And why this number will continue to grow
I often find myself scrolling through Netflix, trying to find a new show to watch. I spend about 15 minutes watching trailers and reading synopses, but I eventually just click on Gilmore Girls, a show I am currently watching for the sixth time. My friends make fun of me for rewatching the same show over and over again, but I believe that I have good reasons for doing it.
First off, a new show means new plot twists. And plot twists induce anxiety. I am perfectly aware that it is just a TV show and therefore not that deep, but still, I do not need that kind of unnecessary anxiety in my life. The whole point of watching television, at least for me, is to escape reality. And watching a relaxing show, like Gilmore Girls, allows me to do so. I already have a connection with the characters and their lives, so the show brings me comfort. It is also long enough that a lot of time passes before I go back to the beginning, so it honestly doesn’t even feel like I am watching the same thing over and over.
This is not to say that I never watch anything else. It happens, just not very often. In the rare cases in which I do start a new show, I get extremely hooked. I am desperate to know what will happen next, and I prioritize the show until I get to the end. If there is any sort of unresolved conflict, I watch until it’s revealed. But as soon as one thing resolves, a new conflict arises. Although I feel that I generally have pretty good self control, for some reason, I have absolutely none when it comes to watching new shows. I refuse to stop until I am done. This is extremely problematic during the school year, since there is work to get done. So when I do start a new show, it is usually during the summer or winter break. The rest of the year is just Gilmore Girls.
Partly because I don’t have to deal with unknown plot twists, rewatching Gilmore Girls gives me a sense of control. I know what’s going to happen. I also know that everyone will get through pretty much every conflict they experience and exactly how they will do it. This is not the case for every TV show, which is another reason Gilmore Girls is such a good contender for the ideal comfort show. And yes, I know some of the characters go through long conflicts or do not get their happily ever after exactly as they wanted, but the beauty of rewatching shows is you can skip over parts you don’t want to see. And pretend they never happened.
So, if you ever feel anxious or as if you are not in control, I recommend a comfort show that you’ve seen before. There is something about winding down to a show with characters that you know and love that can be incredibly comforting and satisfying. Allowing yourself to indulge in the familiarity of such a comfort show can create a sense of stability and can ultimately make your stressful week a little bit better.