Filler Episodes

[Noob Saibot 38]

Reader,

 

This discussion can be used for almost any type of television series: The Event, Heroes, Eureka, Warehouse 13, etc. However, for this discussion and example purposes I'll use Fringe.

 

So I recently was reading a review on Amazon for Fringe and read one such review where the person stated that the show, Fringe (like many other television shows) are full of a lot of "filler episodes' and they went on to say that the show(s) should just get to the point.

 

So lets discuss filler episodes.

 

To do this lets look at a video game in the sense that the main plot is like the main plot of a television series and the side quests are our 'filler episodes.' If the player plays straight through the story and plays no side quests then they get at best (example) 40 hours of game play. If they play through the game with side quests they get (example) 80 hours of gameplay.

 

Now look at this in the sense of your own life. Lets say someone wants to write your life story of how you became a stunt man/woman (example). However, they leave out all other experiences the person has or may have some how influenced them (our side quests or filler episodes) to become a stunt man/women. We would have a bland and emotionless story with characters who seem to have no drive.

 

Now as I said taking Fringe into account. If the show got strait to the point they could take the whole 4 seasons (season 4 not released yet) and make it about 2 seasons or even 1.5 seasons. Plus filler episodes can allow the viewer to get more in depth and feel what the characters are feeling or get a more sense of the characters personality and reactions to life (or main plot) in general.

 

v/Respectfully,

Kage Kazumi