When you’ve been watching a show long enough, you know exactly what a transitional episode is. It’s the episode that you really don’t like but you know it’s important to the continuity of the story. It sets up later episodes but in the present moment, you’re really annoyed because the drama levels are lower and it’s not nearly as exciting. However, deep down in your heart you know that the episode is required otherwise you have drama and action overload. Billions had one of its first transition episodes last night. I’d rather not get into the details because I don’t want to spoil it for everyone but I’d like to say that I’m glad this episode happens. Like I said, for the mere fact that we can now have a few blow out episodes, this one was necessary.
I liken a transitional episode to the songs you hear in an album that are sub par but songs that the album needed. You almost need these “middle of the road” tunes to make the other ones stand out. You also need them to show that the band isn’t always about having those huge radio hits. They’re more than that. They want to tell a story and prove that there’s more to them than glitz and glamor.
Television shows do the same thing and they’re called “transition episodes.” That’s the end of my rant. But just know that in the future if you see an episode of a show you love and it’s not completely up to snuff, realize that it may very well be a transition episode. Don’t fret. However, if you get 2 or 3 of these in a row? Then you know something is wrong.
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