The Psychology of Rewatching: Comfort and Nostalgia in Familiar Media
A newsletter from The Atlantic explores the deep comfort of rewatching familiar TV shows, movies, and books. Derek Thompson (2014) notes that repeating pop-culture experiences helps us remember the past, and the act of remembering feels good. Joe Pinsker (2019) adds that people underestimate the fun of doing the same thing twice, and research suggests revisiting the familiar offers unexpected pleasures. Sophie Gilbert (2020) wrote about the psychology of comfort TV, including shows like Seinfeld, Frasier, and Bones. The article also references rereading childhood books as a way to track personal growth (2018), and Bethanne Patrick (2022) lists 15 books worth rereading. A reader photo from Barbara C. in Las Cruces, New Mexico, highlights the awe of jellyfish at the Monterey Aquarium.
Key facts
- Derek Thompson wrote about repetition in pop culture in 2014.
- Joe Pinsker wrote about the underestimated pleasure of repetition in 2019.
- Sophie Gilbert wrote about comfort TV in 2020.
- Bethanne Patrick listed 15 books worth rereading in 2022.
- A 2018 article discusses what rereading childhood books teaches adults.
- Barbara C. from Las Cruces, New Mexico shared a photo of jellyfish at Monterey Aquarium.
- The newsletter is called The Wonder Reader.
- The article is from The Atlantic.
Entities
Artists
- Derek Thompson
- Joe Pinsker
- Sophie Gilbert
- Bethanne Patrick
- Barbara C.
Institutions
- The Atlantic
- Netflix
- Monterey Aquarium
Locations
- Las Cruces
- New Mexico
- Monterey