Should have stopped around the covid season
First time watcher here. I’m at the beginning of Season 22, and honestly I feel like the show probably should’ve ended around the COVID season. Up until then, I could follow the storylines pretty easily, but now it feels like they’re constantly throwing in new characters and random plots, and I can barely keep track of who’s who anymore.
To be fair, I usually watch while multitasking at work, but I never had trouble following the show before COVID. The newer drama just feels more forced and over-the-top, like they’re reaching for episode ideas instead of telling a solid ongoing story. There are so many storylines happening at once that none of them really stick with me.
It also just has a different vibe now that I’m not really vibing with. The earlier seasons felt more grounded and real-life focused, while the newer seasons feel like they lean way harder into nonstop drama.
I still want to finish the series just because I’ve made it this far, but honestly I think I would’ve been perfectly satisfied stopping before the COVID season and skipping everything after.