People keep calling slow burn shows boring and I think they're missing the point

I keep seeing folks drop shows like 'Better Call Saul' after two episodes saying it's too slow. They're missing that the build-up is the whole point, and the payoff hits way harder because of it. My friend in Austin gave up on it, then I made him watch the full first season and he totally changed his mind. Are we just too used to instant action now, or do some shows actually earn their slow pace?

3 comments

3 Comments

rose_young22d ago

My husband read a study about how shorter attention spans are changing the way we watch TV, and it stuck with me because I see it everywhere now. And like @sage286 said, we skip the quiet moments but those are the ones that make a show feel real. Maybe some shows do take their time, but it's worth it when you stick around.

sage2862mo ago

Ever notice how this happens with everything now, not just shows? People skip intros, use 2x speed on videos, and scroll past anything that doesn't grab them in three seconds. That slow build in a show is like getting to know a real person, it takes time. If you bail at the first quiet moment you miss all the good stuff later. We're training ourselves to hate the setup even when the setup is what makes the ending matter.

jason1122mo ago

Spot on, and sage286 is right about how we're training ourselves to skip the quiet parts. I had the same fight with my brother over Mad Men, where he quit before Don Draper even walked in the door. The whole show is in those quiet looks and slow talks, you know?