There are only like 5 variables in the entire Interlude (not counting the temporary variables used to branch each choice). Two of them are for the Interlude only:
- emma_joke = If Zoey jokes with Emma about her tats when they first meet, Emma responds a little differently when Zoey is getting her own later on.
- epi_blue_hair = If Zoey encourages the bartender to dye her hair, we see the bartender with blue hair later on.
Then we have the only variables that are intentionally carried through to later episodes:
- emma_calm = Determines whether or not Emma and Zoey are friends at the end of the Interlude.
- emma_cluck = Determines how badly their friendship ended.
- zoey_dik = summarizes Zoey's personality
The "zoey_dik" flag makes sense, she'll either be a bit more thoughtful, or not.
But the other two? Hopefully the only reason they come into the subsequent episodes is when Zoey tells the mc about some shit that went down. She's surely gonna explain her topless pic on Rooster, and it makes sense that she'd say, "But I got the bitch back" or whatever.
But yeah, if you skip the Interlude and just go with the "Calmed her down" or "Took her phone" options, Zoey's actions and attitude are aligned.
Although I didn't mind the attitude, I really don't want that drama with Emma spilling into the future episodes. I wouldn't put it passed DPC to give the Interlude cast a cameo role down the track, but like, is there anyone on the planet who wants that (unless Jenna comes to visit, that'd be fine
).
I'm gonna go with your entire opinion is flawed for a very major reason:
It's an interlude.
It's literally not meant to be relevant to the main story. That's the point of an interlude. It's a break between acts.
If the Interlude was meant to be an episode, then it would be bad for all the reasons you've stated. But it's not an episode, it's an Interlude, and it suits its purpose of an interlude well enough - a break from the main story.
Whether you wanted it or not, that's a matter of taste.