I suppose it depends on what you think the show is about. If you're only interested in the Whispers/BPO/etc central plot thread, then yeah I guess you'd want everything else stripped down, though that should also include Capheus's fight against poverty, Wolfgang's experiences in the criminal underworld, Kala's marriage, Sun's fugitive status, etc.
But for me it's not just the main plot thread and that's it. The experiences of all these different characters in their own personal stories, and how the others in their cluster are affected and can help, are exactly the point of the show. Personally I think the pacing is exactly right for balancing the two aspects.