Indefinite rewatchability is my revealed top criterion for a TV show to be on my favorites list. Surprisingly, this maps to a certain mediocrity and inefficiency in storytelling. Fat narrative over lean. So shows can fail to make my list by being too bad OR too good to rewatch.
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Of shows I’ve watched though at least once:
Too good to rewatch indefinitely: Deadwood, Firefly, The Office
Too bad to rewatch indefinitely: Two and a Half Men, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond
Sweet spot: Futurama, Psych, Monk, Castle, Rick and Morty, Seinfeld
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Forgot South Park as a big one in the sweet spot.
Some shows I need longer between rewatches. If shortness of refractory period between rewatches is the metric, my top shows are Futurama and Psych.
The Simpsons fails this scheme due to zombification.
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The mediocrity manifests as a 2d character arc, lots of undeveloped little bits of fat, non sequitur jokes. Narrative comfort food.
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Probably surprising, but The Office is not among my favorite shows. Never rewatched after it finished airing and I finished my blog series on it.
Futurama otoh is my most rewatched show. Probably 6-7 full watch-throughs. But it’s never really fueled any writing.
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No Hindi shows from before I moved to the US are on the list. 🤔
Partly lack of access, but mostly just poor quality. Indian TV 1980s-90s was... not good. And I think it got worse after I left in 97, not better.
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Replying to
Wouldn’t be surprised into not see it on yours but West Wing is easily my most rewatched. There’s something about the musicality of the dialogue. Like putting on familiar music in the background.
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