[tunesmith]

Yeah, it's like there's a hook, and then a whole lot of backstory before the hook comes back.

I think authors rely on this too much as a crutch. It can work if the hook makes the reader actually wildly curious as to how that situation came about. But otherwise it comes across as like a turgid interruption.

I also dislike it in television. It's one of JJ Abrams' favorite techniques. Open with some crazy scenario, and then "two weeks previous" comes up on the title screen. He did it all the time in Alias. Although I think it worked in Mission Impossible III.

[Traubenfuchs]

I feel like it's all about the misguided notion of writers/reporters "adding something" to what happened. They are trying to enrich the raw story with their own style leading to this mess.