Prioritized Recommendations
At position 33% (~6:16), retention drops -5.4% to 58.43% right after a +3.29% spike at 30%. The spike at 30% (~5:42) aligns with Tiana pulling out her printed folder of ex-boyfriends — that's genuinely funny and viewers lean in. But the drop at 33% happens during the extended back-and-forth about the printer being racist and blurring faces. The joke overstays its welcome by ~30 seconds.
Editing Notes: Keep the folder reveal and 'I do know Bill Cosby' reaction — that's the spike. Cut the 'what kind of printer did you use / my printer was racist' exchange (5:29-5:44). Jump from the folder reveal straight to her leaving ('and she's gone, good to meet you'). The printer bit is a B-joke hanging off an A-joke — it dilutes the moment.
Expected Impact: Could reduce the -5.4% drop to ~-2%, preserving the momentum from the 30% spike. This section is +6% above channel average so it's performing well — this is a polish to keep it there.
Positions 55% (~10:27) and 62% (~11:47) show consecutive drops of -3.34% and -2.84%. This maps to the animal personality game (anteater/goldfish/giraffe) and the transition into Skyler's segment. The animal game at 9:42-10:33 is creative but the pacing is glacial — 'give me a second one... we're going to be sitting here, just give me a third one' — Zach himself calls it out. Still +6.9% above channel average, so this is optimization, not rescue.
Editing Notes: Speed-ramp the animal selection with quick cuts and a timer graphic. Cut from 'give me an anteater' directly to 'okay so the first one is how people perceive you' — remove the stalling. For the therapy conversation (8:26-9:03), keep 'my last therapist literally told me I don't think I can help you' (that's gold) but cut the surrounding filler. Add a visual transition (full-screen text or graphic) before Skyler's entrance at 11:22 to signal a new chapter.
Expected Impact: Could reduce combined drops by 2-3%, keeping mid-video retention closer to 54-55% instead of dipping to 52%.
At position ~84% (16:00-16:31), the 'shopdrop out.com' merch plug hits right when retention is at 46.86%. The comparison video 'Based on Their Moms' shows a -6.2% problem at 87% and 'With Their Dads' shows -5.75% at 87% — this is a recurring pattern across the series. Viewers bail during the merch segment. However, YOUR 85-90% actually recovers (+1% at 85%, +1.76% at 90%), suggesting the content after the ad (the roadhead reveal) pulls people back.
Editing Notes: Shorten the merch read from ~30 seconds to ~15 seconds. Cut the listing of every item ('gaslight me in baby tees, future ex-wife in baby tees, gaslight me in shirts'). Keep ONLY the 'divorced parents make hot daughters' shirt reveal (it's on-brand and funny) and the URL. Better yet, overlay the merch as a lower-third graphic during an entertaining moment earlier in the video instead of a full segment break.
Expected Impact: Could prevent the recurring 87% drop seen across the series, retaining 1-2% more viewers into the finale. This is a pattern fix that applies to future videos too.
Every elimination creates a micro-spike in engagement because viewers experience loss aversion — they're invested in specific girls and don't want 'their pick' to leave. The spike at 30% (58.83%, +3.29%) correlates with Tiana's dramatic folder exit. The spike at 89% (~16:54, +8.01%) maps to the final pick tension. Viewers who have a favorite girl will stay through slow moments just to see if she wins. The comparison data supports this: 'Based on Their Moms' spikes +19.21% at 53% and +13.91% at 32%, likely during elimination reveals.
Editing Notes: Lean into elimination tension with editing: add brief reaction cuts from each remaining girl before announcing who's leaving. Use a musical sting or pause. The current eliminations happen almost casually — 'I'm going to get rid of you / that's fair.' Make each one a 10-second mini-event with eye contact, pause, name. This is free retention from emotional investment you've already built.
Expected Impact: Could amplify existing elimination spikes by 1-2% each, and reduce post-elimination drops by creating cleaner narrative transitions.
At 62% (~11:47), the -2.84% drop coincides with Skyler's escalating lies: 'he's a smidge racist,' 'donates to Trump super pack,' 'could be closeted gay.' Viewers experience vicarious embarrassment and anxiety — they KNOW these are lies but can't stop the trainwreck. This 'cringe tension' is a double-edged sword: it's compelling (retention stays +6.9% above channel average) but the most sensitive viewers bail. The 'he doesn't come' and masturbation discussion at 12:32-12:47 is where the cringe peaks and likely drives the 62% drop specifically.
Editing Notes: Cut the masturbation/erectile discussion shorter — keep 'he said you have ED' and Zach's Lexapro response (that's real and funny) but trim Skyler's 'he doesn't come during what' buildup. The cringe is working overall but this specific exchange crosses from entertaining-cringe into uncomfortable-cringe for a segment of viewers. Faster cuts through this section maintain tension without losing squeamish viewers.
Expected Impact: Could reduce the -2.84% drop by ~1.5% while preserving the overall cringe-comedy engine that keeps this section 6.9% above channel average.
After steady decline from 70.46% at 10% down to 58.35% at 25%, retention REVERSES at 30% with a +3.29% spike to 58.83%. This maps to ~5:42 when Tiana says 'I've printed out a list of every man I've dated in Los Angeles and I'm going to need you to please look over this list.' This is a textbook re-hook: unexpected visual prop (printed photos) + absurd premise + Zach's genuine surprise ('I do know Bill Cosby'). It works because it breaks the predictable question-answer pattern that was bleeding viewers.
Editing Notes: This moment is your template for future re-hooks. What makes it work: (1) physical prop that changes the visual frame, (2) genuine surprise from the host, (3) escalating absurdity. In future videos, plant a similar pattern-breaking moment at the 25-30% mark when viewers naturally start drifting. Consider teasing the folder moment in the intro: 'one of these girls brought receipts' — give viewers a reason to wait for it.
Expected Impact: Already working — this re-hook recovers ~3.3% of viewers. Teasing it earlier could reduce the 15-25% decline by giving viewers something to anticipate.
At positions 95% (44.96%) and 99% (42.59%), retention drops -1.91% and loses viewers at the very end. The final selection happens at ~17:30, but the video continues for another 90 seconds with 'do you pick me' / 'ooooh... yes' and celebration. The ending is actually strong vs channel average (+7.09%), but the 'can I touch your — no, apologize, just kidding' bit at 18:11 is awkward padding.
Editing Notes: Cut from 'I'm going to go with the safer option' directly to 'the real question is, do you pick me' — remove the grandpa explanation (17:30-17:48) and the roadhead callback. End on her 'Yes!' and Skyler's 'that's my guy, didn't give him a blow job but that's my guy' — that's your button. Total runtime savings: ~45 seconds.
Expected Impact: Could improve average view duration by retaining 1-2% more viewers through the ending, improving AVD metrics for algorithmic performance.
At position 2% (~0:23), retention drops -14.89% to 75.68%. The hook opens with Skyler's bit ('put these on, I'm just going to talk to the ladies') then jumps to him saying 'I think he's like a smidge racist' and 'he does donate 2,000 a month to the Trump super pack.' The hook grade is B with only +0.32% vs channel average — essentially flat against your baseline. By position 5% (~0:57), you've lost 23% of viewers. The problem: the Skyler prank is the PAYOFF of the video (it's funnier when you know Zach), but it's being used as a cold open before viewers are invested in anyone.
Editing Notes: Cut the Skyler cold open to 3-5 seconds MAX — just the blindfold going on and ONE shocking line (pick 'he could be closeted gay' for maximum curiosity). Then IMMEDIATELY cut to Zach walking in with 'hello my little estrogen mamitas' and the girls' reactions. Move the full Skyler segment back to its natural position at ~60%. The cold open should tease, not spoil. Add a text overlay: '10 girls. 1 blind date. They can leave at any time.' within the first 3 seconds.
Expected Impact: Could improve 0-5% retention by 5-8%, bringing hook from B to A-. Currently only +0.32% vs channel average — even getting to +3% would retain ~15,000 additional viewers through the whole video.
At position 6% (~1:08), retention drops another -4.17% to 67.45%. This maps to Zach's 'I respect you so much, I love the ladies that are still here' segment after the first walkouts. The pacing dies — he's narrating what just happened instead of moving forward. Retention here is still above channel average (+5.3%), so viewers ARE more engaged than usual, but you're burning goodwill with a slow moment right when you need momentum.
Editing Notes: Cut from the third girl walking out directly to 'hello guys my name is Zach' (1:17) — remove the filler 'I respect you so much / they think I'm cute enough to hug' lines. These are nervous vamping, not content. Tighten this 20-second gap to 5 seconds with a quick montage cut of the walkouts set to a comedic sound effect, then straight into his intro.
Expected Impact: Could reduce the -4.17% drop by half, retaining an additional 2% of viewers through the introduction sequence.
Between positions 11% (~2:05) and 23% (~4:22), retention drops from 64.14% to 61.28% with a -7.35% drop at 11% and -4.13% at 23%. This entire stretch is individual introductions: Jasmine, Chloe ('great name, no facts'), Diana ('like the princess that was brutally killed'), the dancer, Courtney, Tiana, and two Maddies. While still +4-5% above channel average, the repetitive structure (name → Zach joke → next) creates a predictable rhythm that bleeds viewers.
Editing Notes: Split-screen or rapid-fire the introductions. Keep the standout moments: Tiana's 'I'm from South Carolina and I am amazing' and the Brné Ray Carrera news anchor bit (4:08). Cut Chloe's intro entirely (she literally says nothing — 'great name, no facts' is the joke but it's dead air). Cut Diana's intro to just the princess line. Overlay name graphics so viewers can track without verbal intros. Target: compress this from ~2.5 minutes to ~1.5 minutes.
Expected Impact: Could improve retention by 2-3% through this section by eliminating the repetitive intro pattern. Currently losing 3% over this stretch — tighter pacing could flatten that curve.
At 8:33-9:03, Zach shifts from comedy to genuine vulnerability: 'my last therapist literally told me I don't think I can help you, set it right to my face' and 'my brain gets a little sad sometimes, I sit alone and I just leak from the face.' This lands at position ~45% where retention is 53.28% — notably ABOVE channel average by +6.18%. The emotional tonal shift creates what psychologists call a 'peak moment' — viewers are simultaneously laughing and feeling empathy, which is the stickiest emotional combination on YouTube. The Late Middle section earns its A- grade partly because these vulnerable beats punctuate the comedy.
Editing Notes: Don't cut this moment — if anything, give it slightly more breathing room. Add a subtle music drop or brief silence after 'I just leak from the face' before cutting to the next joke. Consider replicating this pattern in future videos: one genuine vulnerable moment per video in the 40-50% range acts as an emotional anchor that prevents mid-video dropoff.
Expected Impact: This moment is already working — it's part of why your mid-video retention is 6-7% above channel average. Protecting and emphasizing it maintains that advantage. Cutting it would likely cost 2-3% retention.
At 89% (~16:54), retention spikes +8.01% to 52.75% — the biggest positive movement in the entire video. This is the roadhead reveal ('one of these girls was involved in a car accident while giving roadhead') combined with final pick anticipation. Viewers who had been slowly leaving COME BACK for the conclusion. This pattern also appears in 'With Their Dads' (+10.01% at 89%), confirming it's a series-wide re-hook moment. Retention here reaches 52.75%, which is +13.55% above channel average at this position — extraordinary.
Editing Notes: You're already nailing this — the 'but before you make your final decision' cliffhanger at 16:37 is textbook. To maximize it further: (1) add a 1-second black screen or dramatic pause before the roadhead reveal, (2) show ALL remaining girls' faces in quick succession before the reveal, (3) consider teasing 'I learned something WILD about one of these girls' earlier in the video (around 50%) to prevent some of the mid-video bleed. The comparison data shows this finale structure is your series' signature strength.
Expected Impact: Already your best moment at +13.55% vs channel average. A mid-video tease could pull forward some of this anticipation and reduce the 50-65% decline by 1-2%.