Tried getting into that dark anime thriller and it just didn't click with me

I finally sat down to watch Paranoia Agent last weekend after my coworker at the hardware store wouldn't stop raving about it. He said it was the best psychological show he'd seen in years and that the first episode would hook me instantly. But honestly I got through 4 episodes and felt more confused than entertained. The weird art style and jumpy storyline made it hard for me to follow what was even happening. I kept waiting for that big payoff moment but it just felt like a slow drag through weird dream sequences. My coworker was shocked when I told him I dropped it and said I was missing out on a masterpiece. Has anyone else tried watching a highly recommended show and just felt totally lost or bored from the start?

2 comments

2 Comments

masondixon7d ago

My cousin had the exact same thing happen with Ergo Proxy. He kept telling me it was deep and philosophical and I needed to watch more episodes for it to click. I sat through six of them and all I got was a headache from the gloomy color palette and characters who talked in riddles. Ngl at some point I just said okay maybe I am not the target audience for shows that make me feel like I failed a test I didn't study for. Tbh sometimes "masterpiece" just means it works for a specific type of brain and mine ain't it.

perez.barbara7d ago

That line about "missing out on a masterpiece" hits hard because my brother said the same thing when I gave up on Serial Experiments Lain after two episodes. I kept trying to get into it since everyone online called it a genius cyberpunk story, but the slow pacing and cryptic conversations just made me feel like I was missing some secret code that everyone else had. Ever had a show where you felt like you were supposed to be smart enough to get it but your brain just refused to cooperate?