Over fall break, I watched Severance with my dad. Although it’s a series, not a movie, watching it through the lens of genre conventions raised interesting questions about pacing in thrillers. At one point, my dad asked, “How much buildup is too much?” We both felt that the six-episode buildup in Severance pushed the limits, almost to the point of exhausting the viewer. (I have to say, I still loved the show—it was the perfect binge for fall break, even though I usually prefer movies.)

Reflecting on this, I started to think about the role of buildup and suspense in thrillers. Thrillers rely on creating psychological tension to keep viewers hooked, but when does that tension turn into a drawn-out buildup that risks losing attention? This ties into a key question regarding genre: when do directors follow genre conventions, and when do they decide to twist them?

As the Nevada Film Office points out, “There is no universal pace at which all films should be cut. Every movie has a different story to tell with various pacing techniques that can be used to hold audience attention. However, some genres benefit from particular pacing styles. For example, mystery and horror films often benefit from a slower pace to build suspense, while action films may thrive with a faster pace to amplify excitement” (Nevada Film Office, “Production Notes: Pacing”).

Reflecting on Severance, I found myself questioning whether its long buildup hit the right balance. Directors’ choices can make the difference between pacing that feels captivating and pacing that drags. By prolonging suspense across so many episodes, it risked losing its grip on the viewer. A director’s decision to follow or break genre conventions defines the viewer’s experience, choices that can turn a movie in a genre like thrillers into either a gripping suspense story or a drawn-out narrative. Ultimately, finding that delicate balance between suspense and pacing can make or break a thriller’s impact on its audience.