"A little knowledge…" Part I

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase "A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing." In Voyager's case, for me a little knowledge is not just dangerous, it's disheartening and depressing. Lately I've been reading some of what I consider "disturbing" news on the lists, websites and bulletin boards. With all of the recent spoilers/rumors on the season finale, as well as the reports from the various conventions… it's no wonder my head is spinning and my stomach is turning. And quite frankly, what I've read is beginning to spoil my Voyager viewing pleasure.

Spoilers/Rumors… Love 'em, hate 'em. I read them, but I regret it immediately. I almost feel guilty, like I've been reading something I shouldn't. Spoilers and rumors about upcoming episodes are like reading a good book, but midway through it, you flip to the last few pages. Once there, you find discover an ending that's not quite to your liking. Is the book spoiled for you… not just because you know the ending, but because you don't like the ending? Suppose the ending were one you liked. Would you still find the book enjoyable? What if you skipped ahead to read the ending, only to discover that one or two key pages were missing? What if the ending you read turned out to be 'false' ending?

Most of the rumors/spoilers I've been reading about make me cringe (A Borg 'R&R spa' and Seven's former Borg love interest spring to mind ). I admit the Janeway-Tuvok-B'Elanna assimilation rumor has possibilities if only to have the three of them featured in an episode (and how many of us think Janeway is the ultimate in Borg Queendom?) And of course, the "biggie' - the rumor that has everyone all over the web in a tizzy - Janeway and Seven sharing a kiss (ain't gonna happen folks…and if it does, I'm sure it won't be to our liking one iota. It just reeks of WWF smackdown to me).

Knowing - rather, suspecting that any of these rumors could be happening in the Season Six Finale/Season Seven Opener makes me hesitant to watch the show. I watch the episodes now with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. It's a damned if I do, damned if I don't. Either the rumor will be true, or it won't be true, and my Voyager viewing pleasure is ruined. And of course, it's my own fault for having read the spoilers and rumors… but I can't help myself. Reading them is similar to driving by a car accident on the side of the road. You know you shouldn't look, but you still slow down to make sure you don't miss anything. Wouldn't you want to be forewarned? Take 'Fair Haven' for instance. (And someone Please take it). I wonder how much of my viewing pleasure was spoiled by knowing ahead of time that Janeway was going to be having some 'carnal pleasure' with a hologram. Would I have watched it with a different mindset, or would I still have found myself retching through most of the episode?

What's your take, readers and fellow Voyager fans? Do you read the spoilers? Am I the only one that has problems watching Voyager because of what's out there on the web?