While there is a certain benefit to having stories not spoiled. I know there are a certain number of movies or books where the twist is just so brilliant and amazing that not having that ‘omg’ moment would’ve been disappointing. For instance, I still remember the feeling of realizing along with Bruce Willis that he was a ghost. The thing is, I have watched The 6th Sense multiple times since then, and I have enjoyed it every time.
The way that I judge my stories is a multi-step process. I consume the story for the first time. I take it in whole, in general I don’t try to figure out the twists before they come, I just enjoy what’s going on. I let the story do what it’s trying to do. If this is successful, then I say I enjoy that story, whatever type of media it might be.
One of the weirdest things I ever watched was a series on Netflix called Captain Laserhawk, a Blood Dragon Remix. Suggested by a friend, my partner and I binged it in one sitting and it was delightful. The aesthetic was engaging, the story kept pulling me along, I enjoyed the characters, all that. Then it was over, and I turned to my partner and I said. “None of that story made sense. This plot hole and that plot hole, and this other thing that happened but had no purpose except they were trying to fool the watcher.” An entirely enjoyable show with no actual substance or staying power behind it.
But the real test for me comes when (and if) I have a desire to re-consume the story, because, like this article says, after you know where the story is going, you can take in the sights. You can consider the details, whether the foreshadowing was on point, if the the vast amount of scenes/chapters/episodes hold up and contribute to the overall. If I consume a story a second time and still enjoy it, then I consider it to be good. There are movies I will watch over and over. There are books I can pick up, open to a page, and just read. This is just the way I enjoy my stories.
And while I wouldn’t want every story to be spoiled before I get to it, I can understand why knowing the twists of a story could help enjoyment of it. As long as the story is worthwhile in the first place.
