[sqrt17]

The answer, maybe the one you're looking for is that the schema you describe is suitable for blowing up into longform stories that could be equally well-suited to be treated in 400 words or less.

The question would be, do we care for longform as a format (as opposed to having bite-sized stories with links between them if they're part of something bigger)? Or do we care about stories that have substantial background that needs to be explained (rather than be a tangential addition to a main story)?

[oeuviz]

It is not only suitable to blow it up but also to shorten it in any way you want. You just omit literaly any paragraph and the reader is still able to grasp the story. Also, using this format the story can be extended anytime without restructuring the text.

But yeah, I agree it is not enjoyable to read.

[navbaker]

It’s the same formula that recent documentary makers use to stretch out a relatively simple true crime story that happens to have a weird twist into ten one hour episodes.