To watch the same thing over and over because it brings comfort

[Eggsandspam]

I’ve recently discovered a TV series I love and it feels very comforting to me to watch it.
Each time I finish all the episodes I start them again. I’m on the 4th time in a row of watching them now.

My DP thinks I’m crazy and keeps asking why I’m not bored of it yet.

Am I mad or does anyone else do this?

I think this is very normal - lots and lots of people have a 'comfort watch'. My sister must have watched all the Harry Potter films about a million times now, for example.

I can also understand why Ghosts in particular is your comfort watch. I watched it all from the start last month (I'd never seen it before) and immediately found it incredibly cosy viewing. I could quite happily just start it all over again now - I completely get where you're coming from! The character development is so good and I felt a bit bereft when it finished. There are lots of bits that make me chuckle whenever I think of them, such as Robin saying his favourite food is 'bum'.

Yes, Grey’s Anatomy for me, and when I was younger, Dawson’s Creek. As I’ve got older I recognise that the rewatching coincides with periods of poor mental health, and it makes me feel better and more in control of things to watch familiar programmes, mindlessly, without needing to pay too much attention to what’s happening.

I basically watched The Exorcist every night for about a year when I was in my late teens!

I have about 5 or 6 TV shows that I rematch all the series of. It's definitely a comfort thing. I wouldn't watch one and restart it immediately though. I alternate.

Pride and prejudice the 2005 movie. I'll snuggle under a blanket with sweets and pop and watch it. It's a guilty pleasure when my dh is away

Hence why the ending made no sense at all!

I used to do that with a particular series. And I've done it loads with Legally Blonde which is my feelgood film if I have flu or feel really low. Never fails to inspire.

Might have to rewatch Detectorists.

Oh I love it too, it's the music for me twinkling away in the background and the cast are so beautiful

I do this with My Family, even if I’m not watching properly I like it on in the background I find the Harper family antics comforting.

I think it's entirely understandable, and absolutely fine, unless it permanently stops you ever trying anything new, which I think would be a shame in TV series, as in life in general.

I did it earlier this year with Our Flag Means Death. Watched, rewatched, or just watched my favourite bits over and over. Within a fortnight I must have watched the whole of series 1 four times, plus individual scenes loads more. I forced myself to stop by restarting yet another watch-through of Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel (it had been a couple of years since I last watched these). I do watch new things too though!

they wanted to finish on a high I listened to the podcast , what was it that you didn't understand?

Yea I’ve done this since I was in my early 20s I think. Used to watch the Harry Potter movies on repeat and then Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies and then Stranger Things. More recently Superstore and Schitts Creek.

My 15 year old does this with a particular series and some movies - bloody Harry Potter is probably watched a million times.
At one point she could recite Madagascar and Tinkerbell 🙄.

I’m guilty of watching The Godfather and Lord of the Rings too many times.

If it brings you comfort, carry on ☺️

I think you’re me?!

Im planning to restart greys anatomy soon, then possibly virgin river just to mix it up!

I watched Life in Pieces and then rewatched it straight away. I'm going to wait a bit longer and the watch it again.

I'm going to give Ghosts a try as I've never watched it.

I do it. It's so comforting.
Currently rewatching Where The Heart Is for the bazillionth time.

Also do it with...
Call The Midwife
Dinnerladies
Downton Abbey
Roger and Val Have Just Got In
Doc Martin

The Big Bang theory and how I met your mother, I can watch them endlessly. Not taxing, sweet storylines, comforting escapism. Not just you OP

I do this with several programmes. Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton mostly. I have also watched Downton Abbey all the way through about 5 times, and Sex and the City. And New Girl. I’ve always got one of those that I’m watching. It’s very comforting!

I have the box set too. Some of the best one liners for me come from that series.

Its like working there with favourite colleagues I think. That's why it's so repeatable. I am old enough to remember Dolly as Mavis Riley in Coronation Street, but never appreciated her talent for humour. But her one liners are absolutely brilliant. "He didn't get anywhere Jean, I was in a wrap-round cardigan"

Actually I find Early Doors the same. It's like sitting in a cosy pub with some characters.

I do this a lot, it's comforting for me as I have memory problems. If I just watched for example, Narcos I would start it again about a month later and it's comforting as I remember parts of it but then some of it is watching like a new series...hard to explain!With films, I have a "core collection" of comforting ones I have rewatched and remember. I do force myself to watch new stuff too. At the moment, DH and I are rewatching all the shit 90s films we saw at cinemas when we were dating, and they're all brand new to me. DH must either love me very much or have the patience of a saint

I do this with books too. I read a lot and usually a new one a week plus comfort books. I have specific folders on my Kindle and many sub divisions. They is one folder of books which are my very special comfort blanket books. I tend to save these for periods of great stress.

Do people do this with books too?

You don't need to answer but do you suffer from anxiety? It's just that I read people with anxiety do this as they like knowing what happens, there's no tension.
I do this with Downtown Abbey, rewatch again and again

I was told it’s an anxiety / ADHD trait

I am a fellow rewatcher and mine is friends!

Why not? Always watched Friends non stop after work, makes me feel nice.

I have about 10 different things that I just rewatch over and over again.

I rarely know what people are talking about when discussing new programmes as I just stick to the same ones.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to watch 1 new thing a month 😁