The final season of Stranger Things was a mixed bag, but one aspect that really stood out to me was its resemblance to an open-world game. The show's creators seemed to have taken the best parts of video games - the action, the spectacle, and the sense of danger - and tried to inject them into the narrative.
But what happened when they did so? Well, for starters, it led to a sense of inactivity that I found really frustrating. After an episode of exposition-heavy conversation between characters, I'd often find myself waiting for something exciting to happen - and then, suddenly, there would be a massive explosion or a monster attack. It was like the writers were checking boxes off a checklist of "open-world game features" rather than letting the story unfold organically.
Of course, this is not unique to Stranger Things. Many TV shows and movies are starting to adopt the structure of video games, with long periods of exposition followed by bursts of action. But I think there's a difference between embracing the excitement and spectacle of video games and simply embracing their worst tendencies - like open-world bloat.
Take Fortnite, for example. It's a game that's all about exploration and discovery, but only if you want to be. For most players, it's just about dropping onto a map, building some forts, and waiting for the next circle to close in on them. It's not exactly the most engaging experience, and I think that's what makes it so addictive.
In many ways, Fortnite feels like a video game distilled into its purest form - it's all about spectacle and excitement, but it sacrifices nuance and depth along the way. That's something that TV shows and movies can learn from, I think. Instead of just trying to mimic the structure of video games, they could try to capture their sense of wonder and excitement without getting bogged down in unnecessary exposition or open-world bloat.
Edge of Tomorrow is a great example of this kind of approach. It's a sci-fi movie that's all about action and spectacle, but it never feels like you're just watching someone else play a video game. The story is well-crafted, the characters are interesting, and the action scenes are thrilling - without any of the slow exposition or open-world nonsense.
Ultimately, I think TV shows and movies have a lot to learn from video games. They can capture their sense of excitement and wonder without sacrificing nuance and depth. But they need to be careful not to get too caught up in trying to mimic the structure of video games, lest they end up with something that feels like a watered-down version of the real thing.
But what happened when they did so? Well, for starters, it led to a sense of inactivity that I found really frustrating. After an episode of exposition-heavy conversation between characters, I'd often find myself waiting for something exciting to happen - and then, suddenly, there would be a massive explosion or a monster attack. It was like the writers were checking boxes off a checklist of "open-world game features" rather than letting the story unfold organically.
Of course, this is not unique to Stranger Things. Many TV shows and movies are starting to adopt the structure of video games, with long periods of exposition followed by bursts of action. But I think there's a difference between embracing the excitement and spectacle of video games and simply embracing their worst tendencies - like open-world bloat.
Take Fortnite, for example. It's a game that's all about exploration and discovery, but only if you want to be. For most players, it's just about dropping onto a map, building some forts, and waiting for the next circle to close in on them. It's not exactly the most engaging experience, and I think that's what makes it so addictive.
In many ways, Fortnite feels like a video game distilled into its purest form - it's all about spectacle and excitement, but it sacrifices nuance and depth along the way. That's something that TV shows and movies can learn from, I think. Instead of just trying to mimic the structure of video games, they could try to capture their sense of wonder and excitement without getting bogged down in unnecessary exposition or open-world bloat.
Edge of Tomorrow is a great example of this kind of approach. It's a sci-fi movie that's all about action and spectacle, but it never feels like you're just watching someone else play a video game. The story is well-crafted, the characters are interesting, and the action scenes are thrilling - without any of the slow exposition or open-world nonsense.
Ultimately, I think TV shows and movies have a lot to learn from video games. They can capture their sense of excitement and wonder without sacrificing nuance and depth. But they need to be careful not to get too caught up in trying to mimic the structure of video games, lest they end up with something that feels like a watered-down version of the real thing.
it's like they're trying to win some sort of bet on who can fit the most explosions in one scene 
I mean, come on guys can't we just have a slow-burning plot for once without some random monster attack coming out of nowhere? 
It's like they're ignoring the fact that there are actual characters in there with thoughts and feelings beyond "OMG WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!" 
I mean what if I want to skip over that part already?! 
it's like the ultimate example of a game that's all about style over substance 
don't get me wrong I love a good battle royale but sometimes I just want to sit back and enjoy the story without having to worry about finding every single hidden item on the map 
I mean, who thought it was a good idea to put all those exposition-heavy conversations between characters right after an episode? It's like, can't we just have some actual plot progression for once? 
. It's just so...forced.
. You're just left feeling like you've been checking off some kind of checklist instead of being invested in the characters and their journey. And don't even get me started on Fortnite 
. The action is non-stop, but you're still invested in the story because it's well-written and the characters are interesting. That's what I'd love to see more of on TV shows and movies - that perfect balance between excitement and substance. 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool to have all these exciting action sequences and monster attacks, but when you're stuck in a sea of exposition-heavy conversation for like 30 minutes straight, it starts to feel like you're just sitting around twiddling your thumbs waiting for something to happen 
.
. But at the same time, it's SO ADDICTIVE because it's all about that next big explosion or fight 
. Edge of Tomorrow is a great example of this - it's got action, spectacle, and some really interesting characters... but none of the slow exposition or nonsense 
. SO LET'S HOPE THAT MORE SHOWS AND MOVIES LEARN FROM VIDEO GAMES AND JUST FOCUS ON MAKING SOME GOOD STUFF INSTEAD OF TRYING TO RECREATE THE WHOLE GAMBIT 
. I mean, who thought building forts was the most engaging thing to do? 
. They don’t have to be as shallow as Fortnite, but they do need to make sure they’re not just padding their runtime with empty scenes or exposition. And I think we can learn from the best of both worlds – video games for excitement and edge-of-your-seat moments, and movies/TV shows for nuance and depth 
it's like trying to recreate lightning in a bottle, minus the magic 
it manages to pack an insane amount of action and excitement into its runtime without ever feeling like you're watching someone else play a video game 
. It's literally just waiting around for something to happen, right? That's not engaging, that's just lazy. Where's the strategy? The depth? I mean, I know it's a game and all, but come on, TV shows can do better than this.