Why Rewatching TV Shows Feels So Good [Especially Nowadays]
I got the Peacock streaming service around the end of last year.
Not going to lie, I was pleasantly surprised.
Initially, I was expecting it to be like any other streaming platform out there.
But something about Peacock feels more intuitive.
It’s easy to use, there are tons of choices, live broadcasts, and much more.
I feel like I am getting my money’s worth.
Or am I?
‘What do you mean, Armani?’
Thus far since having Peacock, I’ve only watched one show.
Everybody Loves Raymond.
What’s strange is that I’ve already seen this show before.
I can recite lines of specific episodes verbatim.
So, why am I constantly rewatching it?
The Effort of Picking Up a New Show
I struggled with Game of Thrones in the beginning.
People were talking about that show nonstop in 2017.
They were like:
‘Armani, you need to watch it!’
I said I tried, but it was boring.
Then they said:
‘It’s starts off slow. Just wait though, it’ll get really good quick!’
Fine…
I gave it another chance.
Eventually, it did get good.
I understood the hype.
However, there was initial resistance.
There was resistance because I had to put in effort to familiarize myself with:
- The important characters.
- Evolving storylines.
- Different settings.
Etc.
It almost felt like a job.
The initial stage that is…
The Initial Stage Scares Us Off
The beginning of a show is always the toughest.
It’s because we are unfamiliar with everything.
If you’ve had a busy day, the last thing you want to do is concentrate.
We just want to turn our mind off.
That’s why I haven’t explored Peacock yet.
Despite there being so many great options, I keep going back to Everybody Loves Raymond.
There is no initial scare with that show.
Also, the show reminds me of my childhood.
That’s another reason watching an old show again feels so good…
Remembering Our Past
A reason rewatching a show feels amazing is because of nostalgia.
We know the plot lines inside and out.
When watching the show, we begin to remember our lives inside and out.
I recall the exact location where I would watch Everybody Loves Raymond.
The grade in high school that I was in.
My body frame in that stage and more.
Watching old TV shows feels like a reminder of our past.
Nostalgia is in the air.
There are different shows like that for different people.
- Jersey Shore.
- The OC.
- Who wants to be a millionaire?
- Ed, Edd, and Eddy.
People are not really watching the show for the show.
They are watching the show to get past the show.
They go beyond the show and into their lives.
The Case Against Rewatching Old TV Shows
I believe watching old TV shows is good.
However, it can make a lot of people bitter.
“Back in my days, we had these shows! That’s when TV was golden.”
They are stuck in the past.
These people judge the new school content from the past lens alone.
I believe this is a way to use the past to destroy the present.
Appreciate the past.
Enjoy the content.
While simultaneously knowing that a lot of great content is being released today.
To become a better storyteller, we need to be versatile.
Be willing to expand your arsenal.
I feel guilty for not taking my advice on this one.
At least with Peacock that is.
I need to expand and venture beyond the past.
There are a lot of amazing selections that still need exploring.
Seeing Something That You Missed Before
As we evolve, our perspective on a lot of things will change.
That’s just a part of growing up.
It’s interesting to see how much our perspective changes regarding content.
This is one of the most important reasons people rewatch content:
- They learn new things from old-school material.
When I was a kid, I only agreed with the kids from TV shows.
When I became an adult, I agreed with the parents from the TV shows more.
It’s the same content.
But my perspective changed.
That’s why rewatching content is so much fun.
You see stuff that you didn’t see before.
Sometimes, you’ll be rewatching a show and think:
‘How the heck did I miss that?’
I was watching Jersey Shore recently and I thought:
‘Whoa, these people are drunk every episode. How did I not notice that as a kid? I just thought they were happy to be near each other.’
Some of the insights are hilarious.
Some of the insights are informative.
Inception for example.
Each time I watch that movie, I get a different impression of what I thought I understood.
It’s like re-reading the same book.
You feel like it’s a new book.
Wrong bud.
The book is the same.
It’s just a new you.
Which Shows Do You Rewatch?
It doesn’t only have to be shows that you rewatch.
Movies are fair game as well.
I’ve been on record saying that I’ve watched Interstellar more times than I care to admit.
Rewatching content feels so good because of the following 3 reasons:
- There is no initial tension because we are already familiar with the storyline, characters, and settings.
- We are reminded of our past.
- We learn new insights that we initially missed out on.
A blend of these 3 reasons makes it fun to rewatch content when Cable reigned supreme.
Avoid letting the past make you bitter though.
The past had great content.
The present is still being created as film directors experiment.
Embrace both.
I’m bullish on more people rewatching old content.
As the media landscape becomes more diluted, more consumers are going to look for mental models to help them scope through the fluff.
One of the mental models will be:
‘I loved this show as a kid. How about I rewatch it as an adult?’
For more insights into storytelling and content creation, check out the Art & Science of Storytelling book
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