I’ve watched every episode of Friends probably three times by now, but that doesn’t stop me from pulling it up on Netflix when I give up on my homework every evening, and this isn’t just some Friends-specific phenomenon. I can predict almost every punchline on The Big Bang Theory, and have go-to episodes of The Office that I love to watch when I’m having a bad day (when Jim imitates Dwight, if you were wondering). There are movies I’ve seen upwards of a dozen times, and I don’t even want to count how many times I’ve read/watched the Harry Potter series.
I am a strong, vocal advocate for re-reading and re-watching. Part of this is probably just because I have a terrible memory – if I watched a movie once, even if I loved it, I’m not going to remember the basic plotline six months down the line. Repeat viewing allows me to remember why I loved this thing, and it allows it to make a much stronger impact on me than “Oh yeah I think I saw that. It was good?”
Sometimes I’m simply not in the mood for something new. I want to watch something that I know is good. I don’t want to sift through lists of titles and loglines, trying to find something that might be decent. I don’t want to think I’m watching a happy movie, and then have a dog die or something equally heartbreaking. Some days I don’t want the tension in my chest that comes with not knowing what happens next. Those are the days I turn on Friends, because I know how it all ends up, and I know I’ll enjoy it.In a similar vein, I almost always read Pride and Prejudice when I feel sick or angry or overwhelmed (or anytime, really). I know that whatever is going on in the world, the Bennet sisters and Mr. Darcy will be there, ready with their quips and misunderstandings to make me feel better. Yes, I do still try new movies and shows and books on a regular basis, but it’s always good to have something to fall back on.
I also often re-watch movies and shows when I’m hanging out with my friends. There are a couple different reasons for this. One is that sometimes we simply know we’ll be chatting and distracted through the whole thing, so there’s no reason to watch something new or confusing. Also, it’s often easier to get a group of people to agree to a movie they’ve already seen and enjoyed, rather than trying to sell something new and “riskier.”
But here’s the biggest reason, both for re-watching in groups and by yourself. It’s really fun. How are we supposed to have a sing-along to High School Musical if no one has seen it before?
Sometimes I feel like I don’t try enough new shows and movies and books. Instead, I go back to old favorites again and again. FOMO is real, guys. But then I take a step back, and remind myself that it’s okay to do things that are familiar and fun, to do things just because I want to. Life isn’t always about constantly racing to see everything and do everything. Sometimes it’s about laughing half a second before the punchline.
And on that note, off I go to watch Friends – again.
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