I think it can be done well, but it’s often done poorly. Like a closeup of a character coughing is pretty obviously going to mean something later, it’s so predictable as to be boring. IMO, a good Chekhov’s Gun is something that surprises you at first but makes sense when you remember it later, or at least something where you have to keep guessing when it’s going to come up. The viewer should feel clever for picking up on it. Knives Out is a great example of this being done well many times over.
I think it can be done well, but it’s often done poorly. Like a closeup of a character coughing is pretty obviously going to mean something later, it’s so predictable as to be boring. IMO, a good Chekhov’s Gun is something that surprises you at first but makes sense when you remember it later, or at least something where you have to keep guessing when it’s going to come up. The viewer should feel clever for picking up on it. Knives Out is a great example of this being done well many times over.