1. The pacing was off. I wanted to see Tim Ratliff’s rise for a few episodes then fall. Not 7 episodes of him contemplating murder-suicide.
2. Too many meaningless characters with unresolved storylines (Damian, the Russians, Mook). What the hell was the point of Carrie Coon finding out the Russians stole from the hotel?
3. It felt like a Mike White edge fest. We never got real payoff with the Ratliffs, just a throwaway one-liner on the boat about “things being different back home”. Rick’s whole arc was one long tease. Hes a character who is compelling because he has it all, but hes unhappy because hes been haunted by this guy for decades. And after 7 episodes of us slowly learning his past, it builds up to him finally confronting his demons, for it all to be over in 30 seconds and hes magically healed.
Thanks for reading and sharing your take, Cooper! Totally agree—
1. The middle third dragged. Seasons 1 and 2 had more momentum even without big drama—conversations and choices actually moved the plot. This season leaned too hard on brooding and doom-staring.
2. Too many characters, too siloed. Earlier seasons wove stories together—like Armond’s theft or Rachel’s conversations—that triggered real ripple effects across the resort. Here, characters barely interacted, which made everything feel stagnant.
3. White has used this language to defend the pacing and it feels off to me. Sure, you can provoke an audience, but the story still has to move and hold together. If people aren’t enjoying it, that’s still on the creator, regardless of intent or stylistic choices.
4. Another thing I just realized that bothered me about this season was that too many characters were boring or flat—Rick, Mook, Gaitok, Damian—and the rich ones felt like caricatures. In past seasons, even the flawed characters had depth and had relatable personalities and motivations even if you didn't want to defend their actions. Laurie stood out because she was one of the few given real empathy. White seems to forget: unlikable characters only work if they change or if we understand them. Watching unlikeable people not change or be killed off makes for a dull watch.
Completely agree…
1. The pacing was off. I wanted to see Tim Ratliff’s rise for a few episodes then fall. Not 7 episodes of him contemplating murder-suicide.
2. Too many meaningless characters with unresolved storylines (Damian, the Russians, Mook). What the hell was the point of Carrie Coon finding out the Russians stole from the hotel?
3. It felt like a Mike White edge fest. We never got real payoff with the Ratliffs, just a throwaway one-liner on the boat about “things being different back home”. Rick’s whole arc was one long tease. Hes a character who is compelling because he has it all, but hes unhappy because hes been haunted by this guy for decades. And after 7 episodes of us slowly learning his past, it builds up to him finally confronting his demons, for it all to be over in 30 seconds and hes magically healed.
Thanks for reading and sharing your take, Cooper! Totally agree—
1. The middle third dragged. Seasons 1 and 2 had more momentum even without big drama—conversations and choices actually moved the plot. This season leaned too hard on brooding and doom-staring.
2. Too many characters, too siloed. Earlier seasons wove stories together—like Armond’s theft or Rachel’s conversations—that triggered real ripple effects across the resort. Here, characters barely interacted, which made everything feel stagnant.
3. White has used this language to defend the pacing and it feels off to me. Sure, you can provoke an audience, but the story still has to move and hold together. If people aren’t enjoying it, that’s still on the creator, regardless of intent or stylistic choices.
4. Another thing I just realized that bothered me about this season was that too many characters were boring or flat—Rick, Mook, Gaitok, Damian—and the rich ones felt like caricatures. In past seasons, even the flawed characters had depth and had relatable personalities and motivations even if you didn't want to defend their actions. Laurie stood out because she was one of the few given real empathy. White seems to forget: unlikable characters only work if they change or if we understand them. Watching unlikeable people not change or be killed off makes for a dull watch.