Emphasis on the some, as I know all too well the old tale of no one not enjoying [subject] more than fans of [subject]. Also to be really clear, this isn’t intended as a dig at those that don’t become jaded, so much as genuine curiosity.
I’ve had the misfortune of really enjoying some genre stories only to find it harder to maintain interest in others I come across due to overfamiliarity making what might otherwise be interesting twists or turns feel a little…Predictable. It’s a bummer that even taking breaks from some genres doesn’t seem to assuage.
Life is too short to read/watch/play stuff you’re not enjoying. If you’re not having fun, if it’s hard to watch, don’t.
And it’s okay to be like “small doses” too. I can only stand Farscape and dr who in small blocks; they’re amazing shows, but the comedy is a bit grating.
Genre fiction is not automatically predictable, and even if you see the twist coming, it can still be realized in a surprising way.
I’m guessing it’s just sturgeon’s law at work. The fact that you enjoy genre X does not mean you are required to read/watch all the crud in genre X.
Perhaps this makes me a shitty fan*, but I simply avoid the genre for a while, or reread/rewatch works that I know to be good, divergent, or atypical. Then when I come back it feels fresh again.
*in my case it’s fantasy anime and manga. Specially isekai. And ooh boy those can be cookie-cutter repetitive.
I don’t watch shows or movies for plot twists, I’m a big fan of forshadowing and things that make sense. I can watch a million well-written predictable things because for me it’s more about the journey than the destination. Yes, I also love reading spoilers and Disney’s obsession with secrecy annoys me.
To clarify a little, it’s not so much experiencing for plot twists as it’s a matter of becoming overfamiliar with some story structure/beats in genres so that they may lose some of their appeal or interest. It’s kind of like the journey ceases to be a journey after awhile and is a little more like a regular commute, so even if you were more after the journey than the destination, you’re gradually in a weird spot where you’re out of luck.
Does that somehow…Not happen for folks who continue to enjoy genre fiction? That’s more of what I’m wondering.
Well, most rom-coms are pretty formulaic and so are procedurals. Honestly, most genres seem to follow stablished formulas and I tend to avoid those that don’t, like those edgy gritty dramas
I think I get what you’re saying. It’s hard to enjoy story beats when you’ve seen the tropes a million times already. When a plot-point is revealed, you typically know how it’ll play out, so you now have to watch it unfold. This seems to get worse over time, but there are gems that genuinely have held my interest and allowed me to be propelled by curiosity, rather than being pulled through a game by recycled narratives.
Having a teenager has given me a new perspective on these things, because they haven’t been desensitized to those commonly used elements just yet. I’d say to keep gaming and remember the special few that made you feel something or kept you guessing. Cheers
Life is strange, What remains of Edith Finch, Alan Wake
Yeah, you got what I was trying to ask about! Also interesting that you take the games angle, as they have a sort of extra “problem” imo apart from narrative trope stuff, which is related to the gameplay. Similar situation as with stories just with gameplay one may have experienced a million times already.
If the story’s compelling enough, it can help pull a game through, or vice versa, where the gameplay helps you gloss over an average story, but ideally they’re both doing enough that you have a great experience all around. Personally I’ve hit a snag with games lately where it’s the gameplay stuff more than the stories that haven’t been managing to keep my interest.
I’ve been a huge fan of Warhammer 40K for sooo long and have not burned out on it. The universe is so expansive and there’s so much there that if you get bored with one just move to a different part of the galaxy lol
I guess I usually just choose genres that are huge in scope with the content there. There are always different stories and different writing styles. Find niche authors or wildly popular ones their stories are going to be so different it’s amazing. I don’t know if this helps or answers the question 🙁
I take a break sooner rather than later.
