Hot take: I used to skip the first episode of every show, but a stranger at the laundromat changed my mind.

I was at the 24 hour laundromat near my place in Portland last Tuesday, folding socks and trying to decide what to watch next. This older guy next to me must have overheard me muttering about skipping episode 1 of The Americans because I hate slow starts. He looked at me and said, 'You're missing the point. Episode 1 is the thesis statement, everything else is just proof.' I thought he was being dramatic but I gave it a shot that night. Turns out he was right, that first episode set up character motivations I would have totally missed. Now I force myself to watch every pilot before deciding to bail. Has anyone else found a pilot that seemed boring but ended up being crucial later?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordan65315d agoMost Upvoted

Feel like that applies to a lot more than just TV shows honestly. I started giving people the first five minutes of a conversation before judging them and it changed how I see strangers. Just like with pilots, you miss all the setup if you check out too early.

hunt.rowan15d ago

5 minutes is a pretty low bar for judging someone tbh.