I've been on a set where the director went 78 takes on a single shot and still had to come back the next day and finish it because the actress became so distraught that there was no way to continue. The problem with excessive takes is that it can severely undermine the confidence of the performers. It's one thing to have to do a shot many times for technical reasons or because the dialog is complicated, lengthy, or difficult to deliver. Everyone understands that certain shots or moments can be difficult to nail. It's another matter entirely to get in the habit of asking the performers to go again and again and again without being able to effectively articulate exactly what it is you need them to do to allow them to move on.

Imagine for a moment that Kevin was required to rewrite this (and every) article 50 (or more times – who knows how long it might take to "get it right") and the only direction he received was a spartan, "Everyone back to one. Let's do that again." How many versions might he be able to manage before finally feeling like he's exhausted for a fresh, better approach, before beginning to question his own efforts (how BAD am I that we still don't have it?!), before eventually balking at the apparently senseless repetition?

What's that saying about an infinite number of monkeys typing on an infinite number of keyboards producing a work of genius?

If you are a director who needs to do everything 50 times, you aren't a genius, you're just a monkey banging on the keys hoping that the odds will eventually favor you.