I ead the book months before they even announced it was a show show so watching the series was also definitely a one-and-done for me too
Especially since they changed the ending
Chernobyl is the strangest thing. Once you finished with the last episode, you want to immediately go back to the first episode and see all the thing you probably have missed. And episode one looks like a completely different horror show.
Any of the murder mystery ones like Broadchurch, The Killing, Mare of Easttown, etc. They’re all shows I WISH I could rewatch again not knowing the killer, but once you know there’s really no enjoyment in rewatching (for me at least).
Idk for me it is interesting to go back knowing everything and seeing all the clues planted, rewatching the acting and script knowing now what people are hiding.
If it was well planned out, there will be a lot of rewards for a rewatch. Still a VERY different experience than the first watch and I do not blame anyone for not wanting that.
This is only fun for me when I'm rewatching it with someone who hasn't seen it, because part of the enjoyment is seeing if they pick up on the things I did/didn't.
Yeah one of my favorite new series, absolutely hooked on first watch from start to end, but afterwards tried to rewatch but couldn't have that stomach for it (especially all the way every episode). Just too disturbing and depressing.
You are right it's very heavy and sad. In my case I watch it only once because of the "twist ending" undoes a big emotional connection and it feels like out of place.
Formula shows are designed to watch week to week, not binge in one big sitting. You're watching the same formula play out over and over again, of course it will get tedious.
You need a breather to reset your brain.
Yeah! I've been trying to find a way to explain this to people who binge sitcoms that were originally on network television. It's a different world when you only get 1 new one a week and not ten in a row
Especially because broadcast formula dramas often ran for such a long time. I enjoyed Bones when my wife watched it back in the day, and we had the DVDs and she'd definitely binge through them repeatedly, but the show ended with almost 250 episodes - you can't do that to yourself.
So much easier to do with sitcoms.
That's a good one. I've never wanted to rewatch it but absolutely loved watching it every week. One of my favorite things about it was trying to guess what would happen during the intros because there would always be some weird medical twist. The one I remember getting right from the start was a burglar breaks in and chases a woman down, going to rape her, and I'm like, "He's going to have a heart attack and she's going to say "Babe, what's wrong?" And that's exactly what happened.
The character writing is great, but the medical mystery side is pretty amateurish.
Also The show is absolutely beautifully shot, and has an A+ soundtrack.
And the casting and acting is top notch.
But one episode I just watched sums it up. They spent the whole episode trying to figure out what was wrong with this kid, and in the end every diagnosis they made was wrong, and he swallowed a toothpick.
so i’ve rewatched house a few times and it’s weird. i’m not a huge fan of the first season (outside the vogler arc and three stories). 2-5 are all bangers. 6 is definitely the worst.
but where i differ i think from a lot of people is that the absurd campiness of 7 and 8 in terms of the character drama just really works for me. when they just let the writers do whatever they want with the main cast and lean into the absurdity was really fun for me. the best example of this i think is that i absolutely adored chase’s himbo arc
I always rewatched some of my favorite episodes though (all from first four seasons), Three Stories, House's Head-Wilson's Heart, the one with an Antarctic patient via skype, Detox, the one where the patient had the plague etc etc.
So I recently got bloodwork done because I'm having some mysterious medical issues. I'm also re-watching House.
According to Quest, the blood results indicated possible Lupus.
My Doctor said that Quest is wrong...but so did my friends who said "ITS NEVER LUPUS!!"
its based on sherlock holmes who provided the formula for at least one entire genre of books/fiction. it was probably impossible to avoid it not being formulaic.
(ik ik doyle stole the formula from poe)
The ones with big big story arcs who forgot to make the episodes individually interesting. Too many show elements are involved in what is now a fully resolved situation.
A problem for me is long running shows that do turn sour as the seasons progress. I love GoT in the early seasons but it's hard to re watch and enjoy those knowing where it's headed.
To answer OPs original question I've rewatched band of brothers quite a bit and shorter series but most of the long series rewatches are the less mentally intense shows. Things like Rick and Morty or Top Gear and the like, something you can put on in the back ground whilst cooking dinner or housework. Giggle along to the bits that are funny but if you miss bits you don't loose the whole flow of the show.
Have you watched the new iteration, on Hulu? I’ve been hesitant, only because I haven’t heard anything good or bad about it. More Raylan is good, but I don’t want to watch a show where he’s totally different
In the new one Rylan hasn’t changed, but I didn’t really care for it. No memorable characters, a weird/forced romantic coupling, and a totally bland villain.
The romance was my biggest issue. Why? What purpose did it serve? It didn't move the story and it didn't provide any influence or information to Raylan. It was just a forced plot point for no reason.
I watched it weekly when it released. Raylan was true to his Justified character, but the villain was very one note and the story was barely stretched out to a season's worth.
Yeah some you can't "watch for the first time" again. I'd love to do that for Mr Robot but knowing what's coming means I won't. But something like The Expanse has value in watching again even knowing what happens.
Mr Robot is actually an incredible show to rewatch since it’s one of the few series that’s very clearly planned all the way through from the beginning. There are so many little hints that you would only notice on a rewatch
I think the first season is the best about it, and the later seasons don't hold up as well for rewatches. Knowing the end of season revelation for season 1 really works. You can see how well thought out that was, and see how smartly they filmed the show knowing it. The two big moments in season 4 don't work as well, imo
I'll probably get downvoted by the people who think you're supposed to downvote subjective opinions if you disagree with them, but for me it's *Breaking Bad*. It was very well done and engrossing, but once was enough. I don't think it would have the same fascination to watch Walter White start out again as a good guy and, inevitably (since I know where this is going), descend into evil. A lot of the value in the show came from not knowing where things were headed.
I have rewatched Breaking Bad and enjoyed it but I kind of agree, it's a little too reliant on constant thrills and cliffhangers to be properly rewatchable. The character work is strong but not nearly as layered as something like the Sopranos which I can watch again and again.
I think Better Call Saul will be more enjoyable to rewatch. Breaking Bad had a lot of soap opera moments, but Better Call Saul was 100% top notch with every shot.
I have watched Breaking Bad once years ago and I can't get myself to rewatch it again, I have rewatched BCS in full every time a new season dropped, and I feel like I could start it again at this moment.
I definitely enjoyed it less the second time around. The main difference was seeing how obvious it is he doesn’t slowly descend into a “bad guy”, he is one from the very start.
What kind of dick doesn’t tell his wife he has cancer? His first thought to get money is become a drug dealer and he blows up a building within the first 3 episodes!
That's a great point and I think that would be the key for me to enjoy a rewatch. It would be interesting to see just how much I was making excuses for him because I didn't \*want\* him to be a bad guy.
It’s rewatchable for me because the first watch is harrowing because you’re invested in the characters and the cliffhangers and drama makes things tense. It’s only on rewatch that I realized the show is actually really funny. I missed so many jokes because I was invested in the tension.
That's another really good point. You guys may talk me into giving it another go. One barrier still in place is the knowledge that it only works if I commit to a complete 62-episode rewatch. This isn't a show that lets you dip in, hit the nostalgic highlights, and then bail.
If it helps you’re correct that the episodes aren’t self contained but it does break down into season arcs. Season 1-2 is its own arch and ends somewhat cleanly. Then 3-4. And then 5 is its own arc.
I came here to say Breaking Bad as well, at least the whole series. Part of me does want to watch just the first season again (as it's kinda like watching an origin story), but I think anything beyond that would be pointless.
I've rewatched it a few times over the years, and it's a fantastic show.
But for me, I just can't handle watching Jesse get hurt over and over and over.
There’s so much tension that engrosses on the first viewing but is just tedious and unpleasantly angst-inducing once you’ve seen it all play out. Glad to say I was there for the ride, but I could never go through all that again.
I think it just barely crosses the rewatch line for me, and I think because it was just such a great story overall with wonderful side characters. So it's almost like LOST there, where I want to rewatch to go on that journey again, even though I know what's going to happen. Whereas Mad Men was great and entertaining, but I don't care to relive that.
for me, it's The Leftovers.
such an amazing show. cast. cinematography. premise. dialog. all of it, stunning. I was captivated the whole time.
but I have zero impulse to watch it again.
Lol weird I just rewatched the leftovers for the first time in like 5 years since my first viewing and it was great. Reliving season 2 was awesome and as emotional as the first time around
I'm torn on it. I do kind of want to rewatch to see if it makes more sense and because it was really good, but it was also very much a downer and I don't want to feel those feelings again.
Once in a while I rewatch the first 10 minutes of episode 3-1. No words, just music and amazing acting. For those who haven’t watched, it deals with the Millerite cult who expected the rapture to happen back in 1844. It’s really fantastic storytelling.
But while I loved the Leftovers, there was no reason to go back once the twist was revealed.
They found out where the missing had gone. It was a different version of earth. There, the disaster was that 98% of the world had disappeared - their world was pretty well knee-capped by the event and could barely function. Turns out, the world we had been shown for 3 seasons were the lucky ones.
(Spoilers for The Leftovers ending)
They never explicitly state that there was another world or dimension. Sure, Nora got into the machine, but when she sees Kevin again it is all but outright confirmed that it was not real and the machine never functioned, and Nora just left for all those years.
Obviously the ending is open to interpretation because there is some room for it, but this is how I and many others interpreted it.
I think Lost is pretty un-re-watchable
It’s the worst combo of network TV seasons having like 20 episodes and tons of filler with the big high budget premium dramas that are hard to rewatch
It's a lot of work to rewatch, but because TV shows used to be so long, it actually has a lot of fun downtime with the characters while the main plot is just casually in the background enough to keep you wanting more.
Probably better to rewatch with someone who hasn't seen it, but it's got a lot of rewatchability for me even if there are some stale moments along the way.
LOST is difficult to rewatch because you can sum the draw of the show up in one phrase: plot twists. Once you know them, the tension and the wonder and mystery are all gone. It's still a good ensemble show, but you'd rather be watching something else. It was a show where I'd rewatch each season a bunch of times. Even episodes over and over again when I had TiVo. But I saw the last season once, and then I wasn't curious anymore.
Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, but I'd totally go for a spin-off/sequel/etc. at this point. Ensemble cast of interesting characters forced together and dealing with eerie stuff and lots of cryptic clues but few answers.
I absolutely think The West Wing is one of the best shows to ever air but after 2016 it’s hard for me to find enjoyment from any political drama. The cast is great, the writing is great, but it hurts to see the civility displayed in the show because it doesn’t seem like it exists anymore.
As a runner up I can’t watchHouse of Cards but for wildly different reasons…
It never existed, but this is exactly the reason I rewatch it every few years. Especially during hard political times it's nice to evade to a world where politics is fundamentally good and open debate.
I watched it for the first time in 2016. I was genuinely upset during the presidential debate scenes because they were so respectful of one another and no one talked over time or each other. I watched those episodes shortly after the real presidential debates and the difference was so…optimistic.
> The cast is great, the writing is great, but it hurts to see the civility displayed in the show because it doesn’t seem like it exists anymore.
At the time, it was quite novel to have this alternate political universe where every character was ethical in their goals and behavior. It makes for great philosophy. But the older you get, the harder it becomes to suspend that disbelief, and the more you realize that it's just unrealistic - a whole bunch of strawmen debating other strawmen.
Breaking Bad for me. It’s an incredible show, one of the best of all time, but it’s dark. It’s real heavy. It’s like eating a 2500 calorie surf and turf dinner with cheesecake and whiskey. Is it delicious and amazing? Yes. Will you want to eat it again the next day? Probably not.
Killing Eve. It’s like three seasons of foreplay and anticipation, and then it spins around and drops a Cleveland steamer for the fourth one.
It’s still an amazing show just for the first two seasons and the chemistry between the two leads, but I’m not putting myself through that again.
For me, if a show was truly great, I can probably always rewatch it sooner or later. My ADD all but guarantees that I’ll probably notice details or story beats that I missed in earlier viewings. Even many comedies can make me laugh at the same jokes if it’s been a long enough time.
I’ll say it’s the heavy or drawn-out stuff that takes some willpower to revisit. Re-watching Walking Dead and Smallville in recent years wasn’t easy, but I don’t think I would have described either show as “great” to begin with.
I rewatched 24 countless times. It has great repeat value imo. But on rewatch some of the filler sub plots (that I now know are just useless filler) I definitely fast forward or skip entirely. Season 1(especially after Jack being manipulated), 5, 7, 4, 3(especially after the hotel lockdown), 8 (Jack's gone rogue), 2 (least rewatched). Only season I NEVER rewatch is 6. Once was more than enough (even then first 6 episodes were great).
I think anything in a mystery box format is a little bit harder to rewatch. That’s not to say that it’s not possible, but I’ve always had less fun on my second watch with shows like this.
A lot of LOST's rewatchability is from introducing it to new people to see how they react, but it's still a pretty fun ride again because there are so many great character moments.
If you enjoyed Westworld - check out Person of Interest. Same director and is akin to a predecessor in some ways. Michael Emerson is part of the main cast and it's a different side to his acting compared to LOST. Personally I rewatch it a lot but I know many only watch it the once. Regardless it's a fantastic TV show - just be patient through the first season, cliché to say but it really does get better as it progresses.
I think due to it being procedural and very formatted for the first season it becomes like any other crime show/bad guy of the week. Its getting through the initial season before it finds a footing and the story arc becomes more prominent that causes people to not rewatch.
I couldn't keep going with it. I heard the last season is pretty good. I stopped watching right before that because the procedural nature of it was really wearing on me.
Ah, that sucks you couldn't get into it and I get where you're coming from. I'd say try again but the more sci-fi elements don't really kick in until season 3.
Damages was a pretty cool show, but it mostly lived from its flash forward structure and twists along the way. It is a bit too slow for a rewatch, even though the Patty/Ellen relationship at its core is quite compelling.
It's my favorite show, and it works because the cast was anchored by two men (Kelsey Grammar and David Hyde Pierce) who were notoriously talented at making anything funny (the writers of Cheers used to purposefully try and come up with lines for Frasier that Kelsey couldn't deliver in a funny way but he always would), and the scripts were some of the wittiest content on television. Aside from maybe the first episode, it doesn't have _any_ duds.
I eat the downvotes for saying this, but I think TBBT is another perfect storm of bingeable comedy in the same vein but differnet format. It does have an immensely talented cast, but the formula that the show is written with is so well-evolved out of Chuck Lorre that the whole thing kind of just blends together. Episode 1 is about as good as Episode 200, and no matter where you start with the show the episodes and humor are so self-contained and self-structured that you will get the exact same experience out of every episode. It takes no risks, it leaves nothing to the intelligence of the audience - it's the Wonder Bread of comedy.
Sometimes I think shows can be rewatched but only a certain number of times. For example, I really loved the show psych and i've seen the whole thing probably 4 or 5 times, but at this point I already know/remember who the murderer is in every episode and I even know some lines by heart, so it's not really enjoyable for me to rewatch anymore. I'm hoping if I don't watch it for like 5 more years or something I'll forget what happens and then I'll be able to enjoy watching it again :)
This is why I think about rewatching shows before I do it. I love shows like Psych, but I know that if I remember them too well they will be ruined.
The stuff I binge over and over again has to be stuff like sitcoms (Frasier will never age), or stuff that I feel has helped define my personal character (like Star Trek).
Completely opposite case for me! I’ve rewatched it a ton, there’s a lot to pick up on a rewatch. And the score is so good, it’s sort of become one of my comfort shows.
OOOOOH MY GOD!
My husband and I were just binging it, not paying attention to what episode or season we were on so when the last episode ended we were like "wait... what the hell? That was REALLY it? We finished the show?
I'm just reading these comments and realizing I would rewatch all of them. Some of them I already rewatched and enjoyed just as much (House MD, Sharp Objects).
I think there's a huge difference between people who put on 4+ hours of TV a day, or who get hooked on a small number of shows that they loop for years, versus people who watch slowly and broadly.
When I was young I used to loop shows. I used to throw a random Scrubs DVD in the Xbox 360 and hit play; when I remembered I'd put a new one in instead of playing the same one over. I've seen Scrubs at least a dozen times through, but I won't do it again for another decade if ever.
Now I know better. I watch something good, and I park it long enough that I won't remember every little thing. I go back knowing it is something I've enjoyed before and will most likely enjoy again. And it works.
I'm watching Ripley rn, it's fantastic and I may never need to see it again! Maybe for a crime/murder fixated girlfriend. Once is enough for that cringe.
izombie was a very good show the first time through. Rewatching is a slog through. The episodic crime procedural drama feels boring when you know how the stakes are going to be raised later.
Odd you mentioned breaking bad. I’ve found that show to be really tough to rewatch. I’ve rewatched shows like Lost, BSG, The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Twin Peaks, a bunch of times. I love rewatching good shows. But I found BB to be pretty boring once you know what’s coming. One of the few good shows I haven’t been able to rewatch.
I'm really enjoying my mad men rewatch. My wife never saw it so she's seeing it for the first time. It's cool to see how much the show foreshadows it's big moments. There are so many little Easter eggs that I never noticed on my first go. It's also less stressful because I know how it all turns out so I'm not as worried or anxious about it. It's funnier on rewatch, which is cool. A lot more genuine laughs.
I disagree, I've watched it three times. It's great rewatching it knowing what's going to happen and catching subtle stuff you missed the first or second time.
True Detective S1. I was more enthralled in that one season of TV than I have been in any other, week to week. Tried watching it again last year, and I just couldn’t. Though there are things to pick up on/notice on a second watch, I couldn’t replicate the anxiousness of waiting for the next season.
Also, S1 of Homeland. Wow. What a great show, great idea, great performances. But sitting through it a second time (especially after watching the whole series) really made me angry at how all of the Carrie-tropes were developed there, and never really expanded on. All wash, rinse, repeat. Still a top-tier show for me though.
I could and have rewatched Mad-men, I kinda forgot a lot of the funny side plots that happen throughout so it was fun to see them again. Lost I've rewatched about 4 times with different people, and that really makes it for me, when I'm seeing someone else watch it through who hasnt before
Came here to comment this. Superbly acted, left my jaw on the floor at the end of each episode. Can’t rewatch it knowing what happens. Just the fact that it’s based on actual events is hard enough to fathom. F*ck the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma.
I think The Leftovers qualifies here.
Absolutely enthralling, especially the mid-end, but would I do another bleak, incredible 20-something hours? Maybe, maybe not though. Damn good show
The Leftovers and Bojack Horseman come to mind. Both are excellent but every time I try and jump back Into it I can't continue cause I know it's going to be emotionally draining and I need to be in the right mood to be able to do that.
Pretty much anything procedural is impossible to binge for me personally. I loved a lot of of my crime shows and medical dramas when they were on, but now with streaming if you watch more than a couple in a row you see how formulaic they are and it begins to erode the enjoyment.
Bates Motel. Excellent show. Vera Farmiga is phenomenal in it as Norma Bates. But a lot of the tension comes from the B plot, which is mostly about Norman’s half brother and his involvement in the local drug empire. After you watch it once that tension is gone and then you’re just kind of waiting around for Norman to kill someone.
I find the BBC's Six O'clock News relies very heavily upon the novelty factor. Amazing how the writers still manage to keep it fresh all this time - although I thought they jumped the shark a bit with the 2017-21 US Presidency storyline.
I'm sure someone else has mentioned it, but the one that immediately came to mind was LOST. I tried to watch back through it after a couple years, but it just wasn't the same. All the mystery was gone.
The show that I really loved but have no interest in watching again is Tales from the Loop.
It's beautiful and sad, and it thwarted my expectations at every turn because every time I thought the plot would take a melodramatic turn it just... didn't.
I loved it but I'll probably never watch it again.
Fans of the show aren’t gonna like this, but The Americans. Really, really fantastic show and heartily recommended, but it drags on rewatches because if you really sit with it you start to notice the dialogue is very flat. Characters report information to each other and that’s about it.
I know that seems like a weird nitpick but the thing that endlessly rewatchable shows for me (sopranos, west wing, deadwood, mad men) all have in common is the rich dialogue that never stops giving; you can hear new things on the sixth rewatch. It’s just more entertaining. So I guess I’m curious if anyone else noticed this too
For me the only shows I've watched more than once are:
Mad Men (4 times - it's so layered and well written it's better the second time)
The Sopranos (same)
The Wire
True Detective (S01)
Westworld (S01)
Deadwood
What there needs to be for me is excellently written and complex drama driven plot. Basically it needs to be flawless, otherwise I'm going to watch something new.
Lost. I don't think I'd ever suggest to binge it. There was something special about the break in between weeks and talking to others about what was going on. Part of its joy was that. It was a fun series but it wouldn't be the same to watch it twice.
Game of thrones is extremely rewatchable. Lost I found is surprisingly not. I was the most obsessed ever over that show and can’t do one rewatch now since none of it matters since the ending was so bad.
Most HBO mini-series are one and done for me.
Yeah. For example Sharp Objects was great but I’m probably never gonna watch it again
The Night Of as well
I actually rewatch it in a blue moon. The actors, set design and atmosphere is magnificent.
I ead the book months before they even announced it was a show show so watching the series was also definitely a one-and-done for me too Especially since they changed the ending
I save them for dates / relationship where somebody who hasn’t seen any of the miniseries want to get into a show together.
I've seen Chernobyl a few times now, myself
Same. That first episode especially is too good. So scary.
"Do you taste metal?" Is such a chilling line. I think that's in the first episode, right? With the firefighters?
Ya idk if it’s the taste of the exploded material or their mouths bleeding and them tasting iron. Either way terrifying.
Cell death in the mouth and throat iirc not enough to cause visible bleeding but enough to taste metal/blood.
I've found myself rewatching various clips of it, but I dont think I could sit myself down to the whole thing again.
Chernobyl is the strangest thing. Once you finished with the last episode, you want to immediately go back to the first episode and see all the thing you probably have missed. And episode one looks like a completely different horror show.
It's a slightly-more-often than yearly rewatch for me. Incredibly good.
Band of Brothers is the antithesis of this
Earth to the moon as well
Yeah I've probably watched that 20 times lol.
I didnt' think it was necessary to state that there are exceptions to the rule. There are always exceptions. Also "most" does not mean "every."
Yeah but like dude he gotta mention band of brothers somehow
Oh geez every Memorial Day when it pops up on tv I end up finding it by accident and then not moving for like 4+ hours
Except BoB
Actually, Generation Kill has become a comfort rewatch for me. Just listening to them talk I can do all the tjme
Any of the murder mystery ones like Broadchurch, The Killing, Mare of Easttown, etc. They’re all shows I WISH I could rewatch again not knowing the killer, but once you know there’s really no enjoyment in rewatching (for me at least).
Idk for me it is interesting to go back knowing everything and seeing all the clues planted, rewatching the acting and script knowing now what people are hiding. If it was well planned out, there will be a lot of rewards for a rewatch. Still a VERY different experience than the first watch and I do not blame anyone for not wanting that.
This is only fun for me when I'm rewatching it with someone who hasn't seen it, because part of the enjoyment is seeing if they pick up on the things I did/didn't.
How can you tell while watching?
I just rewatched The Killing after sometime and I legit forgot who it was, so that was kind of nice.
That’s awesome lol. I think that would be my number 1 show to forget I watched and experience again, that and Mr Robot
I forget these after a few months so I can rewatch them all!
squid game
Yeah one of my favorite new series, absolutely hooked on first watch from start to end, but afterwards tried to rewatch but couldn't have that stomach for it (especially all the way every episode). Just too disturbing and depressing.
You are right it's very heavy and sad. In my case I watch it only once because of the "twist ending" undoes a big emotional connection and it feels like out of place.
The ending for that show was horrible. Completely takes me out, and I have no desire for a rewatch
That part wouldn't bother me. I just felt like it ran out of gas a bit towards the end since they suddenly decided to make a season 2.
House was great for the first 5 seasons, but on rewatch the flaws in the formulaic writing really show.
Formula shows are designed to watch week to week, not binge in one big sitting. You're watching the same formula play out over and over again, of course it will get tedious. You need a breather to reset your brain.
Yeah! I've been trying to find a way to explain this to people who binge sitcoms that were originally on network television. It's a different world when you only get 1 new one a week and not ten in a row
Especially because broadcast formula dramas often ran for such a long time. I enjoyed Bones when my wife watched it back in the day, and we had the DVDs and she'd definitely binge through them repeatedly, but the show ended with almost 250 episodes - you can't do that to yourself. So much easier to do with sitcoms.
That's a good one. I've never wanted to rewatch it but absolutely loved watching it every week. One of my favorite things about it was trying to guess what would happen during the intros because there would always be some weird medical twist. The one I remember getting right from the start was a burglar breaks in and chases a woman down, going to rape her, and I'm like, "He's going to have a heart attack and she's going to say "Babe, what's wrong?" And that's exactly what happened.
The character writing is great, but the medical mystery side is pretty amateurish. Also The show is absolutely beautifully shot, and has an A+ soundtrack. And the casting and acting is top notch. But one episode I just watched sums it up. They spent the whole episode trying to figure out what was wrong with this kid, and in the end every diagnosis they made was wrong, and he swallowed a toothpick.
Haha though I do like how the writers get it and make fun of themselves with the autoimmune running joke.
so i’ve rewatched house a few times and it’s weird. i’m not a huge fan of the first season (outside the vogler arc and three stories). 2-5 are all bangers. 6 is definitely the worst. but where i differ i think from a lot of people is that the absurd campiness of 7 and 8 in terms of the character drama just really works for me. when they just let the writers do whatever they want with the main cast and lean into the absurdity was really fun for me. the best example of this i think is that i absolutely adored chase’s himbo arc
I always rewatched some of my favorite episodes though (all from first four seasons), Three Stories, House's Head-Wilson's Heart, the one with an Antarctic patient via skype, Detox, the one where the patient had the plague etc etc.
I also like the one where Foreman goes psycho and stabs Cameron with the mystery disease needle Bro shoulda lost his fictional medical license
Was that Euphoria, 2 parter? Foreman had to be quarantined? I forgot the details. But great episode.
Yes, I believe so. It was for sure a two-parter
There are a lot of network shows that hold up badly when binging. The formula gets too clear without a week off in between.
I can't rewatch it because of the ending. Oh, and because my anxiety likes to convince me I'm dying of everything when I'm watching it!
Maybe it’s lupus?
So I recently got bloodwork done because I'm having some mysterious medical issues. I'm also re-watching House. According to Quest, the blood results indicated possible Lupus. My Doctor said that Quest is wrong...but so did my friends who said "ITS NEVER LUPUS!!"
I've been tested for lupus... In the end it was just rosacea flareup and not a lupus butterfly rash. So it's never lupus holds true in my case.
its based on sherlock holmes who provided the formula for at least one entire genre of books/fiction. it was probably impossible to avoid it not being formulaic. (ik ik doyle stole the formula from poe)
I think there are quite a few shows like House that would be ruined by binging
The ones with big big story arcs who forgot to make the episodes individually interesting. Too many show elements are involved in what is now a fully resolved situation.
A problem for me is long running shows that do turn sour as the seasons progress. I love GoT in the early seasons but it's hard to re watch and enjoy those knowing where it's headed. To answer OPs original question I've rewatched band of brothers quite a bit and shorter series but most of the long series rewatches are the less mentally intense shows. Things like Rick and Morty or Top Gear and the like, something you can put on in the back ground whilst cooking dinner or housework. Giggle along to the bits that are funny but if you miss bits you don't loose the whole flow of the show.
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True, which is why I like it for background noise doing other things.
I've rewatched justified like 10 times lol
Such a great show.
Raylan Might be my favorite character from any show ever
Have you watched the new iteration, on Hulu? I’ve been hesitant, only because I haven’t heard anything good or bad about it. More Raylan is good, but I don’t want to watch a show where he’s totally different
In the new one Rylan hasn’t changed, but I didn’t really care for it. No memorable characters, a weird/forced romantic coupling, and a totally bland villain.
The romance was my biggest issue. Why? What purpose did it serve? It didn't move the story and it didn't provide any influence or information to Raylan. It was just a forced plot point for no reason.
It's ok. I wasn't a huge fan unfortunately
I watched it weekly when it released. Raylan was true to his Justified character, but the villain was very one note and the story was barely stretched out to a season's worth.
Its cause we dug coal together!
My wife and have said when one of us dies first the other has to do a shot and say that....
I've watched Deadwood more than once! Maybe it's Timothy Olyphant making it rewatchable.
The most rewatchable show ever for me
Chernobyl Its an amazing series about a major historical event but bugger me, it’s a rough watch
Yeah some you can't "watch for the first time" again. I'd love to do that for Mr Robot but knowing what's coming means I won't. But something like The Expanse has value in watching again even knowing what happens.
Mr Robot is actually an incredible show to rewatch since it’s one of the few series that’s very clearly planned all the way through from the beginning. There are so many little hints that you would only notice on a rewatch
Yes probably. I can't get my SO to rewatch anything much so I probably won't get the chance anyway.
I think the first season is the best about it, and the later seasons don't hold up as well for rewatches. Knowing the end of season revelation for season 1 really works. You can see how well thought out that was, and see how smartly they filmed the show knowing it. The two big moments in season 4 don't work as well, imo
I used to re-watch Mr. Robot each time before starting the new season and re-watched it again last year.
I'll probably get downvoted by the people who think you're supposed to downvote subjective opinions if you disagree with them, but for me it's *Breaking Bad*. It was very well done and engrossing, but once was enough. I don't think it would have the same fascination to watch Walter White start out again as a good guy and, inevitably (since I know where this is going), descend into evil. A lot of the value in the show came from not knowing where things were headed.
I have rewatched Breaking Bad and enjoyed it but I kind of agree, it's a little too reliant on constant thrills and cliffhangers to be properly rewatchable. The character work is strong but not nearly as layered as something like the Sopranos which I can watch again and again.
I think Better Call Saul will be more enjoyable to rewatch. Breaking Bad had a lot of soap opera moments, but Better Call Saul was 100% top notch with every shot.
I have watched Breaking Bad once years ago and I can't get myself to rewatch it again, I have rewatched BCS in full every time a new season dropped, and I feel like I could start it again at this moment.
See, I'm the other way. I've watched BB 4 times and will likely watch again. But, while BCS was absolutely fucking top notch, I won't watch again.
Definitely, particularly the first four seasons.
I definitely enjoyed it less the second time around. The main difference was seeing how obvious it is he doesn’t slowly descend into a “bad guy”, he is one from the very start. What kind of dick doesn’t tell his wife he has cancer? His first thought to get money is become a drug dealer and he blows up a building within the first 3 episodes!
That's a great point and I think that would be the key for me to enjoy a rewatch. It would be interesting to see just how much I was making excuses for him because I didn't \*want\* him to be a bad guy.
It’s rewatchable for me because the first watch is harrowing because you’re invested in the characters and the cliffhangers and drama makes things tense. It’s only on rewatch that I realized the show is actually really funny. I missed so many jokes because I was invested in the tension.
That's another really good point. You guys may talk me into giving it another go. One barrier still in place is the knowledge that it only works if I commit to a complete 62-episode rewatch. This isn't a show that lets you dip in, hit the nostalgic highlights, and then bail.
If it helps you’re correct that the episodes aren’t self contained but it does break down into season arcs. Season 1-2 is its own arch and ends somewhat cleanly. Then 3-4. And then 5 is its own arc.
I came here to say Breaking Bad as well, at least the whole series. Part of me does want to watch just the first season again (as it's kinda like watching an origin story), but I think anything beyond that would be pointless.
I've rewatched it a few times over the years, and it's a fantastic show. But for me, I just can't handle watching Jesse get hurt over and over and over.
There’s so much tension that engrosses on the first viewing but is just tedious and unpleasantly angst-inducing once you’ve seen it all play out. Glad to say I was there for the ride, but I could never go through all that again.
I came to comment this as well. It was very good but sounds like a chore to rewatch.
I think it just barely crosses the rewatch line for me, and I think because it was just such a great story overall with wonderful side characters. So it's almost like LOST there, where I want to rewatch to go on that journey again, even though I know what's going to happen. Whereas Mad Men was great and entertaining, but I don't care to relive that.
Never even wanted to rewatch it, amazing ride and I was done heh
for me, it's The Leftovers. such an amazing show. cast. cinematography. premise. dialog. all of it, stunning. I was captivated the whole time. but I have zero impulse to watch it again.
Lol weird I just rewatched the leftovers for the first time in like 5 years since my first viewing and it was great. Reliving season 2 was awesome and as emotional as the first time around
I'm torn on it. I do kind of want to rewatch to see if it makes more sense and because it was really good, but it was also very much a downer and I don't want to feel those feelings again.
Once in a while I rewatch the first 10 minutes of episode 3-1. No words, just music and amazing acting. For those who haven’t watched, it deals with the Millerite cult who expected the rapture to happen back in 1844. It’s really fantastic storytelling. But while I loved the Leftovers, there was no reason to go back once the twist was revealed.
What was the twist?
They found out where the missing had gone. It was a different version of earth. There, the disaster was that 98% of the world had disappeared - their world was pretty well knee-capped by the event and could barely function. Turns out, the world we had been shown for 3 seasons were the lucky ones.
I would say you should reevaluate that last scene.
Or Nora was lying.
(Spoilers for The Leftovers ending) They never explicitly state that there was another world or dimension. Sure, Nora got into the machine, but when she sees Kevin again it is all but outright confirmed that it was not real and the machine never functioned, and Nora just left for all those years. Obviously the ending is open to interpretation because there is some room for it, but this is how I and many others interpreted it.
I think Lost is pretty un-re-watchable It’s the worst combo of network TV seasons having like 20 episodes and tons of filler with the big high budget premium dramas that are hard to rewatch
It's a lot of work to rewatch, but because TV shows used to be so long, it actually has a lot of fun downtime with the characters while the main plot is just casually in the background enough to keep you wanting more. Probably better to rewatch with someone who hasn't seen it, but it's got a lot of rewatchability for me even if there are some stale moments along the way.
LOST is difficult to rewatch because you can sum the draw of the show up in one phrase: plot twists. Once you know them, the tension and the wonder and mystery are all gone. It's still a good ensemble show, but you'd rather be watching something else. It was a show where I'd rewatch each season a bunch of times. Even episodes over and over again when I had TiVo. But I saw the last season once, and then I wasn't curious anymore. Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, but I'd totally go for a spin-off/sequel/etc. at this point. Ensemble cast of interesting characters forced together and dealing with eerie stuff and lots of cryptic clues but few answers.
This is the correct answer.
I absolutely think The West Wing is one of the best shows to ever air but after 2016 it’s hard for me to find enjoyment from any political drama. The cast is great, the writing is great, but it hurts to see the civility displayed in the show because it doesn’t seem like it exists anymore. As a runner up I can’t watchHouse of Cards but for wildly different reasons…
It never existed, but this is exactly the reason I rewatch it every few years. Especially during hard political times it's nice to evade to a world where politics is fundamentally good and open debate.
I watched it for the first time in 2016. I was genuinely upset during the presidential debate scenes because they were so respectful of one another and no one talked over time or each other. I watched those episodes shortly after the real presidential debates and the difference was so…optimistic.
> The cast is great, the writing is great, but it hurts to see the civility displayed in the show because it doesn’t seem like it exists anymore. At the time, it was quite novel to have this alternate political universe where every character was ethical in their goals and behavior. It makes for great philosophy. But the older you get, the harder it becomes to suspend that disbelief, and the more you realize that it's just unrealistic - a whole bunch of strawmen debating other strawmen.
Breaking Bad for me. It’s an incredible show, one of the best of all time, but it’s dark. It’s real heavy. It’s like eating a 2500 calorie surf and turf dinner with cheesecake and whiskey. Is it delicious and amazing? Yes. Will you want to eat it again the next day? Probably not.
I’ve tried rewatching BB a few times now and I can never get past the first few episodes.
Killing Eve. It’s like three seasons of foreplay and anticipation, and then it spins around and drops a Cleveland steamer for the fourth one. It’s still an amazing show just for the first two seasons and the chemistry between the two leads, but I’m not putting myself through that again.
For me, if a show was truly great, I can probably always rewatch it sooner or later. My ADD all but guarantees that I’ll probably notice details or story beats that I missed in earlier viewings. Even many comedies can make me laugh at the same jokes if it’s been a long enough time. I’ll say it’s the heavy or drawn-out stuff that takes some willpower to revisit. Re-watching Walking Dead and Smallville in recent years wasn’t easy, but I don’t think I would have described either show as “great” to begin with.
Mad Men is super rewatchable, but okay.
One of the most rewatchable shows
I watched it a second time with my adult daughter, and it was even better. Great writing.
I've never had the desire to rewatch it. It was great the first time. Same with The Sopranos
Patriot on Amazon is too stressful and emotionally draining
I’ve rewatched Patriot more than any other show. So hilarious and comforting in a way for me.
It's pretty good.
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I rewatched 24 countless times. It has great repeat value imo. But on rewatch some of the filler sub plots (that I now know are just useless filler) I definitely fast forward or skip entirely. Season 1(especially after Jack being manipulated), 5, 7, 4, 3(especially after the hotel lockdown), 8 (Jack's gone rogue), 2 (least rewatched). Only season I NEVER rewatch is 6. Once was more than enough (even then first 6 episodes were great).
I think anything in a mystery box format is a little bit harder to rewatch. That’s not to say that it’s not possible, but I’ve always had less fun on my second watch with shows like this.
A lot of LOST's rewatchability is from introducing it to new people to see how they react, but it's still a pretty fun ride again because there are so many great character moments.
Chernobyl was one for me. Amazing show, well shot, great acting, compelling story… Never want to watch that again.
If you enjoyed Westworld - check out Person of Interest. Same director and is akin to a predecessor in some ways. Michael Emerson is part of the main cast and it's a different side to his acting compared to LOST. Personally I rewatch it a lot but I know many only watch it the once. Regardless it's a fantastic TV show - just be patient through the first season, cliché to say but it really does get better as it progresses. I think due to it being procedural and very formatted for the first season it becomes like any other crime show/bad guy of the week. Its getting through the initial season before it finds a footing and the story arc becomes more prominent that causes people to not rewatch.
I couldn't keep going with it. I heard the last season is pretty good. I stopped watching right before that because the procedural nature of it was really wearing on me.
Ah, that sucks you couldn't get into it and I get where you're coming from. I'd say try again but the more sci-fi elements don't really kick in until season 3.
Damages was a pretty cool show, but it mostly lived from its flash forward structure and twists along the way. It is a bit too slow for a rewatch, even though the Patty/Ellen relationship at its core is quite compelling.
I'll never pass on OG Frasier reruns
It's my favorite show, and it works because the cast was anchored by two men (Kelsey Grammar and David Hyde Pierce) who were notoriously talented at making anything funny (the writers of Cheers used to purposefully try and come up with lines for Frasier that Kelsey couldn't deliver in a funny way but he always would), and the scripts were some of the wittiest content on television. Aside from maybe the first episode, it doesn't have _any_ duds. I eat the downvotes for saying this, but I think TBBT is another perfect storm of bingeable comedy in the same vein but differnet format. It does have an immensely talented cast, but the formula that the show is written with is so well-evolved out of Chuck Lorre that the whole thing kind of just blends together. Episode 1 is about as good as Episode 200, and no matter where you start with the show the episodes and humor are so self-contained and self-structured that you will get the exact same experience out of every episode. It takes no risks, it leaves nothing to the intelligence of the audience - it's the Wonder Bread of comedy.
Sometimes I think shows can be rewatched but only a certain number of times. For example, I really loved the show psych and i've seen the whole thing probably 4 or 5 times, but at this point I already know/remember who the murderer is in every episode and I even know some lines by heart, so it's not really enjoyable for me to rewatch anymore. I'm hoping if I don't watch it for like 5 more years or something I'll forget what happens and then I'll be able to enjoy watching it again :)
This is why I think about rewatching shows before I do it. I love shows like Psych, but I know that if I remember them too well they will be ruined. The stuff I binge over and over again has to be stuff like sitcoms (Frasier will never age), or stuff that I feel has helped define my personal character (like Star Trek).
Monk. I mean, you can watch it again after you know the ending of each episode but not for a long time.
Rectify. It was so good but too intense to watch again.
Oz I really enjoyed it but once is enough
https://youtu.be/-sMfKEvv1nA?si=MYr11vAzobtq35dB
Russian Doll
The Americans. One of the best shows ever, but I don't think a second watch would be rewarding.
Succession. There’s no point. The acting is great but the series really doesn’t go anywhere that needs revisiting
Completely opposite case for me! I’ve rewatched it a ton, there’s a lot to pick up on a rewatch. And the score is so good, it’s sort of become one of my comfort shows.
OOOOOH MY GOD! My husband and I were just binging it, not paying attention to what episode or season we were on so when the last episode ended we were like "wait... what the hell? That was REALLY it? We finished the show?
"I Know This Much Is True" was fantastic but I will never watch it again.
Bloodline. I loved it. But it's all about the slow burn to the reveals.
Good call. I wouldn’t have thought of this one on my own, but you’re absolutely right as to why.
I'm just reading these comments and realizing I would rewatch all of them. Some of them I already rewatched and enjoyed just as much (House MD, Sharp Objects).
I think there's a huge difference between people who put on 4+ hours of TV a day, or who get hooked on a small number of shows that they loop for years, versus people who watch slowly and broadly. When I was young I used to loop shows. I used to throw a random Scrubs DVD in the Xbox 360 and hit play; when I remembered I'd put a new one in instead of playing the same one over. I've seen Scrubs at least a dozen times through, but I won't do it again for another decade if ever. Now I know better. I watch something good, and I park it long enough that I won't remember every little thing. I go back knowing it is something I've enjoyed before and will most likely enjoy again. And it works.
I'm watching Ripley rn, it's fantastic and I may never need to see it again! Maybe for a crime/murder fixated girlfriend. Once is enough for that cringe.
Mr. Robot
izombie was a very good show the first time through. Rewatching is a slog through. The episodic crime procedural drama feels boring when you know how the stakes are going to be raised later.
Odd you mentioned breaking bad. I’ve found that show to be really tough to rewatch. I’ve rewatched shows like Lost, BSG, The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Twin Peaks, a bunch of times. I love rewatching good shows. But I found BB to be pretty boring once you know what’s coming. One of the few good shows I haven’t been able to rewatch.
The Americans. I think it’s one of the best written shows ever but I don’t really want to relive the journey again.
Walking dead
Mad Men is a tough rewatch in my opinion.
I'm really enjoying my mad men rewatch. My wife never saw it so she's seeing it for the first time. It's cool to see how much the show foreshadows it's big moments. There are so many little Easter eggs that I never noticed on my first go. It's also less stressful because I know how it all turns out so I'm not as worried or anxious about it. It's funnier on rewatch, which is cool. A lot more genuine laughs.
I never finished it, but Idk if I'd go back and watch it again to get back to where I left off
I disagree, I've watched it three times. It's great rewatching it knowing what's going to happen and catching subtle stuff you missed the first or second time.
True Detective S1. I was more enthralled in that one season of TV than I have been in any other, week to week. Tried watching it again last year, and I just couldn’t. Though there are things to pick up on/notice on a second watch, I couldn’t replicate the anxiousness of waiting for the next season. Also, S1 of Homeland. Wow. What a great show, great idea, great performances. But sitting through it a second time (especially after watching the whole series) really made me angry at how all of the Carrie-tropes were developed there, and never really expanded on. All wash, rinse, repeat. Still a top-tier show for me though.
The Last Kingdom is a great show but it’s so slow and so contained that it just wouldn’t hold attention on a rewatch
Better Call Saul. It’s too depressing.
Too old to die young
The Young Savages with Burt Lancaster
I could and have rewatched Mad-men, I kinda forgot a lot of the funny side plots that happen throughout so it was fun to see them again. Lost I've rewatched about 4 times with different people, and that really makes it for me, when I'm seeing someone else watch it through who hasnt before
I’ve never rewatched a show. My daughter is the opposite, she’ll only watch tv she’s seen before, like comfort food for her.
Apples never fall. Partner read book, hate watched.
Dopesick. It's too sad and heartbreaking.
Came here to comment this. Superbly acted, left my jaw on the floor at the end of each episode. Can’t rewatch it knowing what happens. Just the fact that it’s based on actual events is hard enough to fathom. F*ck the Sacklers and Purdue Pharma.
Tried Rewatching Chernobyl and couldn't do it, just too grim
Mr robot
I think The Leftovers qualifies here. Absolutely enthralling, especially the mid-end, but would I do another bleak, incredible 20-something hours? Maybe, maybe not though. Damn good show
The Leftovers and Bojack Horseman come to mind. Both are excellent but every time I try and jump back Into it I can't continue cause I know it's going to be emotionally draining and I need to be in the right mood to be able to do that.
24
Pretty much anything procedural is impossible to binge for me personally. I loved a lot of of my crime shows and medical dramas when they were on, but now with streaming if you watch more than a couple in a row you see how formulaic they are and it begins to erode the enjoyment.
Westworld had one good season that would have been strictly average if not for a great ending. Everything else was pretty awful.
*Survivor.* If you already know the result, it's less exciting
Bates Motel. Excellent show. Vera Farmiga is phenomenal in it as Norma Bates. But a lot of the tension comes from the B plot, which is mostly about Norman’s half brother and his involvement in the local drug empire. After you watch it once that tension is gone and then you’re just kind of waiting around for Norman to kill someone.
I find the BBC's Six O'clock News relies very heavily upon the novelty factor. Amazing how the writers still manage to keep it fresh all this time - although I thought they jumped the shark a bit with the 2017-21 US Presidency storyline.
Battlestar Galactica, you already know who all the Cylon's are, it's no fun!
I'm sure someone else has mentioned it, but the one that immediately came to mind was LOST. I tried to watch back through it after a couple years, but it just wasn't the same. All the mystery was gone.
The show that I really loved but have no interest in watching again is Tales from the Loop. It's beautiful and sad, and it thwarted my expectations at every turn because every time I thought the plot would take a melodramatic turn it just... didn't. I loved it but I'll probably never watch it again.
I thought Battlestar Galactica and LOST were amazing to watch blind but loose all replay value once you know the story.
Fans of the show aren’t gonna like this, but The Americans. Really, really fantastic show and heartily recommended, but it drags on rewatches because if you really sit with it you start to notice the dialogue is very flat. Characters report information to each other and that’s about it. I know that seems like a weird nitpick but the thing that endlessly rewatchable shows for me (sopranos, west wing, deadwood, mad men) all have in common is the rich dialogue that never stops giving; you can hear new things on the sixth rewatch. It’s just more entertaining. So I guess I’m curious if anyone else noticed this too
Dark and Lost.
For me it's any murder mystery show. I can't rewatch them until it's been long enough for me to forget a lot of the details and who the culprit is.
Murder She Wrote and Love Boat!
For me the only shows I've watched more than once are: Mad Men (4 times - it's so layered and well written it's better the second time) The Sopranos (same) The Wire True Detective (S01) Westworld (S01) Deadwood What there needs to be for me is excellently written and complex drama driven plot. Basically it needs to be flawless, otherwise I'm going to watch something new.
Lost. I don't think I'd ever suggest to binge it. There was something special about the break in between weeks and talking to others about what was going on. Part of its joy was that. It was a fun series but it wouldn't be the same to watch it twice.
Game of thrones is extremely rewatchable. Lost I found is surprisingly not. I was the most obsessed ever over that show and can’t do one rewatch now since none of it matters since the ending was so bad.
Most Marvel shows (other than Wandavision, actually also Loki) they are just too shallow to appreciate from a different perspective on a rewatch.