I’ve seen every episode of Modern Family enough times that I might gag if I will watch it again. I listen to Paper Bag by Fiona Apple at least 10 times a day. I also, at a point in class 12, during exam season, made a habit of watching episodes of Girls on repeat in between breaks from studying. And if these facts seem amusing, if not alarming, to you, they are nothing compared to the 53 people who watched The Christmas Prince for 18 consecutive days in 2017. Despite the gluttony of new content on all streaming services, people still keep going back to revisit stuff-which probably explains how The Office was able to clock 87 billion minutes of viewership in America alone.
Whether it is, watching Love Actually on 24th December every year or having Gilmore Girls on in the background throughout Autumn, going back to something you’ve already seen or read can be a real comfort and now apparently there are even theories as to why:
- Familiarity breeds affection
One of the simplest reasons for watching a movie or show again and again is the familiarity that we seek within it. While it may seem that watching something on repeat would lead to it losing its appeal, psychologists have said that on the contrary, it leads us to appreciate it more. We already know what is going to happen making it easy to follow and thus, appreciate it more. Like when you watch Get Out, you already know that the parents are white supremacists and so it requires less mental energy to understand what is happening while also allowing you to pick up on things that you wouldn’t have noticed like the ‘deer metaphor’ at the beginning of the movie.
- Nostalgia Sells
We all like remembering the past, especially the moments when we were happy and old shows and movies can be a gateway to those moments. They are the closest thing we have right now to a time machine-allowing us to be transported to a happier time on a whim. You can watch something like Friends and remember the 90s with fondness or it could more personal and remind you of a moment when you felt incredibly happy or loved. This can especially be helpful during stressful times by providing a sense of comfort. In a study published in the journal Frontiers, researchers found that nostalgia can help combat feelings of loneliness.
- So many options but nothing to choose
As consumerism continues to be on a rise, the array of options available has also increased, which can at times lead to anxiety, making us more indecisive. While it may seem a bit ironic, this is exactly what a study by Professor Sheena Iyengar at Columbia University proves. It found that too many options impair a person’s ability to make appropriate decisions. With the ever-increasing library of shows and movies, ever since the advent of streaming, choosing what to watch can be quite overwhelming. So, falling back on something you’ve already watched can be a great option since the chances are that you would still like it if you liked it before.
- Easy Therapy
Old favourites can be quite comforting at times and can even be a bit therapeutic at times of crisis and anxiety, which was evident during lockdown when there was a rise in the number of viewers of old shows such as Mad Men. When you already know what is going to happen it can help you feel a bit in control in a world characterized by chaos. At least for the next hour and a half, you can control how you feel.
This habit of going back to old stuff seems to be getting more popular as it is getting easier to watch old content. Of course, this doesn’t mean that people with stop watching anything new. There will always be queues for the new Star Wars or Avengers movie. People will always binge the latest season of The White Lotus or The House of Dragon as soon as it drops. But, while diving into something new that can surprise you and challenge you can be great, sometimes you just want to put up your feet and watch Ross yell “Pivot”.