The Science of Rewatch

“Yeah, we always have it on in the background. It’s just super easy to watch and always funny.”

Does this spark a particular show for anyone? My roommate in college would always say this whenever we had guests over or a repairman to fix something in our apartment. (Thank you, Ben!)

For us, it typically meant we were rewatching “Friends”, “New Girl”,“That 70’s Show”, “The Vampire Diaries”, and even “Jersey Shore” (only when we needed something completely MINDLESS) while we did our homework, cooked dinner or simply hung out together in the living room after a long day of classes. Each of these television shows had some sort of impact on our life whether it was a character, song, joke, or moment in time where we completely related to the show. So much so that it inspired us to rewatch them, making us laugh, cry, argue, and contemplate what that character said or how an episode went for a second, third, or even fourth time around. 

So, what is it about these shows that make us want to rewatch and take in all over again, especially during quarantine? 

It’s a bit simpler than we think it is. I want you to think back to a show you’ve watched your entire life. You either stumbled upon it or a family member introduced it to you. For me, it was the AMAZING sitcom “Friends” (fight me on this, I dare you) that has always kept me laughing or put my mind at ease from an early age, and especially as I got older. My parents were huge fans of the show, and my sister and I became even bigger fans of the show as we grew older and finished all ten seasons. We would take in every single moment that made us laugh until our stomachs hurt, moved us to tears (Yeah, I’m talking about the episode where Ross and Rachel break up for the first time, it’s everyone’s tear-jerker), and made us believe that there was a lobster out there for everyone (Yep, Ross and Rachel again). 

The science behind rewatch

There has to be a reason why we choose to rewatch a show over another, right? Right. There are a couple of different reasons - nostalgia and comfort. 

Rewatching television shows provide a sense of comfort and a wave of nostalgia, releasing the “feel-good” endorphins to our brain and positively impacting our entire body. Nostalgia, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition”, meaning that when we watch and rewatch our favorite series, a sense of sentimentality flows through our bodies and reminds us of a time where we were happy and comfortable. Gina Vivinetto with the “Today” show wrote an article about the psychological benefits that come with rewatching television shows. She interviewed with licensed psychologist and professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, Krystine Batcho about nostalgia and the impact of rewatching a television show. Batcho told the “Today” show that rewatching a show provides us with “nostalgic need” and the comfort is similar to “a hug from your mom or dad or being cuddled”. 

In other words, rewatching television shows is therapeutic. Who wouldn’t want a hug from a loved one or a fist-full of good emotions flooding your body during a time like this? It’s crazy to say that we can receive a form of physical comfort from just watching a scene we’ve seen a thousand times. But it’s true, we can. 

It’s pretty personal

There’s an episode in “Friends” that has stuck with me since I was a little girl and probably always will. I’ll get back to that later though because my other friends have some pretty good stories of the shows that resonated and encouraged them to watch over again. 

A friend of mine, Natalie Raiman, resides in the great state of New Jersey. No, she did not audition for a spot on “Jersey Shore”, but she did tell me of her summers spent at the shore and how these memories were sparked by her favorite show “New Girl”. Raiman never tires of watching “New Girl” because the show sparks nostalgia for spending time with her best friends every summer at the shore.  

"In the show the actors are playing friends, but I felt that their chemistry was so real that it translated to them being friends in reality as well,” Raiman said. “...it makes me remember summer vacations with friends when we would rent a beach house down at the Jersey Shore.”

Unfortunately, she won’t be able to attend this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As bummed as she is, she’s hopeful that she and all her friends will be able to return to the shore once more. I might even have to go with her sometime. What do you say, Nat?

While it’s easy to be feeling down about the quarantine and state-of-the-world right now, a friend finds comfort in a show he’s watched over and over again throughout his lifetime. Matt Farroll can always find himself comforted during an episode of “Bob’s Burgers” because it relates to his family life and familiarity of his own self, “Bob is a simple man, I can relate to that. He likes his burgers hot and his buns soft, I think that’s a lesson we can all learn from,” Farroll said. “Probably my favorite part about this show is seeing my own family members in each character. The joy of watching Bob’s isn’t just from what’s on the screen, it’s from the memories it sparks.”

I never spent too much time watching “Bob’s Burgers'' unless I was around my roommates or friends, but Farroll’s connection to the television show brought back memories of simplicity and happiness within his family circle for him. After all, what’s more important than being surrounded by the ones who love you the most while growing up? Love makes life easy and reminds us that our problems are not as large as we make them out to be when we’re surrounded by family and good people who are there to back you when you need it. 

Speaking of good people, we should talk about the show “Parks and Recreation” for a minute or two. Rose Greenblatt, a great friend of mine, is inspired by the positivity the show brings to her life.  

“I think ‘Parks and Rec’ makes me think positively about my potential future and helps me feel more hopeful for society because my hometown was not as passionate or collaborative,” Greenblatt said. This has to be helpful in times like this where we have so much time to think about what’s going on in the world and all the ways we want to better it. But I know Rose well enough and she’ll be great regardless of how long this pandemic lasts. If there is anyone who will spark change, then it will be my friend Rose. 

So, why does this matter during quarantine?

I know you want to hear about my favorite episode of “Friends”, so I’ll tell you. My favorite one is the final episode. Yes, the one where Monica and Chandler move out of the apartment we became so familiar with, Ross and Rachel getting back together for the umpteenth time, and Phoebe and Joey accepting their friends moving on to something much larger than their apartment in West Village. It’s easy to get sad whenever watching this episode because “It’s like the end of an era!” as Monica would say, but it’s Chandler’s response to if they’re available to get coffee one last time that always gets me.

“Sure. Where?”. I hope you all know where they would go.

His remark always permits us to laugh one last time with the gang and puts a smile on my face. It reminds me that life will change, and we’ll be forced to confront challenges and experience times we’ve never been through before. However, we’ll always have exactly what we need surrounding us to keep us moving forward into the next chapter in our lives. We can then reflect on the times that got us to where we are today if we ever feel uncomfortable and sad.

We are currently living in a world we’ve never seen before, one that is filled with plenty of uncertainty and confusion. People are worried and scared, and I understand because I am too. But, there are small things we can do to help us get through our day. It is important to take walks and drives, call friends and family members, draw or paint, or any task that will help you get through your day. I’m not saying you should sit in front of your television for hours, but rewatching an episode or two of your favorite show can spark the happiness and comfort you need during a time where we don’t know what comes next. 

With that, I think I’ll start season 1, episode 1 of “Friends” right now for the 100th time. Stay safe everyone. We’ll get through this together.