Is there any point in re-watching films/TV shows?

[TheDeceased]

There are so many films and episodes of television shows out there, that it is impossible to watch more than a fraction of it all in one lifetime.

So why do people chose to repeatedly watch the same film/ tv show over and over again?

Films I understand to a certain extent. Maybe on a second viewing, you can pick up some things that you missed in the first place - but a third viewing I'm not so sure about... and then there's television. There's this weird thing that's happened recently with the release of TV show seasons on DVD. People buy television shows and then watch the entire show three or four times. This used to be refered to as 're-runs'. If you'd seen a show in the past, you'd turn it off and find something you hadn't seen, right?

So what's the difference?

What's the point of re-watching television shows?

Especially comedic shows. Comedy is a spontaneous reaction. It's a surprise. If you've already seen it and you don't have severe memory problems, then don't you remember all the jokes?

Why not -instead of watching the same thing for the third or fourth time- watch something else? ... or do something else?

The same goes for novels, music, video games, etc.

Once you've listened to a song a thousand times, doesn't it get a little boring?

 

[EJ]

The last line of your post is about the only thing I agree with.

I don't know where to start, so i'll just ask you this:

Have you only had one orgasm during your life? If not, why repeat it?

 

[tribal girl]

People buy television shows and then watch the entire show three or four times. This used to be refered to as 're-runs'. If you'd seen a show in the past, you'd turn it off and find something you hadn't seen, right?

I'm guilty of watching certain TV series over and over. If there's still enjoyment involved, then why not?. But I do that with everything from re-reading books, re-watching films up tp 50 times etc. I'm just that kind of person, whereas you're obviously not.

What's the point of re-watching television shows?

Especially comedic shows. Comedy is a spontaneous reaction. It's a surprise. If you've already seen it and you don't have severe memory problems, then don't you remember all the jokes?

I can kinda understand this point to a certain degree. Once you're familiar with certain jokes, much of the comedy is lost. I remember a time when I would watch things like Absolutely Fabulous and laugh so hard that no sound would come out. I watch it now and it's nothing more than a snigger. But I still think there's potential enjoyment there, just on different levels to how it first affected you.

Once you've listened to a song a thousand times, doesn't it get a little boring?

Never.

 

[theotherside]

I watch certain TV shows that appeal to me more than others. If one episode strikes a chord with me, than I will not hesitate to watch it again. Once people find what they like, they tend to see it a few times, whether a TV show/movie/or music.

 

[mariacallas]

Im a serial favorite movie/show/song/book repeater. I can watch my favorite movie/tv show episodes dozens of times and enjoy myself thoroughly each time. Same with books I love. The level of enjoyment and satisfaction I get of course changes depending on the variables, (how long since I've seen this? Am I in the mood for this particular movie? duh). But I always have a great time. I dont need an element of surprise in order to enjoy subsequent viewings.

Getting sick of a certain movie or song has happened though, and I can only blame myself for that. I just let a few years pass and by the time I watch / hear it again, its almost like new.

This is why I love watching stuff alone. Its me time, and nobody can tell me "You're fucking watching that AGAIN!?"

 

[The Narrator]

I do this with both films and tv shows, moreso films, not so much for stuff that I've missed but like EJ says, just to enjoy the experience again.

 

[Max Power]

As far as comedy shows goes, I still rewatch old Simpsons episodes. The beauty of having a crappy memory means that I only remember maybe 1 or 2 punchlines. I vaguely remember the plot. The jokes are still good though, overall. I also try not to re-watch any of the shows too frequently.

Now The Wonder Years, I'll re-watch that over and over again because it's such a badass program. Mostly for nostalgic value, but even if that fades the series was so good that it's worth watching over and over. Then again, this show isn't on DVD anywhere . . . so re-watching it is difficult even if you wanted to.

 

[mariacallas]

A

Now The Wonder Years, I'll re-watch that over and over again because it's such a badass program. Mostly for nostalgic value, but even if that fades the series was so good that it's worth watching over and over. Then again, this show isn't on DVD anywhere . . . so re-watching it is difficult even if you wanted to.

Fuck yeah. I love the Wonder Years. I really wish they'd come out with DVDS already!

 

[TheDeceased]

The Simpsons was good, The Wonder Years was too - but it's not like there's a really limited number of TV shows and films out there.

Have you only had one orgasm during your life? If not, why repeat it?

I haven't been repeating my first orgasm.

I've been having different orgasms.

If I had been somehow repeating the same exact one over and over again I'm sure that I would have become bored with sex long ago.

The beauty of having a crappy memory means that I only remember maybe 1 or 2 punchlines. I vaguely remember the plot.

Hrm. You should probably look into that.

 

[TheDeceased]

I'm guilty of watching certain TV series over and over. If there's still enjoyment involved, then why not?.

It is good for our brains to be challenged and presented with new and original ideas rather then sticking to what we know and what is safe. You could potentially enjoy yourself just as much by watching something that you haven't seen or reading something you haven't read, etc. Television is numbing, anyway. It's the lowest form of mainstream entertainment. It's (on the whole) mindless garbage made for a quick laugh. The Wonder Years isn't a masterpiece. It was a good show. It was cute. The adult narration gave it an edge. But it's just a TV show. And the nature of television is to stretch things as far as you can before they get too stale to shove down people's throats. There will be an episode next week because there has to be. If they don't have any good ideas, which is most of the time for TV, they just rehash the same old jokes and character stereotypes, but they do it in such a polished way that it works. It's all shine and very little substance. An industry built on decades upon decades of perfecting the art of saying nothing and making it sound like sunshine. Making the people incapable of looking away. The episodic nightmare that is...

I got a bit off track there. Hope I answered your question.

 

[euphoria]

I usually won't watch a television show a second time, unless I really enjoyed it the first time. Films, however, sometimes I'll watch them almost ten times if I really like them. I think it's just because it's a form of entertainment that you know you enjoyed the first time, why not enjoy it again? People read books a few times if they really like the story. There's no reason to never go back to the story again. And I do watch a lot of new stuff too. There are certain movies that just make me feel good, and if I'm in a bad mood I'll put it in so I can laugh. What about classic movies? The ones you could never get sick of because they're so amazing. I love those kind of movies.

 

[tribal girl]

It is good for our brains to be challenged and presented with new and original ideas rather then sticking to what we know and what is safe. You could potentially enjoy yourself just as much by watching something that you haven't seen or reading something you haven't read, etc.

I don't doubt that at all. But I didn't claim to just stick to what I know. I just happen to have my favourites which I choose to go back to from time to time. That doesn't stop me from being open to new things in any way shape or form.

There will be an episode next week because there has to be. If they don't have any good ideas, which is most of the time for TV, they just rehash the same old jokes and character stereotypes, but they do it in such a polished way that it works. It's all shine and very little substance.

I think you're genralising a bit too much here. You could make the same comments about anything when referring to the mainstream. Of course, the majority of stuff out there is nothing more than wallpaper TV, but that's not to say you won't find some true gems as well.

Just out of curiosity, is there anything you do like?. There must be at least one TV show that hasn't already been mentioned in this thread. C'mon, what is it. Let it out. It's OK.

 

[Max Power]

The Wonder Years isn't a masterpiece. It was a good show. It was cute. The adult narration gave it an edge. But it's just a TV show. And the nature of television is to stretch things as far as you can before they get too stale to shove down people's throats. There will be an episode next week because there has to be. If they don't have any good ideas, which is most of the time for TV, they just rehash the same old jokes and character stereotypes, but they do it in such a polished way that it works. It's all shine and very little substance. An industry built on decades upon decades of perfecting the art of saying nothing and making it sound like sunshine. Making the people incapable of looking away. The episodic nightmare that is...

I'll admit perhaps the last season of the Wonder Years was subpar. They prbly could have done without it. But the five seasons that preceded it was high quality programming that wasn't just 'the same old rehashed story lines'.

Sure, the story of a family growing up in suburban America has been done before and will be done again. But not with this specific cast, in that particular era (60's), with that particular set up (voice-over), and certainly not with the great soundtrack it had (the reason why the DVDs will never come out. damn copyright laws. ).

Perhaps other shows do indeed crank out the same old recycled material to the masses. In fact, this new wave of 'reality' tv is just that. But the Wonder Years certainly does not fall under that category.



As far as there being new stuff out there to see instead of re-watching something that's already been seen a couple times . . . I can only speak for myself, but it's mostly for the same reason I order my usual dish at a familiar restaurant. I already know it's going to be good, so there's no risk of failure by trying something unknown that I might not particularly like. I know for sure I'm going to enjoy what I've eaten [watched] before so I go for it again.

Am I missing out on some potential goodness? Yes I am. But that's not to say I will enjoy the old programming any less than watching something new.

A final reason to add is that you almost never soak in every little detail on the first viewing/listening of any art/media. You need some time to catch certain things you missed the first time around. Some things are picked up after repeated viewings that stand out at you the second or third time around.

So yes, to answer your original question, there is a point to re-watching films/tv shows.

 

[Belisarius]

I rewatch shows and films for the same reason I re-read books: even though, yes, I know how it's going to end and where the key points are, there's a head-space (there's no better way to put it) associated with the film/book/episode that, if not wholly-new, is still desirable enough to want again occasionally. Often, re-experiencing it literally rekindles the original emotions.

For instance, Aliens is my all-time favorite movie. I've seen it so many times that I probably have almost all the dialogue memorized. Yet, *every* single time I watch it again I let my breath out in relief at the end, glad that I made it through with the main characters. I've seen Ghostbusters almost as many times, and I still love the jokes, the characters, the scenarios, the music almost as much as when I first saw it. Why is that? I don't know, but I do know that for some reason, it still works for me.

 

[mariacallas]

Just out of curiosity, is there anything you do like?. There must be at least one TV show that hasn't already been mentioned in this thread. C'mon, what is it. Let it out. It's OK.

Yup. We're waiting.

 

[EJ]

I haven't been repeating my first orgasm.

I've been having different orgasms.

If I had been somehow repeating the same exact one over and over again I'm sure that I would have become bored with sex long ago.

Yeah, but I haven't repeated my first experience of watching Lawrence of Arabia. I understand your point that the movie/tv show is presented exactly the same every time (excusing different viewing mediums), but your mentality and emotions, going into the viewing, are different every time.

 

[TheDeceased]

Just out of curiosity, is there anything you do like?

There's lots of things I like. I didn't say I don't like any television shows. But I am aware of the fact that they are just that: television shows. If I like something I'll watch it once and then never have a desire to see it again.

I thought that 'Breaking Bad' was a good show, for example. But now after twenty or so episodes, coming into the third season, I couldn't give a shit anymore.

Each episode is half an hour. Say there are twenty episodes (I don't know how many there are). That's ten hours. Which translates to about 7 feature length movies.... Now if Breaking Bad was a film with six sequels, then there is no way in hell I would've watched past the first second film. Would you?

Jessie Pinkman and Walter White will continue to get into more and more dangerous and unpredictable circumstances.

It will only end when the ratings cannot support it.

A lot of British television is not like this, which is why I tend to prefer BBC shows to US programming. When they run out of ideas, they stop producing shows.

Larry David is one of the only US television writers that I'm aware of who also takes this approach. (Curb Your Enthusiasm has been on hiatus for a couple of years.)

I'd much rather watch shows that aren't forced into meeting a quota and producing a certain number of episodes per year, because I don't like factory produced low-brow entertainment designed to sedate the population into slavery. I realize that may sound a little ridiculous, but I guess it just depends on your perspective.

 

[tribal girl]

I thought that 'Breaking Bad' was a good show, for example. But now after twenty or so episodes, coming into the third season, I couldn't give a shit anymore.

I understand where you're coming from. Exactly the same thing happened to me with Heroes, Lost and a several others. It gets to a point, like you say, where they're just churning out any old crap to earn a bit more cash out of it, with little regard for what people are actually interested in. But there are some which fade out with dignity, rather than milk every last idea to death. I think The Simpsons falls into the latter category.

Now if Breaking Bad was a film with six sequels, then there is no way in hell I would've watched past the first second film. Would you?

Probably not. Though I have seen the entire Nightmare On Elm Street series, so who knows.

But the point with TV shows is that they need filler to stretch it out through an entire season. With films it's compacted down, which is why they edit out so much crap from the final product.

A lot of British television is not like this, which is why I tend to prefer BBC shows to US programming. When they run out of ideas, they stop producing shows.

Believe me, there's a lot of rubbish over here as well. A lot of people seem to enjoy watching rubbish too, so a lot of the programs keep on running until they run out of steam. Programs that weren't that strong on ideas to begin with. Little Britain anyone?.

Have you ever seen a BBC drama called This Life?. It's one of the best imo. But I guess that's pretty subjective, eh?.

It only ran for two seasons (I'm sure that's music to your ears ). It's a classic case of a program becoming really big, the writers getting scared, and going out with a bang rather than a whimper. Brilliant stuff. :D

I'd much rather watch shows that aren't forced into meeting a quota and producing a certain number of episodes per year, because I don't like factory produced low-brow entertainment designed to sedate the population into slavery.

Me neither. But unfortunately, to quote The Jam, "the public gets what the public wants". And we all know the masses are idiots.

 

[chuchu]

I still watch old sopranos series for moments such as.... Tony meets bobby to recieve an envelope (season 2) tony:you really need to start eating salads bobby:what do you mean*leans on tonys suv* tony:i mean get off my car before you flip it before you flip it you fat fuck verdict: priceless

 

[The Narrator]

I still watch old sopranos series for moments such as.... Tony meets bobby to recieve an envelope (season 2) tony:you really need to start eating salads bobby:what do you mean*leans on tonys suv* tony:i mean get off my car before you flip it before you flip it you fat fuck verdict: priceless

:D

sopranos is one that i have rewatched