Other Rewatching vs Single watching of Series/Movies

[Alex99]

I honestly don't know how you can do that.

For me, the biggest part of watching something like The Sopranos is not knowing what could happen next. I can understand the comfort of familiarity. But I can't understand what else you're getting from the experience that isn't a watered down version of what you experienced the first time around.

I'd much rather watch an inferior but new show which has the capacity to surprise me with fresh twists.

Breaking Bad was one of the best series I've ever watched, but I'll probably never rewatch it because almost all of the enjoyment came from not knowing what was going to happen.

Things like The Office are far more rewatchable, and in fact, almost more enjoyable on rewatches because you're anticipating the jokes and the daft scenarios and already laughing during the build up.

 

[Eriku]

This past year I’ve seen a lot more mentions of the habit of re-watching and "comfort shows/movies".

It passes the time, and you don’t need to focus as much if you’ve already seen it, and you know what’s going to happen which makes it anxiety free. I always felt a bit weird for re-watching a comedy show for the umpteenth time, but predictability and familiarity seem to have become more important for a lot of people lately, for obvious reasons.

As for things I re-watch with more intent, it’s the same as with a book. When you know what’s going to happen you catch little details and foreshadowing and the like more easily. Some shows and movies reward that a lot, the Wire being my favourite example.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Interestingly, while I am a big fan of re-watching and re-listening to shows, movies and music I can't really get into re-watching football matches. I do it occasionally if work gets in the way of me paying full attention but not that often.

 

[nimic]

I honestly don't know how you can do that.

For me, the biggest part of watching something like The Sopranos is not knowing what could happen next. I can understand the comfort of familiarity. But I can't understand what else you're getting from the experience that isn't a watered down version of what you experienced the first time around.

I'd much rather watch an inferior but new show which has the capacity to surprise me with fresh twists.

The Office is a comedy, so his enjoyment of it would have almost nothing to do with surprise. I can still watch a good stand-up even though I know the jokes. Or watch this clip of Bob Mortimer trying to convince everyone on Would I Lie To You he does his own dentistry, for the 15th time.

For other stuff, enjoyment can come from seeing things you didn't catch the first time around. Maybe the fact that you now know where everything is headed changes how you experience certain scenes or plot points.

Sometimes it doesn't matter if you find new stuff or not, it's just so good. I don't rewatch The Wire because I can't remember if Stringer Bell goes to prison or not, but because it's so extremely well made. The acting, the music, the story, the everything. I could go watch something new on Netflix, but the only thing it would have over The Wire would be that I don't know what's going to happen.

Interestingly, while I am a big fan of re-watching and re-listening to shows, movies and music I can't really get into re-watching football matches. I do it occasionally if work gets in the way of me paying full attention but not that often.

Definitely agree with this. The closest I ever got to that was the The Treble (98-99 season review) VHS I had, and that obviously just had highlights from the games. I watched those highlights many times, though.

 

[Amarsdd]

In terms of series, I can't rewatch the dramatic/serious ones. I love rewatching the comedies though. I have probably rewatched (mostly in the background) the Office (US version) like 5-6 times. The same with Parks and Rec, Scrubs, the Peep show and Arrested Development. Whereas for movies, it's serious movies vs mindless entertaining movies.

 

[Amarsdd]

The Office is a comedy, so his enjoyment of it would have almost nothing to do with surprise. I can still watch a good stand-up even though I know the jokes. Or watch this clip of Bob Mortimer trying to convince everyone on Would I Lie To You he does his own dentistry, for the 15th time.

Great that I've probably watched the compilation of Bob Mortimer on WILTY like 50 times. It's not even an exaggeration.

 

[Volumiza]

there are some movies I watch religiously at least once a year. Then there's my Christmas playlist, that always gets watched.

Christmas doesn’t start till I’ve watched Planes, trains and Automobiles.

 

[Volumiza]

I like rewatching all of the Anthony Bourdain shows. Great tv to kick back and tune out to when there’s nowt else doin’.

 

[Big Andy]

The thing I watch the most is the home screen of Netflix, Amazon and Disney+, as I endlessly scroll for something that takes my fancy, only to find nothing and end up going to bed. I spent 45 minutes the other night looking for something to watch, and nothing stood out to me at all. I'm spoiled by it. Time was I'd have an hour of cartoons after school and that was it.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

We have various sitcoms on a constant rotation via Netflix/Prime/etc; Simpsons, Sunny, The Office (both), Peep Show, Parks, Community etc. Mostly because we'll often have the TV on but not always paying full attention to it. We tend to save new films and TV for friday and saturday nights.

I haven't managed to rewatch some of the better Black Mirror episodes yet though. They usually had me feeling a bit numb afterwards, not sure I'm up for it yet.

 

[The Cat]

Was in another thread the other day but I can rewatch class all the time - The Great Escape.

 

[SirAnderson]

Same.

Imagine watching The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad only once? There is so much stuff one would miss out on.

Game of Thrones up to season 4 is highly re-watchable. A lot of foreshadowing happens and it’s really satisfying. After season 5 the whole fecking thing is a car crash.

I'm not sure about that. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it just the one time and don't feel like I missed out on anything. Sure I may forget what happened and specific scenes over the years, but that's why I have the caf and memes and gifs. The only reason I rewatched The Wire and BB was to experience it with my wife. Wouldn't really go back to watch it as much as them 2 are my all time favorites

 

[SirAnderson]

I actually find people who never rewatch anything to be weirder than people who mainly rewatch.

Why would you not feel like rewatching something you love? The only reasons I can think of is that you're a completionist or only get enjoyment from not knowing the end. Both of which are weird reasons, imo.

I think they perfectly fine reasons. Most mystery or crime stuff have no real rewatch value to me. Like watching the Mentalist or something has no appeal to me.
There are other ways to enjoy it after you watch these days, forums like this to discuss your favorite parts, fan shows on youtube etc.
Nothing wrong with rewatching it either.

 

[SirAnderson]

Breaking Bad was one of the best series I've ever watched, but I'll probably never rewatch it because almost all of the enjoyment came from not knowing what was going to happen.

Things like The Office are far more rewatchable, and in fact, almost more enjoyable on rewatches because you're anticipating the jokes and the daft scenarios and already laughing during the build up.

This is about it for me, even though I don't watch lots of comedy to begin with though. Like I think I should watch Scrubs again, seeing as how I claim that to be my favorite comedy show ever, but I've completely forgotten most of it.

 

[Woodzy]

I honestly don't know how you can do that.

For me, the biggest part of watching something like The Sopranos is not knowing what could happen next. I can understand the comfort of familiarity. But I can't understand what else you're getting from the experience that isn't a watered down version of what you experienced the first time around.

I'd much rather watch an inferior but new show which has the capacity to surprise me with fresh twists.

I feel like the US Office has that thing going for it where it remains funny however many times you watch it.

It’s easy watching because the episodes are so short, and because there’s so much to get through it’s easy to forget some of it.

 

[Redlambs]

Video games have ruined tv/films for me, as I need to now be involved.

However I can watch any episode of Scrubs and Criminal Minds over and over, film wise I never turn off Shawn of the Dead or Casino. But perhaps the strangest thing of all is that I can actually see and sit through the original Blair Witch Project over and over despite it being the most boring thing ever.

 

[SirAnderson]

Video games have ruined tv/films for me, as I need to now be involved.

However I can watch any episode of Scrubs and Criminal Minds over and over, film wise I never turn off Shawn of the Dead or Casino. But perhaps the strangest thing of all is that I can actually see and sit through the original Blair Witch Project over and over despite it being the most boring thing ever.

That's oddly specific, how did/has such circumstances come about that you'd be watching it over and over again?

 

[Fully Fledged]

I re-watch shows and movies I really like all the time.

 

[AaronRedDevil]

Only reason people rewatch shows is because there’s feck all else on that’s even good. Especially when you’ve watched all the great shows and the good one too. That’s where I am atm. There’s nothing on.

 

[Redlambs]

That's oddly specific, how did/has such circumstances come about that you'd be watching it over and over again?

My work hours are scuffed at the moment, so sometimes I'm in bed and the gf is asleep so I put shit like the horror channel on.

I think the forest sounds and rain help soothe, but I end up watching it until the end. Maybe it's the snotty nose, maybe I have bigger issues...

 

[Brwned]

I actually find people who never rewatch anything to be weirder than people who mainly rewatch.

Why would you not feel like rewatching something you love? The only reasons I can think of is that you're a completionist or only get enjoyment from not knowing the end. Both of which are weird reasons, imo.

Wasn't it the 16th century that people started despairing about the idea that there 'have been more words produced than one can ever read in one's lifetime' or something to that effect?

We obviously have that with countless magnitudes added on top. It's not a direct trade-off between that thing you watched years ago and that shiny new thing, but that thing you watched years ago and that thing that was made by the same director or is similar in style that you've just read about after watching it, or that book that's based on the same source, or those various other entertainment choices that could generate the same experience plus something new, or those various other things you can do with your time that offer some completely different kind of reward.

For me, entertainment is too…I dunno, shallow (?) an experience to want to repeat it over and over again when weighed up against the alternatives. I don't get the comfort from it in the way other people in here mention, and on that same note, I don't get a sense of anxiety about watching something else and it being not as good, or I don't feel a sense of disappointment about watching something and it being different. Those trade-offs to doing something new are just bigger for some people than others.

The only exception to this for me is the Wire. I'm not re-watching it for comfort or to re-connect to the characters, but because there's enough layers to it that you can get to something deeper when the wider context is clearer. That comes closer to an educational experience for me, which is something I get more out of from repetition. It's a really interesting portrait of a world I had no understanding of before, and it just so happens that they chose drama as the vehicle to share it. Most other things put the drama first, which to me works as a first impression but not much more.

 

[Zen]

How could I endlessly reference the Simpsons and/or anything if I only watched them ... once. Especially in the dual monitor/screen era I've been in for the past, what, 20 years? I don't have to give a rewatch my full attention. 95% of anything I'm watching first gets that.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Funnily enough I'm re-watching the BBC doc Walking with Dinosaurs on Netflix. Still pretty good minor the obvious dated CGI.

 

[2 man midfield]

Once I’ve seen it that’s it, I’ve seen it. I know how it ends so I never rewatch it unless it’s a comedy I really like. Even then I only tend to rewatch shows that are self contained episodes.

 

[OleBoiii]

Wasn't it the 16th century that people started despairing about the idea that there 'have been more words produced than one can ever read in one's lifetime' or something to that effect?

The people who would despair over not being able to consume everything sound like completionists to me. It's a mindset that I will never understand. Quality will always beat quantity. I genuinely worry about people who finish long TV series that they hate throughout the whole experience. Why would you put yourself through that? Just to say "yeah, I saw <insert series>. It sucked."

For me, entertainment is too…I dunno, shallow (?) an experience to want to repeat it over and over again when weighed up against the alternatives.

That's fair enough. For me it's a more immersive(?) experience. I will typically shut off all lights, close the windows and put my phone away before putting on a film. If the people I watch the film with ask too many questions I will actually pause the film to explain things

I don't get the comfort from it in the way other people in here mention, and on that same note, I don't get a sense of anxiety about watching something else and it being not as good, or I don't feel a sense of disappointment about watching something and it being different. Those trade-offs to doing something new are just bigger for some people than others.

For me it has nothing to do with anxiety etc. Also I don't fear things that are different. In fact, I welcome it with open arms. But it must be good. And yeah, if I didn't enjoy it, I will feel disappointed. It's time wasted. I find it interesting that some people might find it a bigger waste of time to rewatch something they enjoy than to watch something they didn't enjoy.

Ultimately it's about balance, though. A life spent only doing the same things over and over is incredibly dull. A life were you view everything as a dark map that must be uncovered sounds stressful and filled with disappointments.

 

[Brwned]

The people who would despair over not being able to consume everything sound like completionists to me. It's a mindset that I will never understand. Quality will always beat quantity. I genuinely worry about people who finish long TV series that they hate throughout the whole experience. Why would you put yourself through that? Just to say "yeah, I saw <insert series>. It sucked."



That's fair enough. For me it's a more immersive(?) experience. I will typically shut off all lights, close the windows and put my phone away before putting on a film. If the people I watch the film with ask too many questions I will actually pause the film to explain things



For me it has nothing to do with anxiety etc. Also I don't fear things that are different. In fact, I welcome it with open arms. But it must be good. And yeah, if I didn't enjoy it, I will feel disappointed. It's time wasted. I find it interesting that some people might find it a bigger waste of time to rewatch something they enjoy than to watch something they didn't enjoy.

Ultimately it's about balance, though. A life spent only doing the same things over and over is incredibly dull. A life were you view everything as a dark map that must be uncovered sounds stressful and filled with disappointments.

Ultimately that’s just a narrow reading of something that has plenty of other interpretations. And in some cases the interpretations are just wrong. I’m not sure why you need to jump to conclusions instead of recognising there’s things beyond your way of being that are legitimate, and that you just don’t have much experience of.

That first quote has nothing to do with being a “completionist”. The point that guy was making was that it is physically impossible to get through everything, and it was wrapped up in a much broader assessment of creation and consumption. He wasn’t despairing about the fact he couldn’t get through all of those books. His criticism actually touches upon some of your concerns too ie much of the stuff made each year is crap and no-one should even attempt to get through it. He just wanted new stuff to be created to a higher quality, for there to be more of a filter. I wasn’t echoing his full views but using that original concern to build out in a modern context.

Presumably I get more joy from novelty than you do. There’s very few things I watch that I think were unenjoyable, in part because it comes with that bonus enjoyment of being novel. There’s very few things I find disappointing, in part because I don’t have particularly high expectations for entertainment, it’s a hard bar to fall below. And presumably I don’t get the same richness of experience as you from something that is really good the first time, or from re-watching something I liked before. I don’t think your way is weird I just recognise our brains get activated by different things. I have no desire to complete anything. The stress and disappointment you imagine just don’t exist for me. Entertainment isn’t important enough for me to give that kind of emotional weight to it.

At the end of the day, most new things are old things. They have the same structure, they have the same rhythms, they portray the same things, just with subtle differences. So the familiarity that people enjoy, I think already exists enough in those elements. I started that BBC prison drama Time last week and it has a lot of the same elements as Oz. I probably won’t rate it as highly as HBO’s version, but I’m enjoying it, and I’ll enjoy it more than rewatching Oz. The fact it’s an old story being told with a new voice is among the most engaging parts for me. Those subtle differences in perspective, location, time tell you something new about the world, even in a shallow way.

 

[AbusementPark]

Yip serial rewatcher myself.

Game of thrones
Sons of anarchy
Sopranos
The wire
Billions

Always notice new things when watching them again and again. Might not be significant but always find something I've missed.

 

[Dante]

I feel like the US Office has that thing going for it where it remains funny however many times you watch it.

It’s easy watching because the episodes are so short, and because there’s so much to get through it’s easy to forget some of it.

Whoops! Sorry, mate!

I meant to quote a different poster who specifically mentioned The Sopranos.

As far as The Office is concerned, I actually agreed with you in my very next post (#39 in this thread). Comedy is its own special category that's different from the rest. I've personally watched Community three times and season 2-9 of The Simpsons about a billion times.

 

[OleBoiii]

His criticism actually touches upon some of your concerns too ie much of the stuff made each year is crap and no-one should even attempt to get through it. He just wanted new stuff to be created to a higher quality, for there to be more of a filter. I wasn’t echoing his full views but using that original concern to build out in a modern context.

Ah, I misunderstood the point of the quote then. I thought it was meant as an early example of FOMO.

Presumably I get more joy from novelty than you do. There’s very few things I watch that I think were unenjoyable, in part because it comes with that bonus enjoyment of being novel. There’s very few things I find disappointing, in part because I don’t have particularly high expectations for entertainment, it’s a hard bar to fall below.

That's fair enough. We are just wired differently.

If I blindly pick a film or TV series from a massive library then there's probably an 80% chance that I don't get entertained at all. I try to do some initial research before watching new stuff. I still get disappointed from time to time, though. I also try to watch stuff that I'm skeptical about just to go out of my "comfort zone" as that's the only way to get pleasantly surprised.

I'm not really a typical rewatcher as most of the stuff I watch is new to me, but I also can't imagine not watching my favorite films multiple times.

 

[Abraxas]

I think it depends on the quality of the show or movie. If the plot is intricate or there are a lot of visual details it makes a lot of sense to rewatch.

I also understand rewatching something for a certain mood or feeling, that's essentially why people rewatch comedies I would imagine, which is probably more routine than rewatching a series over and over. But the same applies to a movie or even show.

Personally, I do not do it often. I think that there's very little of actual substance and quality being made, there's a lot of tripe pushed out for people of low attention spans. However, I don't have much time to watch shows or movies so for me personally there's enough to cherrypick without watching stuff I've seen. I think if I was a big TV watcher I'd be inclined to rewatch stuff due to lack of quality, but as it is I'd rather read.

 

[Brwned]

Ah, I misunderstood the point of the quote then. I thought it was meant as an early example of FOMO.



That's fair enough. We are just wired differently.

If I blindly pick a film or TV series from a massive library then there's probably an 80% chance that I don't get entertained at all. I try to do some initial research before watching new stuff. I still get disappointed from time to time, though. I also try to watch stuff that I'm skeptical about just to go out of my "comfort zone" as that's the only way to get pleasantly surprised.

I'm not really a typical rewatcher as most of the stuff I watch is new to me, but I also can't imagine not watching my favorite films multiple times.

Yep! I should clarify that I have rewatched films and series, it just wasn’t my own choice! So it’s not that I flat out refuse to do it, it just would never really be my preferred choice. I think of life as an adventure, an experiment, a mystery…most of the best stuff confuses, surprises or intrigues me, and whatever moves me further along into that is good. Most of the comfortable stuff, and what many people consider the most meaningful or substantial things in life, I don’t get that much satisfaction from or it’s often outweighed by the boredom of it. The normal stuff is the backup when I’m too lazy to try something that has some kind of newness that I can easily perceive. Or at least that’s my pop psychology interpretation of it.

I’ve family that rewatch series constantly, so if I’m sitting down to bond with them it’ll just be background noise for me. Or I’ll rewatch an old movie with mates either because it’s their first time watching it, or in the case of things like Pulp Fiction, it’s just one of those things they like to watch every few years. And I do enjoy some of that, just never as much as the first time. The all round experience might actually be better the next time but at that point I’m getting more out of the social side of things than the entertainment. To me it’s just always a little worse for comedies, notably worse for serious dramas, and much worse for thrillers. I’d pretty much have to be forced to re-watch a thriller!