As I watched through Stranger Things over the last two weeks (I finally finished it — promise not to spoil anything here), one thing I kept thinking about was what the show would be like as a more traditional 24-episode per season series. Because in every single episode of Stranger Things, the reveals come fast — there's almost no wasted time or filler plot lines.

It's a pretty wonderful shift from something like, say, Lost, where information is doled out like dog treats, given infrequently and only to those willing to sit and stay long enough to receive it. Stranger Things' pacing is downright addictive — it's the TV equivalent to finishing an entire bag of Sour Patch Kids in one sitting and miraculously not getting that weird numb feeling in your mouth for the next two days.

But in its dedication to a tight story and constant plot advancement, Stranger Things gives us few moments of reprieve with its cast of characters. It's enough to know who's who, what they want, and why they're doing it; but it's not enough to really know any of them. It's not enough to be deeply concerned about Will's return, or Mike getting bullied, or Barb... you know, anything.

It's easy to imagine taking every 20 minutes of action in Stranger Things and blowing it out into its own episode, slowing things way down, but giving the series time to flesh out its cast of characters with B-plots and downtime, letting them want and argue and reconcile and learn. A longer, slower Stranger Things doesn't necessarily sound like a better Stranger Things to me. But I can't help but wonder what that already thrilling finale would have felt like if I'd spent hours and hours with each of these characters.

Check out 11 trailers from this week below.