LogFAQs > #969249105

I honestly think my enjoyment of media has shifted a lot over the years because of this. Recognizing patterns and writing methods has really taken the punch out of a lot of "surprises." You can start to feel when a character's arc is still in the middle of happening, so there's no way they'd actually be killed off. Or, you can tell that a character has been given a lot of screen time and insightful moments over the last episode or two, so the writers want you to remember how likeable they are before they die forever.

It doesn't stop me from liking a show, but it does give me a new perspective on the nature of suspense and actually good writing. Good writing can surprise me still. Mediocre writing is still fine, but it's a lot easier to predict based on patterns.