Is my obsession with old TV a form of self-soothing?

[Journey1234]

I feel a little embarrassed and I’m not sure how common this is, so I wondered if anyone might be able to shed some light on it?

I watch a lot of old game shows, sitcoms, and lately I’ve become obsessed with watching old Crimewatch programmes on YouTube. I do occasionally watch new things, but I always seem to default back to older programmes. I’ve watched some of them over and over again for years, and I even have them playing when I go to sleep.

It’s almost like a comfort thing. I genuinely enjoy what I watch, but I do sometimes wonder if it’s a little strange that I return to the same programmes so much.
I had a mother who was emotionally detached from me when I was growing up, and I had to learn to self-soothe from quite a young age. One of my biggest comforts was Alan Robson’s Night Owls, so I’ve wondered whether there could be some connection between that and why familiar voices and old programmes still feel so comforting to me now.

perhaps the familiarity and predictability are soothing, and I don’t have to concentrate as much as I would with something new.
Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I’d be really interested to hear other people’s experiences, or whether anyone with a psychological/therapeutic background has any thoughts on why this might be.

p.s with the crime watch programs I like watching the reconstructions particularly in the late 80s early 90s when I was a child as I like to see the old decor,shops,cars etc.

My husband and his friends sat down with a few beers on Friday and watched morph clangers and all that other stuff, they had a great night. I think it’s natural especially given the fraught times we live in. Apparently Why Don’t You was a bit disappointing though…

I watch old movies on Netflix. We’re all a bit jaded and need comfort!

I mean I would question why crime watch if you’re trying to self soothe though!

@MenArePigs crime watch is a weird one but I like watching the reconstructions and seeing life as it was before.

Oh yes, I watch old TV on YouTube. Working my way through Cluedo, the game show.

TV was less flashy and noisy then. I can hardly bear to watch any new stuff.

Absolutely normal. I have watched every episode of Midsomer Murders at least 753 times each.

I am really good at guessing whodunnit! 😉

It's the equivalent of comfort food, isn't it?

I can watch The Royle Family, Early Doors and Dinnerladies over and over, and often go to sleep watching an episode.

It's like hanging out with a familiar set of people to me.

I think a lot of people frequently rewatch Friends which must be for similar reasons!

I'm currently re watching some of my childhood tv like Moondial and Chocky, it's great!

It is common to watch, read, or listen to familiar things, it is psychologically comforting.

Conversely you maybe revisiting a time of emotional difficulty.

A therapist might help you work out whether this viewing habit is healthy or unhealthy for you.

Either way, it probably would be better to watch something more nurturing than Crimewatch though, there will be plenty of other shows that allow you to 'see life as it was before' which have a more positive topic.

I think it’s fine, and I agree it’s a self-smoothing, a safe comforting place.

There’s whole tv channels dedicated to showing old tv shows so you can’t be the only one.

I watch very little TV OP and I admit I actually not only have very little interest in watching currently made programmes I actually find the thought of watching them upsetting. Similarly with films.
I know this is largely because I am totally at odds with the world we live in. I don't like how society is now and I find it an unwelcoming and hostile place.
So if I do watch TV or films it tends to be something older that I ve watched before or a series that I'm familiar with and feel secure watching.
Definitely a security and comfort thing for me and my now attitude to TV, films, radio, and even books and music is one of totally withdrawing myself from everyday life and living with the thoughts in my own head.

We watch all the old TV favourites of ours . Most of them are imho superior to today's offerings . Dad's Army , Porridge, OFAH, Last of the Summer Wine, Minder, Morse etc etc . I think it is a lot about comfort and how good the quality was then . l don't think there is anything wrong with it carry on @Journey1234. We are 😁

I use books as well as TV - why not? It doesn’t harm anyone so I don’t really analyse it ?

The tv series used to be one episode a week over months. I think they probably stay in your memory more due to that.
Also many based on good books.
Poldark, the first one, Upstairs Downstairs, The Jewel in the Crown, The Onedin Line (was a series then a book). I don't remember any decent American historical series.

People have always watched old movies; with a bigger back catalogue now it’s only reasonable that they watch old TV

Can recommend Prime Suspect - went through similar phase a few years back.

I love 80s and 90s TV. My favourites are Murder She Wrote, Lovejoy and the old period dramas like Fortunes of War or Brideshead Revisited. They are so much more soothing to watch than modern TV. Slower, quieter and often more complex and interesting. TV today is often so dumbed-down.

Onedin Line! Loved that. My dad never missed an episode so nor did I.
I always think Downton Abbey was so popular because it is this sort of show, comforting not set in today's troubled world and good stories. I rewatched the whole of it to check for references to the train timetable from Downton to London because I grew up in a small village near Royston so I loved connecting. See how nuts I am, you watching Crimewatch is nothing compared to me.
I worry about lots of other things about myself but not watching stuff on TV, nor should you OP.

I use Gavin and Stacey the same way I watch it when I'm struggling to sleep.

Why would you analyse it?

Theres a reason repeats are shown so often, people watch them!!

The acting was better for a start, people were more real. Theres a much better connection with the audience, less separation.

I find a lot of older shows are more focused on the working/upper working class representations. Today lots of 'average' presentations of the day to day person are nearly always middle class. I dont connect with that very well.

Theres lots of reasons.

I must have seen ever episode of Columbo and I'll still watch more, same with Minder, OFAH, children's shows, Murder She Wrote, Cagney and Lacey, the list is endless

And as for someone above suggesting therapy!!!!!

Thanks for all your replies,its nice to know I’m not alone. I don’t mind admitting now that I went to Somerset/Bath on a little holiday, and I thought I’d pass through Coventry and see the Keeping Up Appearances house. I loved seeing it, as it’s one of my favourite sitcoms. It was such a lovely little detour and really made my day 😊

Yeah completely normal

OP, I know exactly what you mean. I read somewhere that watching old, familiar TV shows helps with anxiety as you know how they are going to go, there's no uncertainty, no surprises.

I remember, on the night my best friend passed away, I couldn't sleep. I came downstairs and watched episodes of Motherland all night long. It was somehow soothing, in the midst of a horrifying sudden loss, to watch something so familiar and comforting that soothed my mind and calmed me down.

Now, still, when I'm upset I tend to watch old favourites; Friends, Dawson's Creek etc where I could practically recite the lines!

Love Midsomer ❤️ such a comfort program for me and my husband too. I can remember being fresh out a bath at my nan and grandads house tucked under a blanket watching Midsomer murders. Such comfort.

I rewatch friends constantly! Its so comforting. TV was my way of self soothing when I was a child. I loved neighbours and home and away. Nowadays I love things like Amanadaland and Here we go. Its escapism from real life I guess.
Don't bother analysing it though if I were you.
Go with the flow and enjoy it.

Normal! (I hope. 🤣🤣)! Miss Marple (Joan Hickson), The Good Life, Cracker. Loads of 80s kids TV. Plus books - still reread my favourite Enid Blyton’s and the What Katy Did books. Enjoy!

I only really watch old TV. Drama, That's TV, Talking Pictures. I've no interest in watching anything modern.
I'll watch new films, but I very often find they're not as good as old ones!