[RHSeeger]

> Naming the variables can help readability

It can, or it can't; depending on the situation. Sometimes it just adds weight to the mental model (because now there's another variable in scope).

[skybrian]

Sure, I like chained method calls too, for simple things. But it gets ridiculous sometimes where people write a ten-stage pipeline in a single expression and then call that "readable."

[RHSeeger]

I'm with you 100%. The main thing is that sometimes a "break point" (using a variable rather than _more_ chain) can help readability. And sometimes it makes things worse. It's really a case-by-case type of thing.