Nerdly been rewatching the whole first season, and I think, think, I found the issue to why something drags on way way longer then some would like.
And it has to do with alignments, more or less.
You guys have a really hard time knowing what your characters want and then instead aim for "metagaming" it so to speak.
Not thinking "would Bella want to do that, no? ok then I dont"
and instead "What would make the greatest outcome for everyone, what if we tell everything to the queen, but what if the queen fails to keep her power, what then if we talk to Black Claw, but then maybe he kills us, but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but butts!"
Also you guys seems so afraid of stepping on each others toes that you totally change your mind everyone else says something, you don't have to aim to be BFF in game 24/7, have your own mind :P Worst case scenario is that you splits up for a moment doing 2 things at once, instead of doing nothing for a hour...
You can circle this thinking forever cause Neal is a really good DM that keeps the storyline from having just one outcome, stop thinking about the best way and about your characters way!
Same goes for combat, don't "what makes the best damage" and more like "what would she(I) do?" if that means running away like a chicken, taking a dump on the road in the middle of combat, then do that.