In 1928, the first ever television show, “The Queen’s Messenger” aired. Almost a century later, over 800,000 shows have been released, according to pbs.org. Today, there are enough shows where the continuous output can be overwhelming yet it also may be just enough to please viewers with something hot and fresh to watch. Students may spend hours on end binge watching TV shows, but are these students rewatching old shows or obsessing over new ones?
With the amount of streaming services now offered, students can find their favorites and or watch a whole new season of a show as soon as it is released. Students are often in the middle of a TV show; whether it be an old sitcom or a new release on Netflix starring top actors, they are streaming it daily.
While students may have a favorite out of the shows they’ve watched, rewatching it doesn’t give the same effect it does as watching a show for the first time.
For some, starting new shows is a way to find new interests and learn. Students often like to explore and rewatching a show feels useless to them.“I typically find more interest in watching a new show than to rewatch something I’ve already seen. For me, rewatching shows is just pointless if I already know what’s going to happen in every episode, it’s like re-reading the same book. The plot, the characters and the outcome never change,” junior Zach King said.
Senior Marissa Cook prefers to scavenge different platforms for something new to watch. “To me, rewatching a show is not exciting. I don’t get to guess what will happen next and it overall kind of bores me to continuously watch the same thing over and over again. I look for the excitement in shows and nothing is as good as when you first watch it,” Cook said.
On the other hand, a certain show may feel like home – one that you may have watched with a parent or sibling for the first time, and rewatching it brings back comfort and good memories. “Rewatching shows just feels right. I find comfort in rewatching my favorite reality series numerous times. I love knowing what will happen next and it never truly gets old. I also enjoy being able to leave the room for a minute while the show is on and not worry about missing anything,” junior Gryphon Breckstein said.
Students may associate TV shows with seasons, for example, “Gilmore Girls” is often a show streamed during the fall, as the vibe of its town Stars Hollow is filled with comfort and coziness. The island and boat vibe of “Outer Banks” is associated with the summer along with other shows such as “The O.C.” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” “During the fall I like to rewatch Gilmore Girls. I get a feeling of comfort from this show and I feel it’s very fit for autumn,” junior Jenny Brailovsky said.
