Familiar Friends: Why we rewatch shows over again
You’ve just finished a long day at work and you’re ready to curl up and binge watch some Netflix. After spending 20 minutes scrolling aimlessly through new shows and movies, have you ever found yourself turning on an old favourite, even though you’ve seen every episode?
Welcome to the world of comfort shows. I used to think I was a bit strange for deferring back to the same five series, time after time, instead of diving into something new, but recently I discovered I’m in good company.
With the pandemic ramping up everyone’s screen-time, people began sharing their most beloved shows online, suddenly realizing that many of us have at least one “comfort show.” When I was younger, I flipped between the OC and Corner Gas, depending on whether I needed a dramatic distraction or a quick laugh. These days, I find myself cycling between Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, or New Girl, with the odd appearance from Community and Psych.
While they are all arguably great shows, it’s not necessarily their captivating storytelling that keeps me coming back.
After digging into the shared love of comfort shows, I discovered the primary reasons people tend to return to the same shows or movies year after year.
Choosing something new to watch can be overwhelming. With countless streaming platforms at our fingertips and thousands of options on each, it’s easy to become exhausted. It’s part of what causes us to give up and throw on an old familiar.
A Columbia University study by Sheena Lyengar showed having more options can cause indecisiveness. It’s similar to the back and forth “no you pick” battle many of us experience when trying to choose a restaurant.
When we turn to television for comfort over entertainment, the content begins to matter less than the feelings or memories associated with it. Turning on a repeat gives us guilt-free streaming; we don’t need to devote our full attention while having that comforting background noise. It’s easy to process, requiring little to no mental energy, and we know we won’t be disappointed.
Entertainment, like certain smells or tastes, also has a magical way of transporting us back in time to a simpler stage of life. This is the reason some of us are so attached to childhood favourites; for me, it’s Space Jam.
While chatting with a friend about their comfort shows, they said watching an old favourite series or movie gives them the same sense of nostalgia offered by Christmas movies. No matter how many times we watch them, how many lines we have memorized, we keep coming back.
There are even lists available of the most rewatchable TV shows and movies. Goodfellas, Ferris Beuller’s Day Off and Anchorman top the list of movies, while Friends, The Office, and Brooklyn NineNine are the cream of the crop for shows.
Did any of your favourites make the cut? Just remember, it’s OK to find comfort in the familiar — they’ve become a favourite for a reason!
Jill Ellsworth is a writer and communications specialist who lives in Dominion, N.S. Her column appears biweekly across the Saltwire Network. She can be reached at jillellsworth94@gmail.com.