“There She Goes Again”: Why Do We Rewatch Shows?
What draws someone back to their “comfort” show? And why can’t reboots of our favorite programs recapture the same magic as the originals? Caroline Page ’26 highlights these feelings — and reminisces about Gilmore Girls along the way.
It’s that time of year again: When I enter Trader Joe's, I am greeted by the grinning jack-o’-lantern of every pumpkin product, and I stop to smell cinnamon instead of flowers. The trees' leaves shed their green, opting for a fall-toned, filter-esque foliage. When I click the kettle to make a warm drink and preheat the oven to bake an apple cinnamon spice “something or other,” I know I will soon select a show following the “duh-dun” of Netflix loading on the TV. Of course, I turn on nothing other than Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel's quick witted lines that I have memorized from my fall tradition of watching Gilmore Girls. While I sip peppermint tea, I feel at ease watching Emily and Lorelei Gilmore fight yet again at their famous Friday night dinners. But why do I find such comfort when I hear the show’s theme song, “Where you Lead, I Will Follow” by Carole King, once more? Why do we find solace in a show we watched for the first time years ago? There are psychological factors that contribute to our desire to revisit plots and characters we know so well. In fact, there are potential benefits from it. Although I would usually argue that it is the sets, clothes, and fall colors in Gilmore Girls that persuade me to hit play on yet another trip through the series, it is also the mental comforts rooted in watching something I have seen before.
Some might claim that a second viewing of a show allows one to discover the details gone unseen. This would be a likely argument made by film buffs and ardent fans, but psychologists suggest additional reasons for a renewed viewing of a show. Anna Goldfarb discusses research done by professors of psychology Shira Gabriel and Jaye Derrick in her Time magazine article “Why Rewatching Your Favorite TV Show Is Good for You.” Gabriel’s research centers on humans as social creatures, drawing connections between TV and the innate human desire for a sense of belonging, which prompts us to watch shows like Friends over and over again. Goldfarb emphasizes that social instinct predates modern culture, and therefore our connections to fictional characters parallel those of the real world. These “parasocial” relationships provide a sense of community, and consequently, a sense of comfort. Goldfarb goes as far as to argue that another viewing of your favorite show not only provides solace, but also can leave you feeling “restored.” Derrick’s research proposes that after people perform a strenuous task, they tend to search for a friendly fictional world and are often left feeling replenished. Derrick describes the ability to make choices as a scarce resource, resulting in the desire for familiarity as a relief from the exhaustion of decision-making. Therefore, after a day full of decisions, we reach a threshold where we tend to gravitate toward our tried-and-true Netflix favorites.
Goldfarb recognizes the sense of community we find through the relationships we make with the characters on-screen, but neglects to mention the friendships found off-screen.
Avid fans dedicate their time to viewing a show more than once to connect with the community. Consequently, they begin to consolidate their opinions about the fictional world. I have participated in too many haughty debates about who Rory’s best boyfriend was: Dean, Jess, or Logan. (Although I’ve always had an affinity for Logan Huntzberger, Jess’ confrontation with Rory with his well-known line — “Why did you drop out of Yale!?” — always brings me closer to the Jess fans). Debates like these give way to subcultures within a fandom, and more specific groups can function as identifiers of shared opinions and values. If others agree, a subculture forms, furthering a sense of belonging.
This psychological explanation of why we gain comfort in rewatching our favorite shows explains the cause for failed reboots. Reboots require us to make judgements about character developments or analyze discrepancies from the original narrative. The extra attention required proves to be more strenuous than going back to the untouched version of the past. Stanford researchers featured in Elizabeth Kolbat’s article from The New Yorker provide reasoning for the strain in viewing a remake. In the article “Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds,” Kolbalt highlights key psychological concepts surrounding the influx of new information. The researchers state that “once formed, impressions are remarkably perseverant,” an idea applicable to the world of TV show reboots. Physical and behavioral differences in fictional characters in a remake forces the audience to reassess their judgements. This not only fatigues loyal viewers but creates discomfort for them if a character does not act in accordance to the viewers’ expectations. Character discrepancies can result from the maturation of the actors, the inaccurate recreation of the set design, or even new writers and directors. Therefore, the reboot parallels the failures of a poorly adapted film. It is incomparable to the original. For that reason, many fans might stick to rewatching the original seven seasons of Gilmore Girls and fail to acknowledge the developments in the mini series created almost a decade later. The idea of the reboot reinforces that humans desire to find comfort in the known. Therefore, opting for a show you have seen before provides the solace many need at the end of a long day. The comfort in a rewatch can rival one’s time to consume new media, but the mental break is restorative. This proposes a nuanced way in which TV can be beneficial to mental health.
This duality of the perfunctory nature of television serves as a reminder to reflect on one’s consumption. It is important to check in with yourself and ask: “Do I want to relax, or do I want to learn something new?” Sometimes, it might just be the necessary mental health break to watch Rory Gilmore walk on screen with “There She Goes” by The La’s playing in the background.