I imagine too the narrative, not despite, but because of the "holes" gives researchers new areas to focus their investigation. Then either buttress the narrative by filling in the holes or to challenge it.

A friend was reading a paperback in the 70's that suggested dinosaurs were warm-blooded. I thought it was an insane premise (because I was maybe 12 years old) but there does seem to have been a tidal shift in how dinosaurs are perceived vs. how I was taught as a child. No doubt it was someone with a theory or narrative that gave pause to some of the researchers in the field, kindled the imagination of some young researchers....