The original post: /r/television by /u/Hamza_Ali_Mazaari_ on 2026-04-10 01:38:57+00:00.
Disclaimer: This is not a show comparison post; rather, it’s about elements within shows, so please don’t take it otherwise.
Let me explain my thoughts with the example of one of the most popular shows I completed this year, Breaking Bad. If you observe, the show is crime, thriller, drama in totality. The problem arises when there is too much focus on characters, maybe stories or subplots that did not even need attention, and there is just too much slow drama involved. I’ll be honest, I absolutely adored the second half of Season 4 and the whole of Season 5, but before that, right from Season 1, there were many times I felt I was not being served what I had really expected, the crime and thriller aspects. I might even be wrong in this show’s context, but I have observed it across various genres. I can fully dwell into it if the writing is very strong; otherwise, drama just gets boring for me if I feel like binging a show.
Now, on the contrary, I want to give the example of a show like Prison Break. That too is a crime, thriller, drama, but not once did I feel bored, although later seasons suffered with plot and writing. There was lots of drama here as well, but the focus never shifted from the crime and thrilling aspects of it, whereas in Breaking Bad there were literally episodes like “The Fly,” where he does nothing but catch a fly, what exactly does it add to the plot?
Be it any show, fans might defend it by saying the extra drama adds to character development or progression, but I don’t buy that. There is no need to do extra when it adds nothing to the main plot.
If someone feels the same way, please let me know, and if someone disagrees, let me know why