Comfort Viewing: Why We Rewatch

TV & Film

May 26

There's no better pleasure in life than coming home from a tough, stressful day at work and decompressing on the couch or bed, ready for the weekend to bless your life with some well-deserved rest and freedom. With the help of streaming services such as Netflix, Paramount+, and HBO Max, it's been getting easier to enjoy numerous TV shows and movies at the whim of your fancy.

Unfortunately, with so many different services and choices to choose from, it can be overwhelming wading through every new entry that pops up. With the Writers Guild of America strike transpiring, the chances of finding something that both fits your interests and has a high quality of writing, directing, and acting can be something of a gamble.

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All is not lost, however! Even when it seems that the new stuff is uninteresting, you can rest assured that at the very least, you'll have something sitting on the backburner of your brain that you've probably been itching to re-visit. No matter the genre, everyone always has a small collection of comfort shows that we feel can always be watched at any given time.

With that, here is a list of shows and movies (in no particular order) that are always worth a re-watch! Assuming you've already watched these entries, of course.

10. King Of The Hill

Starting the list, we have one of TV's longest-running animated sitcoms, King Of The Hill. Created by Mike Judge in 1997, the show follows Hank, Peggy, and Bobby Hill (as well as the rest of the neighborhood) as they attempt to live a relatively normal life in Texas. With a changing world that often conflicts with Hank's conservative views, he often has to use common sense and his morality to figure out how to resolve situations and grow as a person, all while guiding his son and selling propane and propane accessories.

Despite the wide variety of problems that arise, King of the Hill offers a refreshingly lowkey and human approach to how the characters talk and act. All characters have a noticeable presence and personality, and it rarely seems like anyone is there solely to move a plot along. The episodes are always entertaining and still finds the time to insert heartwarming family values into each episode. It's no surprise this show has been on the air for 20+ years, and even has a dedicated fanbase in Japan. Even if the supposed revival of the show isn't on Hulu yet, many fans will always come back to the previous seasons for wholesome family values.

9. Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

When someone hears the term "fantasy", many times their mind immediately associates it with Dungeons and Dragons. Those who play tabletop games such as D&D will carry a whole mini novel with them at all times, which is shared with their friends. One could almost make a series of movies about one campaign. Such as Lord of the Rings! Obviously.

It's no surprise that such a highly regarded series of books would get turned into a franchise of high-fantasy storytelling, and with the high production quality and care put into the films, it's not hard to see why. Each actor plays their role wonderfully, becoming immersed in their roles and characters. From top to bottom, everyone wanted to tell a captivating epic that holds up throughout the years. It's clear to see that it has succeeded in doing so, which is why it's always worth a good old-fashioned marathon. If you have a good few days off, of course.

8. Mad God

Horror fans that have subscribed to the streaming service Shudder will no doubt be aware of Phil Tippett's gruesome, greasy masterpiece, Mad God. While somewhat difficult to describe the story, it's easy to see just how much effort was put into the 30 years of production that this movie went through. Taking place in a presumably post-apocalyptic wasteland of a planet, people are sent to the center of the disgustingly wretched world in an attempt to end it. All the while, scientists perform surgeries on captives in an attempt to find what they need.

The story, while shrouded with dark mystery, can only be revealed upon watching this film. Even then, Mad God doesn't reward its viewers with all of the answers. Instead, it reveals an ending that unleashes a whole new torrent of questions and possibilities from those who watch. The stop-motion animation is top-notch and meshes well with the live-action segments of the movie, as well as the many breathtaking (and sometimes nauseating) visuals and backdrops. Being a ticking time bomb full of intense moments, effects, and a dark setting filled to the brim with lore, Mad God is too much of a masterwork to watch only once.

7. Ghostbusters (1984)

No doubt one of the biggest comedies in the mid-80s, With a cast starring big named actors like Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver, how could you go wrong? Despite being a comedy, the story takes its universe seriously and keeps a surprisingly consistent lore on how it treats the science of ghosts.

Naturally, the humor is witty and clever, though it doesn't shroud the more tense, eerie moments. Even if a giant walking marshmallow man destroying the city sounds funny, in person it can be a terrifying ordeal. While some of the effects can look rather dated at times, oddly enough, it doesn't break the immersion. Memorable, funny, and timeless, there's never a bad day to watch Ghostbusters again. Who else are ya gonna call?

6, Tuca & Bertie

Fans of Bojack Horseman will recognize Lisa Hanawalt's art style in this show, and much like Bojack, Tuca & Bertie showcases the more difficult sides of life. Even with the serious subject matter, however, Tuca & Bertie showcases these aspects with a more positive spin, shining some light on conflicting, depressing issues.

The series never hesitates to be expressive and humorous, keeping an upbeat tone that shows it's not afraid to be goofy and not take itself seriously too much. When characters have serious matters rise, though, it allows them to go through their emotions. The characters themselves are memorable and heartfelt, as well as incredibly funny. Tuca & Bertie almost feels like a comforting blanket after a hard day, which allows you to laugh and feel sad, but mostly, it shows that it's okay to do so.

5. It's Always Sunny In Philidelphia

It wasn't easy to choose between this or Seinfeld for the list, since both shows have their own "re-watchability" status and popularity, as well as a similar approach to its characters. Namely, the approach of having the main cast be so unlikable, it circles back around to having them be likable again. With the amount of chaos and over-the-top dark, and often immature, humor that Always Sunny provides, it earns a spot on the list. Anything that Jerry Seinfeld can do passive-aggressively, Frank Reynolds (played by the popular Danny Devito) will do with active aggression.

Having your main cast of characters be a clique of narcissistic, sociopath alcoholics and occasional drug addicts opens up a near-infinite fountain of potential ideas and scenarios for the gang to scheme their way into. Hilarious outbursts, good build-ups to strong punchlines, and even moments of poignancy that tug on the heartstrings make up this show's repertoire, and will always have something funny to offer the audience. If you like getting weird with what you watch, then Always Sunny will always leave a spot for you at the bar.

4. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

No genre has more re-watched media than holiday movies, particularly ones relating to Christmas. Just about everyone has one Christmas film that they always have to watch around the holidays, whether they're animated classics or humorous, heart-warming live-action. Even if nowadays most people are burnt out from the over-commercialization and stress of the holiday season, that doesn't mean that they need to feel left out.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation might be one of the more infamous examples of showing just how badly the Christmas season can go, especially for the Griswold family. Slapstick, ruined turkeys and trees, and having to put up with a large, equally insane family are only some of the trials and tribulations the family goes through. Even in the chaos, however, the movie doesn't hesitate to show that there is always a silver lining and that even in the face of adversity, family is always there for you. Equally funny and heartwarming, Christmas Vacation shows that all of the "holly jolly bullcrap" is worth it in the end, and worth queuing up for your Christmas playlist this year.

3. Breaking Bad

Being one of the least surprising entries on this list, it shouldn't be a surprise that this highly acclaimed show has a spot here. Following Walter White, a chemistry teacher with cancer, he decides that the best course of action to keep his family afloat after he's gone is to cook and distribute crystal meth, with the help of one of his old students. Of course, as it goes with the drug industry, there are always going to be obstacles, whether it's hiding from the law, White's family finding out, or a deal gone bad.

Breaking Bad was quite popular when it was aired, and so many people still laud it to this day. Whether it’s actual discussions about characters or posting memes, the audience knows the show has earned its spinoffs. It's dramatic, funny, intense, and always able to keep watchers on the edge of their seats.

2. The Original Star Wars Trilogy

You know that there had to be a special spot for Star Wars, right? Why wouldn't there be? Much like Lord of the Rings, it tells an epic tale of fighting against a seemingly invincible force, but in space! Regardless of how fans feel about the prequels or the more recent films, many of them hold the first three entries to the franchise close to their heart.

George Lucas paves the way for sci-fi storytelling by providing a slice of what goes on in the seemingly endless reaches of space, as well as showing off the variety of alien life that mingles around. The concept of "The Force" is also intriguing, and let's face it, one of the best parts is the intense lightsaber fights. For those who have never experienced the first three Star Wars films, find a friend who would be willing to watch with you. Chances are, they'll be more than happy to re-watch them.

1. It's Such A Beautiful Day

What would you do if you were dying and weren't aware of how fast you were? This deceptively simple film remains to be an animated masterpiece by subtly keeping certain scenes vague and faded, which follows along with the theme of losing one's mental and physical facilities.

Created by Don Hertzfeldt, It's Such A Beautiful Day showcases three shorts formatted for one full-length feature. It follows the life of a man simply named Bill, who keeps track of all of the oddities in his life, whether from outside forces or his own mind. Much of the humor in the movie is incredibly wry and subtle, as well as incredibly dark at times. Each new twist in the story is sudden and shocking, keeping the watcher on their toes. This film is deeply introspective and beautifully lets its audience experience the pain, sadness, and frustration that Bill feels without being too upfront about it.

One can only experience watching this film once, but the sheer beauty and emotional intelligence of its story and message will have you coming back to appreciate it once again. The beauty of all art, after all, is to be seen. If we only experience something once, then why experience it at all?

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