The fun of filler

In the shock of the week, the Emmys somehow got most things right! White Lotus and The Bear were both ignored in response to a noticeable dip in quality, Adolescence won everything, and the Stephen Colbert narrative got another chapter.

One of the most celebrated successes was The Pitt, HBO Max’s medical drama that is definitely not an ER reboot. The show won best drama and a long overdue lead actor gong for Noah Wyle, as well as best supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa.

Interestingly, it is also a throwback to the good old days of TV. The Pitt has 15 relatively cheap episodes per season, and will return in January just eight months after wrapping its initial run. 

Given the overwhelming success of shows like Suits (although not the abysmal Suits LA) on streaming platforms, this is hardly surprising. The joy of getting into a good story, particularly one that has moments where our minds can rest between vital narrative moments, is almost universal.

New research shows it may also be good for us. A study from the University of Georgia has found that binge watching can help us remember stories through something called retrospective imaginative involvement (RII). And no, that’s not just dreaming of Noah Wyle long after you’ve completed another rewatch of The Pitt. 

RII is increasingly rare as our attention spans shrink, with research suggesting they’ve fallen from 12 seconds to 8 seconds in the span of a generation. In a perfect distillation of irony, the concept that attention spans can "break” is spreading across TikTok.

It’s tempting to push back hard against any content that may look like filler as a waste of time and a risk of losing out in the attention economy. But for brands with a well-established persona and narrative, content that gently adds layers can be as important as the most viral hit.    

Bring back filler. Just not in the form of Suits LA.