I like shows that have some level of intelligence to them. When

The words of Mehmet Oz, “I like shows that have some level of intelligence to them. When it’s not as predictable, when you don’t know what’s coming at you,” reveal a truth far deeper than their surface of entertainment might suggest. Beneath them lies an ancient yearning of the human spirit—the hunger for surprise, for intelligence, for the unknown that awakens the soul from its dullness. In these words, Dr. Oz speaks not merely of shows or stories, but of life itself. For existence, like art, loses its vitality when it becomes predictable; it grows luminous and alive only when it challenges us to think, to feel, to question.

To desire intelligence in a story is to desire substance over spectacle, meaning over noise. It is to crave that which engages both the mind and the heart, drawing us beyond the shallow comfort of knowing what will happen next. The ancients understood this as the principle of wonder—that divine quality which breathes life into experience. When a story, a moment, or a life becomes predictable, it ceases to awaken the spirit; it turns to habit, and habit is the slow death of imagination. Dr. Oz’s words, then, remind us that to live fully, one must always remain open to the unexpected—to the twist, the mystery, the revelation.

In the world of ancient Greece, this truth found its form in the theater of Sophocles and Euripides, whose plays never followed the simple path of expectation. The citizens who filled the amphitheaters of Athens did not come merely to be entertained—they came to be transformed. They came to see the wisdom of tragedy, to confront the unpredictable forces of fate, and to learn that life itself is an unfolding drama beyond our control. In those moments, art became a mirror of existence: sometimes painful, sometimes beautiful, but always alive. The intelligence of such art lay not in its cleverness, but in its courage to tell the truth—that life, like the stage, belongs to those who dare to face the unknown.

And yet, this lesson extends far beyond art. In all aspects of our existence—love, work, faith, and discovery—we find the same danger of predictability. When every day becomes the repetition of the last, when the future holds no mystery, the soul grows weary. It is through uncertainty that we grow; through surprise that we awaken; through challenge that we become wise. Dr. Oz’s preference for the unpredictable is, in truth, a celebration of curiosity—that sacred fire within us which refuses to be extinguished by routine.

History, too, offers its testimony. Consider the story of Christopher Columbus, who sailed not toward certainty, but toward possibility. The world he knew was mapped, measured, and thought complete—but he hungered for the uncharted. Many mocked his vision, for it was not “predictable.” Yet by following that inner call toward the unknown, he revealed new worlds. Whether one views his legacy as heroism or folly, the deeper lesson remains: progress belongs to those who are not content with predictability, who demand of life the same intelligence and mystery that Dr. Oz demands of art.

But this love of the unpredictable is not a call to chaos. Rather, it is a call to mindful openness—to embrace the moments that defy expectation, and to see in them opportunities for growth. The wise know that intelligence is not found in control, but in adaptability. The unpredictable tests us, sharpens us, reveals what we truly are. When we welcome it, we discover not fear, but wonder—the same wonder that once drew humanity to gaze at the stars and ask questions without answers.

So let this be the teaching: do not crave predictability; crave aliveness. Seek experiences, people, and stories that challenge your mind and stir your heart. Do not fear the unexpected—it is the forge where wisdom is made. As Dr. Oz reminds us, the world is richest when we “don’t know what’s coming at us,” for in that uncertainty lies the pulse of creation itself. The predictable may comfort us, but it will never transform us.

Therefore, live as the ancients counseled: as seekers, not settlers. Let your days be filled with intelligence, your heart with curiosity, and your spirit with wonder. In every story, whether on the screen or in the soul, choose the path that surprises you. For only in the unpredictable does life reveal its fullness, and only in intelligent curiosity does the human spirit truly awaken to its divine potential.