Comfort TV: Why We Watch the Same Shows Over and Over

We've all been there: coming home after a long day, finally laying on the couch, opening Netflix and spending ten minutes scrolling for something new, only to end up pressing play on a show we've already seen twice at least.

For me, it's Friends. Somehow, knowing that Ross and Rachel end up together brings me a strange sense of peace. That is why I thought: "Is it just me? Why can't I let go of a story I already know by heart?"

The data is clear: I'm not the only one. Multiple studies show that after the pandemic, binge-watching became the norm, comfort TV made a huge comeback and the trend hasn't slowed down.

It’s no coincidence that, according to a Digital-i report on the top 10 most-watched series in the second half of 2024, Grey’s Anatomy, Prison Break, The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls, and Friends all secured spots in the top ten:

FAMILIARITY AND A FEELIN OF SAFETY

Francesca, 24, mechanical engineering student from Italy, watches Gossip Girl nearly every day during lunch when she’s not on campus. “When I have free time, I want to relax and go with something safe,” she says.

Safety is exactly what our brain craves when it chooses to rewatch familiar content. It’s like always picking the same brand at the grocery store; a bit out of habit, but mostly because it never disappoints.

In a world overwhelmed by digital noise, stress, and endless choices, rewatching a comfort series becomes a reliable escape.  “There is so much going on and so much pressure; it's really nice and comforting to have something at home that you know” tells Eric de Munck to The Glass Room, presenter for RTL Boulevard and television expert. He describes comfort TV series as “a blanket you put on on a chilly evening” to protect yourself from the stress: “For me, it's Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek.”

There is a clear scientific reason behind this behavior. “It’s a psychological tool for managing modern life,” says media psychologist Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center. According to her, rewatching a comfort show reduces our "cognitive load," meaning our brain doesn't have to work as hard to process new information. “The familiarity also provides a sense of safety and predictability, which is especially comforting during stressful times. It helps us regulate our emotions.”

Linus, a 25-year-old student from Germany, has rewatched How I Met Your Mother three times. That’s 208 episodes each time, a lot of Ted Mosby. For him, it's not just some company while cleaning and working out, but a chance to relive the same emotions and memories from when he first watched it. “I like to relive the sense of peace and authenticity I felt in my early twenties,” he explains.

Rutledge agrees: “We rewatch shows for emotion, not for the plot. Rewatching is an intentional choice based on the desire to recreate meaningful emotional experiences.” And she adds: “Watching old favorites often comes with memories of previous viewings, whether alone or with loved ones.”

“It feels like the characters are my lifelong friends who I know every detail of their lives,” says Linus. And he has a point. In fact studies demonstrated that another reason we keep returning to the same shows is the feeling of connection to the characters. Rutledge calls this a “parasocial relationship” created with the characters which “makes rewatching feel like spending time with old friends” she adds. 

After all, we know everything about people like Rachel Green or Ted Mosby: “They're actors. But you know who Rachel is. You know who Ross is. You know them or you think you know them.” says Eric de Munck. 

So when we choose to press play on The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, or Gilmore Girls for the fifth (or fifteenth) time, it’s not just about the storyline but it’s more about spending time with people that feel like home.

I asked some students of the University of Groningen which is the TV series the watch the most, how many times they watched and why.

THE IMPACT OF STREAMING PLATFORMS AND NEW TV SERIES 

The reasons behind this trend make even more sense when we consider how the television world is changing rapidly. Platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video are the new main entertainment platforms. According to Tinuiti, one of the biggest performance marketing agencies in the US, in 2024 nearly 60% of young American adults used streaming as their primary way to watch TV, and globally, over 44% of internet users subscribed to a paid streaming service. 

Despite the overwhelming and unlimited options these platforms offer to the public, people working in broadcast television like de Munck are worried for multiple reasons, one of them is the traditional joy of watching TV together: “What I really loved about my childhood was family television evenings. That’s what I want to give my son. But that whole social aspect of watching a show together is gone.”  

As an Hollywood and entertainment expert he also noticed that today the new TV shows and series are more complicated, and having more choices does not mean having more comfort: “We had Full House and Growing Pains, simple sitcoms. Now with Squid Game and all those Netflix shows, it’s so much to handle and to get in.”

“I really love watching shows like Ginny and Georgia, you all those new Netflix shows. But I can see them for what they are. It's just the same. All made from the same blueprint with a lot of different characters and events.”, says de Munck, pointing out that a golden comfort TV series like Friends hasn’t been created yet.