My friend and I had a huge fight about 'slow burn' shows at a diner in Denver

Honestly, we were at this 24 hour spot after a concert, just talking about what to watch next. I said I was finally getting into Severance, which starts slow. He said, 'Ngl, if a show doesn't hook me in the first 15 minutes, I'm out. I don't have time for that.' Tbh, that really stuck with me. He thinks a binge show needs instant action, but I think the best ones build up. We argued for like 45 minutes over pancakes. Has anyone else had a friend with totally opposite rules for what makes a show bingeable?

3 comments

3 Comments

paul2511mo ago

That 15 minute rule sounds like a good way to miss some great shows. A lot of the best stories need time to set things up properly. Your friend is just setting himself up for disappointment.

robert_anderson691mo ago

Wasn't there a study a while back about how people decide on TV shows? I read something that said most viewers actually make up their minds in the first ten minutes, not fifteen. They judge the characters and the vibe almost right away. Maybe the rule is too strict, but I get the impulse to bail if nothing grabs you fast.

paigem4524d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of the time my cousin spent 20 minutes trying to explain the plot of this anime to me and I still had no idea what was happening. @paul251 is probably right though, I bailed on Breaking Bad after the first 10 minutes and now everyone tells me I missed out on the whole thing. Sometimes you just gotta stick it out even if the first few scenes feel like watching paint dry.