Used to skip everything but the main character's POV episodes, now I watch them all

I was that person who would fast forward through any side plot (honestly, anything without the main character). Then I tried watching Dark on Netflix last month and got so lost by episode 3 I had to restart. What changed me was realizing the side stories are what make the world feel real, they're not just filler. Now I watch everything in order even if it's boring at first. Has anyone else had a show force them to change how they binge?

3 comments

3 Comments

milalewis14d ago

Started doing the same thing after watching The Leftovers. That show taught me the side characters are carrying the whole emotional weight of the story, especially the ones who seem random at first. Now I force myself to sit through the slow episodes because they always pay off later, even if it takes a whole season. One trick that helped me was pretending I'm watching a completely different show during those side plot episodes, makes them feel like their own thing instead of an interruption. Also putting my phone in another room during boring parts stops me from zoning out and missing something important. Once you train your brain to trust the writer's plan, the experience gets way better.

kelly_rivera14d ago

Is it really that deep though? Like I get where you're coming from, The Leftovers was a solid show, but not every writer out there has a master plan. Some shows just have filler episodes that never pay off. I've sat through way too many slow seasons thinking "this is gonna be worth it" only to get a rushed finale that didn't tie anything together. You gotta pick your battles, not every side character is secretly carrying the story. Sometimes they're just boring.

owens.laura14d ago

Wait, wait wait. Milalewis you actually put your phone in another room during boring parts? That's wild. I almost dropped my coffee reading that. Huge agree on The Leftovers though. @kelly_rivera I get your point about filler, but that show is a perfect example. I skipped Nora's whole backstory episode the first time. Regretted it so bad when I rewatched. Now I just watch everything. Even the slow parts. You never know what little detail is actually the whole point.