence — and the lifeblood for many others. Depending on your point of view, spoilers can either ruin an epic twist in your favorite series, or tide you over through those interminable days, weeks, or months between episodes. They can detract from your enjoyment of a program or, as a recent article from Wired argues, increase it.

And they can create tense rifts between the spoilerphobes and spoilerhounds in a show’s fan base — especially as everyone’s definition for “what is a spoiler” is different, as is everyone’s idea of the timeframe for how long something remains a spoiler.

If you’re in the camp of those who either don’t care about spoilers or even actively seek them out, Netflix has a new website just for you. As for me, I do my best to avoid any and all spoilers for my favorite shows. I don’t mind vague references to things that are coming up; in fact, it’s nearly impossible to avoid those because I spend a lot of time reading entertainment news. However, I don’t like when a major plot twist or character death is given away without warning. I’ll be forever scarred by seeing a friend’s Facebook status update about the death of a certain Irish sheriff before the episode of Once Upon a Time I was missing had even finished airing.

The author of the Wired article argues that humans really don’t enjoy surprises or twists as much as we think we do, but I disagree. For me, a show is all about the journey, and every twist and surprise is an important part of that trip. I enjoy the feeling I get when a TV show takes me completely by surprise; so rarely do shows manage to accomplish it.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pulled it off last season, and I loved every minute of it. Then, the burden of spoiler-protection fell to me, as I had to go all summer without revealing (here comes that spoiler!) Agent Ward’s betrayal of S.H.I.E.L.D. to certain members of my family because they hadn’t finished the season. I recently re-watched that first season with a friend and, even though I enjoyed it just as much the second time around, I still appreciate the thrill I got from being surprised the first time. It just wouldn’t have been the same had I known what to expect.

Yes, not knowing what’s around the corner is naturally uncomfortable for a species built to survive. Being in the dark can be nerve-wracking at times, but when it comes to being entertained, I love that tension and suspense. I learned that lesson 15 years ago when I was accidentally spoiled on the ending of The Sixth Sense just days after it came out in theaters. I still lament the fact that I’ll never be able to see that film without knowing about the twist; I feel so deprived of that shock. I think that’s the moment when I really began avoiding spoilers as much as possible.

Whether you avoid spoilers or not, it’s important to try to at least have respect for any member of your fandom who has different views on the subject. But what constitutes a spoiler?

With such variation in definitions from person to person, we may as well turn to the crowdsourced Urban Dictionary, where the top definition of “spoiler” is: “When someone reveals a previously unknown aspect of something which you likely would have rather learned on your own.” By this definition, almost anything about a show you haven’t seen yet would qualify as a spoiler. I prefer to know as little information as possible about an episode that hasn’t aired yet, but there are certain things I don’t consider spoilers: previews for a new episode, casting announcements, and other promotional and logistical items. More specific details about an episode, such as whether someone dies or turns out to be a double agent, for example, qualify as spoilers in my book.

Of course, not everyone agrees with where I draw the line. I know fans who won’t even watch previews for upcoming episodes because they don’t want to know anything before they see the episode. Some show runners even agree with this harsh standard; Matthew Weiner is known for supplying AMC with such vague and disjointed episode previews for Mad Men that no one can glean any worthwhile information from that credits-sharing sequence. But it’s good to remember that not everyone is this strict. With so much variance, when you do accidentally come across spoilers, perhaps whoever posted the information did not consider their comment to be a spoiler.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to avoid spoilers is that social media is a virtual minefield of spoilers. If you’re not going to watch the latest episode of The Walking Dead live but feel the need to check your Twitter feed, don’t be surprised if you glimpse something you’d rather not see.

If I know I’m going to be missing an episode of a show that I definitely wouldn’t want to find spoilers for, I avoid social media as much as possible. I even limit my online exposure during the few hours between the time Doctor Who airs in the United Kingdom and when I can watch it here in the United States.

On the flip side, if you know you have followers or friends who are behind, it’s only polite to avoid posting explicit spoilers. I know this is hard. I often tweet while I’m watching television shows, but I try to avoid posting anything too detailed about what is happening. Sometimes, vague tweets can be even more fun.

But the question becomes: at what point is a spoiler no longer a spoiler? By now, if you don’t know that Darth Vader is Luke’s father or that Dumbledore doesn’t make it out of Hogwarts alive, you’re either really out of touch or really good at avoiding spoilers. There are just some things that have become a part of pop culture and there’s no way to avoid knowing how they end. I just watched Psycho for the first time a few years ago, but I’ve known about the ending for as long as I can remember. In that case, knowing how the movie ended didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment of the film.

I hope the same will hold true for a recently completed TV series. I plan to watch all of Breaking Bad someday soon and am trying to avoid spoilers, but I know I can’t expect everyone around me to refrain from posting them. In fact, I have already been partially spoiled as to the end of the series — but that’s the price I pay for not watching the series when it was originally airing. However, others may be irate if you were to spoil the end of the series for them.

My general rule of thumb is to give a television show at least 24 hours before I post anything I would consider a spoiler (unless I have friends who I know haven’t seen the episode and won’t want to be spoiled). It frustrates me when people post about big twists before the episode has even ended — at the very least, you should wait three hours until the West Coast has gotten to see the episode. After 24 hours, if you still haven’t watched the episode, you better just be good at avoiding spoilers, because it’s open season, in my opinion.

It’s a little different for books or movies. With movies, I try to wait at least a week or two after their release, and with books, at least a month. Usually, by then, those who are most interested have already seen the movie or read the book.

That doesn’t mean you should intentionally spoil somebody. If your friend tells you they’re marathoning Lost for the first time, don’t go and tell them how the series ends. Have some respect and let them experience the show for themselves. If anyone asks you not to spoil something specific, be it a book, movie, or TV series, common courtesy says you just don’t do it.

If you don’t think you can handle not posting about what you’ve seen or read, find a discussion board or someplace dedicated to spoilers where you can talk about it. There are plenty of places online where you spoiler fans are welcome.

There really is no common ground where spoilers are concerned, but we can all try to respect our fellow fans when it comes to spoilers.

And whatever you do, please don’t tell me how Breaking Bad ends. I already know more than I want to.

Last week, the Starz adaptation of Outlander made some creative choices that separated it from the books upon which it is based — and I, for one, became concerned. In the series’ third episode, “The Way Out,” additional small changes were evident, but they served as effective tools to help with the transition from the written word to the small screen.

The episode opens with a flashback in which Claire Beauchamp, who has traveled through time to 18th-century Scotland, is back in her own world, bidding farewell to her husband Frank as she embarks on a train to the front lines to serve as a combat nurse in World War II. This scene emphasizes that Claire’s independent nature, illustrated so far during her time in and around the ancient Castle Leoch, is a characteristic of her 20th-century self as well: she is unwilling to play the role of the stereotypical housewife. Frank asks her to reconsider joining the war effort, but Claire insists on being of service. With resignation, Frank laments, “Woe betide the man who stands between you and what you set your mind upon…”

Claire finds herself in her room at Castle Leoch. Mrs. Fitz is fussing over Claire when Claire turns to tell her that she has fallen through time at Craigh na Dun, the circle of stones near Inverness. Mrs. Fitz clearly is afraid when Claire says that she is from the future and that her husband, who everyone thinks is dead, actually hasn’t been born yet. Claire reveals she is from 1945 and has unwittingly found herself in 1743. Claire isn’t sure if she can even go back to her own time. Claire pleads for Mrs. Fitz to help her get back to the stones. Mrs. Fitz slaps her in the face and accuses her of witchcraft. At this point, I am seething, as nothing remotely similar to this scenario takes place in the book.

Seconds later, however, I am relieved to find that this scene was imagined by Claire. As far as this interaction strays from the book, it does serve an important purpose here. The Highland people of the 18th century were (and, to some degree, still are) a superstitious bunch. Their folklore is filled with fairies, spirits, witchcraft, and the constant need to defend oneself against Satan’s ever-present seduction. This background may not be clear to someone not already familiar with Scottish history or anyone who has yet to read the novel. The beliefs of the locals are pivotal to the storyline, and this daydream helps to establish the backdrop for future events.

Mrs. Fitz reveals that The Gathering is coming. The Gathering is an event at which all of the men living on the land of Clan MacKenzie come and swear allegiance to their laird. Claire feels this might be an opportunity to get the Clan’s leader, Colum, to trust her — by “physicking” the ill and earning her freedom. She sets about organizing the medical suite unknowingly left to her by the late Davey Beaton, the castle’s previous healer. Her healing skills are becoming a respected and much-sought asset.

It is revealed to Claire that one of the maids’ sons has died. Claire is told that the child, young Lindsey MacNeill, succumbed the previous night. When Claire inquires as to why she wasn’t called upon, Mrs. Fitz tells her that the boy died of nothing mere mortals could cure. The boy, she says, has died because he visited “The Black Kirk,” the ruins of an old Benedictine monastery. She, as well as everyone else in the area, believes he was taken by evil spirits who dwell in the stony rubble.

Claire, of course, believes none of this but says nothing. She is then called to Colum’s rooms, where he is found having a hilarious conversation with a tailor about the length of his coat. Colum is offended that the tailor is attempting to measure Colum for a frock coat considerably longer than the standard knee-length. The tailor assumed that Colum wanted his deformed legs covered, but clearly Colum does not.

Colum requests from the new healer a massage for his pain, as Beaton used to do. He and Claire get into a conversation about the cause of Lindsey’s death; Claire is vague about her belief that Lindsey was killed by demons. Colum says, “What, you don’t have demons in Oxfordshire, Mistress?” Claire pauses and returns with, “Well, we do … but we call them Scots.” Colum appreciates her humor and invites her as his personal guest to hear a famous Welsh bard, Gwyllyn, perform in The Hall that night.

At The Hall, Claire formally introduces herself to Mrs. Fitz’s granddaughter, Laoghaire MacKenzie. The girl obviously admires Jamie, the young man who saved her from punishment in the previous episode. Laoghaire admits that, while she likes Jamie, he does not return her affection. Claire promises to steer Jamie in her direction. However, her attempt is unsuccessful. Several times, Claire tries to encourage Jamie to attend to Laoghaire, but he is just shy of rude to her in order to converse directly with Claire.

Jamie and Claire discuss the talents of the bard, which are extraordinary. This musician, played by renowned medieval Gaelic singer and poet Gillebride MacMillan, is a marvel. The snippets of his performances alone make Outlander a must-see: the gorgeous vocals, rich in emotion and depth, further complement the already glorious set designs of this series.

Jamie notices that Claire has been imbibing Colum’s Rhenish wine. He asks her to attend to his bandages, although this is just an excuse to escort her safely from The Hall. Sparks fly when Claire and Jamie are alone in her surgery. The chemistry portrayed by the leads is fantastic. This is one thing that makes this adaptation successful. The almost karmic relationship between Jamie and Claire, established from the first book, is a key element in the entire Outlander series.

On a visit to the castle’s herb garden, Claire meets Geillis Duncan, who tells her that Mrs. Fitz’s nephew, Thomas Baxter, is taken with the same illness that killed the boy’s friend Lindsey. Geillis further informs Claire that the local priest, Father Bain, is going to exorcise the boy. Geillis warns Claire to stay away, for fear that she will be associated with evil spirits. Claire goes anyway, much to the consternation of her guard, and encounters the strident, almost psychotic, Catholic priest. He undertakes an exorcism, while Claire, realizing the boy has been poisoned by an unknown source, stands by helplessly.

A parallel storyline emerges here, with Claire recognizing her attraction to Jamie and witnessing Jamie and Laoghaire kissing quite passionately in an alcove. Claire teases Jamie about it at dinner, but one of the men warns Claire that if Colum or Laoghaire’s father hears of it, Jamie could get more than a beating — he could get a wife, “And that’s not the wife he should have …”

A happy turn of events has Claire being escorted to Cranesmuir, a village near the castle, to visit Geillis, the procurator fiscal’s wife. The Clan’s military leader, Dougal, suggests that Claire might stock her medical shelves in preparation for The Gathering. Claire is quite shocked to see that, as attractive and charming as Geillis is, her husband, the Fiscal, is much older, quite unattractive, and in ill health.

When a boy in the town confesses to stealing a loaf of bread, Geillis tells Claire that the boy will lose his hand. Claire is horrified and asks if the sentence is necessary. Her new friend asks probing questions, such as, “Do they not have that in Oxfordshire, then?” However, to appease her friend, Geillis, in a quite bewitching fashion, convinces her husband, whose job it is to settle disputes and determine punishments, to be lenient. The boy gets an hour in the pillory with one ear nailed. Claire again cannot believe that this is considered leniency, and Geillis continues her questions, making Claire worry that Geillis somehow knows that Claire is from a different time.

Claire is able to avoid further explanation when Jamie comes to escort her back to the castle. Before they go, Claire asks if Jamie can do something to help the boy, whose ear has been nailed to the pillory all day. He agrees, and Claire creates a diversion while Jamie pulls the nail, which saves the boy from having to tear himself loose.

Reminded of the plight of the violently ill Thomas Baxter, Claire asks Jamie if he can take her to The Black Kirk. Here, she discovers that a plant that everyone takes for wood garlic is, in fact, a very similar-looking — and deadly poisonous — lily-of-the-valley. This plant is commonly eaten by boys who visit the Kirk as a sign of their bravery. Claire knows the cure and, despite the angry and threatening protestations of Father Bain, gives the boy an anecdote. Soon after, the boy is cured. Instead of being delighted, Father Bain is humiliated and threatens Claire that “God will have the last word. I promise you that.”

The episode ends with another performance by Gwyllyn the Bard. This time, Claire is treated — by Jamie — to a translation of the Welsh lyrics. The song, it turns out, is about a woman who touched a stone at a fairy ring near the celebration of Samhain and was transported to another time. She made a life for herself in that other time, finding friends and lovers. But she longed for her home and the man she had left behind, and at another time near Samhain, she returned to the stone circle, touched the stone, and was transported once again to her own time. This story echoes Claire’s own journey through the stones, which also took place at a stone circle near the time of Samhain. She decides a return to 1945 — and her dear Frank — is possible, and she determines to find a way back.

No gratuitous nudity distracted from the storyline in this episode. While it varied a bit from the novel — for instance, the poisoning of the boys at The Black Kirk didn’t happen in the book — the changes were necessary to translate the plot to screen and to provide a platform for the story’s progression.

The Legend of Korra’s third season has ended, and fans were treated to another incredible epic. With its latest season, The Legend of Korra proved that strong and diverse characters with powerful backstories and interesting emotional arcs can add immeasurable depth and interest to any series.

Korra’s predecessor, Avatar: The Last Airbender, saw many characters evolve across its three seasons, and Korra inherited that world with all of its implications. In Korra’s season 3, that allowed viewers to rejoin the life of Zuko, now an old man, to see how his life changed since becoming friends with Avatar Aang. But it was not the first time the series used historical continuity to build incredible characters for the world of Korra.

In Korra’s first episode, we are introduced to Tenzin, who, as the son of Avatar Aang and the water bender Katara, has the weight of the world on his shoulders. His family is the last group from the Air Nation, and we can see how Tenzin struggles with the responsibility of being the sole inheritor of a culture on the verge of extinction.

Tenzin spends the first two seasons struggling with being the son of the last Avatar. By definition, he is incapable of measuring up to the legacy of his father, whose statue stands as a beacon of hope in the waters between the Air Temple and Republic City. Tenzin literally lives in his father’s shadow and often makes decisions with his father in mind. At the same time, Tenzin is a father himself, raising four young children, fully aware that they will one day inherit his burdens.

Tenzin’s role as father is fitting, as he is the audience’s closest link to Aang and the previous generation of the show’s heroes. But for so long, Tenzin is defined and consumed only by his father’s legacy. Tenzin reaches a low point when his spiritual connections are shown to not be as strong as his own daughter’s. Tenzin beats himself up, feeling that he has let his father down, until his brother Bumi and sister Kya remind him that, while they are all Aang’s children, each one of them is also an individual. Tenzin finally realizes his value as Tenzin, the father and the mentor, and not merely the son of Aang.

Tenzin’s evolution and relationship with Korra provide some of the series’ most emotionally powerful moments. At first, Tenzin is the stuffy authority who stands in Korra’s way as she tries to live her life. But by the end of season 2, we see how much their relationship has grown into one of mutual respect and familial love. Korra makes Tenzin’s goals her own and takes it as her duty to help rebuild the Air Nation, which, after being wiped out by the Fire Nation over 100 years ago, finally has a chance to be resurrected at the beginning of season 3.

After Korra’s actions open the portals to the Spirit Dimension, the world around the Avatar begins to change drastically. Part of that change is the resurgence of air benders across the globe. Korra and Tenzin seize the moment to reestablish the Air Nation. Tenzin realizes the incredible significance as he finally has the opportunity to fulfill his father’s dreams while also creating his own legacy.

Tenzin’s strength as a leader is visible through the growth of his daughter, Jinora. Jinora started the show as a seemingly minor character, though her potential was always evident. Instead of leaving her character’s development to the imagination, the writers chose to craft an impressive story arc for her, culminating in the final scene of Korra’s third season.

Jinora shows an incredible love for history, philosophy, legends, and everything involving the Avatar and the Air Nation. It is evident from the beginning that she hopes to inherit the leadership of the Nation from her father, and with season 3, Jinora proves that she is resourceful, intelligent, and powerful. Jinora’s connection to the Spirit World gives her a power that is out of the grasp of even the Avatar, as she is able to project her consciousness across large distances. By season 3’s final scene, it is evident that Jinora has become a leader, reaching a new high, just as Korra reaches her new low.

Having two incredibly powerful woman characters would be impressive enough for any show, but The Legend of Korra goes above and beyond in showcasing powerful women. Asami, originally Korra’s rival for the affections of a boy, came into her own in the course of the show and became defined by much more than just her relationship with a boy. Asami, the head of Future Industries at a young age, stepped up in the first season as a hero, defending Team Avatar against her own father, the corrupt industrialist who was supporting the Equalists. Though she is not a bender, Asami proves herself more than capable as a fighter, utilizing her company’s technology as personal weapons and her own martial arts training to help Korra take down the leaders of the Red Lotus.

The Red Lotus, newly introduced in season 3, are four very powerful anarchist benders who seek to destroy the social order. Believing kings and presidents to be antithetical to human nature, the Red Lotus puts its philosophy into action, even succeeding in killing a world leader. Adding to the depth of these antagonists is the fact that many of the world’s leaders show themselves to be incompetent and possibly dangerous. The audience is better able to understand the characters’ motivations because there is an element of truth to what they say. Still, their actions cross a line, especially as they threaten the lives of the new members of the Air Nation.

The Red Lotus proves their might throughout the season by getting into incredible battles with characters whom the fans know are great fighters. The anarchists are able to take down all three of Aang’s children in a fair fight, establishing their credibility as a force to be reckoned with. Their dominance is then used to great effect to establish the strength of Bolin and Mako, Korra’s best friends who have to step up to the challenge of the Red Lotus warriors.

Bolin and Mako have been part of what makes Korra a great series since the beginning. The brothers of mixed nationality have a strong relationship, which we see throughout the series. Bolin, the earth bender, was always the funnier character, while Mako, the fire bender, was much more serious. The two brothers come from the streets of Republic City, where their parents were murdered, and they had to work for criminals just to survive.

Bolin and Mako are the peasants who dine with kings as they join Korra to help save the world. Mako, a detective for the police force, still mourns the death of his parents and does the best he can to be there for his brother. His growth as an independent hero continues to shine through in season 3 as his detective skills often lead the group in the right direction. But it is his emotional connection with his brother that really shines through in in the most recent season.

Bolin was always the comic relief character, and in that role has added much to the show. However, Bolin was starting to feel static by the end of Korra’s second season, which made his growth in season 3 that much more rewarding. We find out in season 3 that Bolin doesn’t have a lot of confidence in himself, which makes a lot of sense, given his brother’s abilities. Bolin tries to learn metal bending, which is a skill that very few earth benders are able to master. Bolin is shown up immediately by Korra, who masters the skill quickly. The writers play with this development throughout the season, making you believe Bolin is about to step up before ultimately failing, until the end of the season when Bolin, the perpetual comic relief character, saves everybody by proving himself in another way.

Bolin and Mako’s characters both shine incredibly when they meet their extended family for the first time. Bolin quickly learns the names of everybody and welcomes them all into his life. Mako, still reserved, finds comfort in meeting his grandmother for the first time. Their family was unaware of their parents’ passing, and when Mako has to break the news to their grandmother, he gives her his father’s scarf, which Mako has been wearing for the entirety of the show. Mako giving up the scarf to his father’s mother creates an unbelievably powerful moment shared by him, Bolin, and their family. That moment wouldn’t be possible without the long-term writing that has made the show so strong.

But whereas Bolin and Mako grow stronger for each other, we are also treated to another pair of siblings who prove that you don’t have to like each other to love each other. The Beifong sisters, Lin, and Suyin, act as parallels to many of the show’s other characters while still being compelling and powerful in their own right. The sisters are the daughters of the first metal bender, Toph Beifong, one of the protagonists in The Last Airbender, who has achieved legendary status within the Avatar World. Toph was blind and lived with an overbearing family that prevented her from living her own life until she ran away. As a parent, Toph chose to learn from her parents’ mistakes and gave her children incredible freedom, perhaps too much, with Suyin slipping into the life of a criminal and Lin going out of her way to become like her mother in an attempt to make her proud.

Lin has been around since the beginning of Korra and was originally used as another obstacle for Korra. As the chief of police, Lin was unwilling to let Korra run free in her city, finding the Avatar’s attitude and behavior to be frustrating and, at times, illegal. In time, however, Lin and Korra’s relationship grew into one of respect, and the two powerful women have been saving each other’s lives frequently ever since.

In season 3, we learn that, like Tenzin, Lin has never been able to get out of the shadow of her more famous parent. Suyin, who has since reformed and become a great leader of the Metal Clan, reveres her mother, continuing to build on her legacy since Toph has disappeared. Suyin does her best to convince Lin of her changed attitudes, but it takes much persuasion and an epic metal-bending fight to finally put the past in the past.

Lin and Suyin are able to move past their differences without ever acting as though their problems don’t exist. Like Bolin and Mako as they take on two of the Red Lotus members, Lin and Suyin work together, saving each other’s lives, to fight the incredibly powerful combustion bender of the Lotus.

Adding to all of these incredible characters is the series’ title star, Korra. Korra was always powerful, always skilled, and always sure of herself. Revered as a demigod since birth, Korra became abrasive, expecting everyone to listen to her and allow her to do as she pleased, leading to early season head-bumping with Tenzin and Lin. In season 2, her attitude almost sparked a civil war, but she came into her own as a leader by connecting to the Spirit World and gaining a greater understanding of the world in which she lives.

In season 3, however, Korra is pushed to the brink. Her decision to leave open the Spirit portals has proven very unpopular, and the people of the world don’t like how their world has been forever changed. Korra faces constant public scrutiny for her decisions, even leading to her banishment from Republic City.

Korra has also become the first Avatar since the original to be unable to speak with her past lives. For much of the show, when the Avatar reached rock bottom, Aang or Korra could call upon the spirits of their predecessors to offer guidance. With the opening of the Spirit portal, however, Korra’s connection has been severed. With the Avatar no longer acting as a bridge to the Spirit World, and without her connection to her past lives, in addition to the Equalists and the Red Lotus calling the Avatar a relic of a bygone era, Korra’s confidence in her ability and her importance to the world are thoroughly shaken. In overcoming the challenge of the Red Lotus, Korra was left broken, in a wheelchair, questioning if she is even needed anymore.

With Korra’s growth as a character, the stakes of the show have been raised. We are left with the idea that the world could really lose its Avatar as it modernizes into a society more familiar to us. The changing times may prove that the Avatar is no longer needed, and Korra could truly be the last. With that idea comes the possibility that The Legend of Korra’s title character will actually die, adding a new layer of interest to the show’s fourth and final season.

By the third season finale of The Legend of Korra, the audience is able to see the incredible depth of characters — and depth of character — that makes Korra so compelling. No fewer than nine heroes get to shine in the final battle, as four distinct and established villains fight them to the bitter end. Each fight carries with it greater emotional weight: we see the relationships between brothers, sisters, and fathers and their daughters. Even subtle moments carry the weight of history in them, such as the moment when Lord Zuko learns that Korra spoke with his uncle, which fans of The Last Airbender will remember was the most compelling relationship of that show.

The end of the season again establishes a new status quo as a Nation slowly rebuilds, a leader steps up, and another hits rock bottom. In an incredible move, the creators of The Legend of Korra have given us three straight epic seasons, full of action, adventure, drama, comedy, politics, philosophy, history, and rich characters. Without a doubt, The Legend of Korra will go down in history as one of the most unexpectedly great shows.