​In this week’s newsletter: Once upon a time, going online after a big TV episode was an act of reckless bravery. Now, even the most talked-about shows come with an unspoken pact of silence • Don’t get The Guide delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Don’t be alarmed by the image above. I can assure you that this newsletter features no spoilers for the current season of The Traitors. We won’t be discussing the shocking departure of REDACTED, or the nefarious actions of EXPUNGED, or the fact that CENSORED is the wife/half-brother/hairdresser of NAME REMOVED. Relax, you are in a hermetically sealed Traitors safe space here. Indeed, what has gradually dawned on me while watching this latest series is how relatively straightforward avoiding spoilers has been. There have been at least a couple of occasions in the past fortnight where I have been behind by an episode or so, and I have never felt in imminent danger of prematurely learning of the latest murder or banishment. Friends who have texted me about the show’s goings-on have done so in the most cautious, detail-light manner possible, regardless of whether they knew if I was up to speed. I, in turn, am sensible enough not to wade into corners of social media where I’m most likely to be spoiled. Despite The Traitors being the biggest monocultural TV sensation in years, I don’t feel like I have to resort to desperate measures to avoid catching the results, like Bob and Terry trying to avoid the England v Bulgaria score on The Likely Lads. Continue reading...