NEW YORK — As television programming goes, expectations were widespread that the Jan. 6 committee hearings would essentially be reruns. Instead, they have been much more.

The five sessions have revealed a storyteller's eye, with focus, clarity, an understanding of how news is digested in modern media, and strong character development — even if former President Donald Trump's allies suggest there aren't enough actors.

The hearings are pausing for a break until next month, leaving Americans much to digest.

As seen during Trump's impeachments, modern congressional hearings tend to produce more heat than light. That was part of why the Jan. 6 committee faced low expectations, along with the sense — 18 months after the insurrection, an event that played out on live television — that there may be little new to learn.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy's decision not to participate gave the committee a gift, the chance to craft hearings as a unicorn of sorts in today's political age.

The hearings are concise, no more than 2 hours, each day with a specific theme. It goes like this: First, viewers are told at the outset what they're going to hear. Then they hear it. Then they are told at the end what they just heard. Usually there's a preview of what's next — a trick that likely reflects the advice of James Goldston, a former ABC News producer hired as a consultant.

Keeping the presentations understandable with short, simple bursts of information reflects lessons learned from...

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