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Rant: People keep saying 'slow burn' when they mean a show is just boring
I see this all the time in reviews... a show has a dull first season with maybe one good moment, and folks call it a 'slow burn' that pays off. But a real slow burn, like the first 5 episodes of 'Better Call Saul', builds tension you can feel. A boring show just drags. This matters because it wastes people's time when they're looking for something good to watch. I gave up on a show after 8 episodes because everyone said 'stick with it,' and nothing ever happened. How many episodes does a show get to be 'slow' before it's just not good?
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mila_harris18d ago
That's a fair point, but sometimes a slow start is just part of the story. It really depends on what the show is trying to do. A character study needs time to let you get to know people, and that can feel slow if you're waiting for plot. The line between boring and building is super blurry and personal. What feels like a drag to one person is careful setup to another. Maybe the issue is using "slow burn" as a blanket excuse instead of saying why the early parts matter later.
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sam_thomas18d ago
So what's the real test for when slow stops being setup?
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