User blog comment:Dianecat98/Alturnate thing for The Loud House/@comment-4618045-20170705030313

For me, I'm fine with the eleven minute format despite its imperfections.

On one hand, you do bring up a good point. More episode time means more time for great things (such as character development) to be explored. There are certainly plot lines where a twenty two minute format could have allowed for more nuanced interactions (like if Lincoln came toe to toe with the rest of his family, an expanded story could allow some characters to have more varied opinions or for them to even side with Lincoln) that create a more interesting family dynamic.

But two things to keep in mind are conciseness and enjoyment. An eleven minute format forces the writer to get to the point instead of filling the run time with padding. While this mainly applies to plot points, it can also apply to characterization. A shorter runtime would force the writer to convey an idea in a short, yet interesting way that leaves a mark on the viewer (instead of a two minute conversation that goes back and forth, simply a troubled face that leaves the viewer with intriguing questions).

Tying into this is enjoyment. Think of your least favorite episode of the show (it can be anything). Now imagine if that were dragged out across twenty two minutes. While there is the chance that the extra time could allow for patches to be made, its also possible that no improvement would be made. The only difference is that rather than ripping off the band aid quickly, you're slowly peeling it (feeling the simmering pain as the minutes drag on). Even if it's not agony you feel, the writers will be more hard pressed to fill that extra runtime with jokes, thus running the risk of making the episode boring.

Are twenty two minute episodes nice? Well just like any format, it depends on how it's used. Great stories can be told in eleven minutes as they can be in twenty two. I think the bigger thing to consider is when the episodes are bad or not well thought out. Would you rather put up with that for eleven minutes or twenty two?