You Can Usually Tell What Someone Values Most In Life By The TV Show They Rewatch Over & Over Again

Watching TV has gotten a bad rap for being a lazy activity, but it turns out there's a lot going on in someone's mind when they're watching their favorite show. A 2020 study proved that visual media like TV and film has the power to change people's ideas and help them form new ones.

So, if there are so many new perspectives we could be exposed to in our era of having virtually every show available at our fingertips on streaming platforms, why do we have a tendency to watch the same shows over and over again? Favorite shows that we connect to deeply actually provide us with a sense of comfort and even make us feel a little less alone in the world. And, if you're repeatedly drawn to a certain show, it can probably tell you quite a bit about what you value the most.

Here's how you can tell what someone values most in life by the TV show they rewatch over and over again:

Sitcoms

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There's nothing quite as comforting as rewatching a favorite sitcom that you can nearly recite word for word. Fan favorites like "The Office," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Friends," and "The Big Bang Theory" make it feel like you're returning home to see old friends again, and there's a reason for that.

Sitcoms are known for featuring the "found family" or "chosen family" trope very prominently. The New York Public Library defined this as what happens when "a group of characters finds themselves united in a family-bond based on shared experiences, mutual understanding, and interpersonal connection. These arrangements often bring familial love they may have otherwise missed in their lives."

"Friends," for example, doesn't feature a biological family, but it does follow characters who have grown so close that their bond is even stronger than what could be formed by blood for some people. Rewatching shows like this means that you crave a deep connection with others. Those people don't have to be related to you to be special to you.

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Dramas

Few people would probably readily admit to enjoying drama in general, but there's something nice about getting caught up in fictional drama that has no effect on us at all. You still get to experience every tantalizing, juicy detail, but none of it actually hurts you. Instead, it's entertaining.

A group of researchers theorized that people enjoy watching drama because it activates the brain's endorphin system in a way that increases someone's tolerance for pain and makes them feel closer to those they're watching the show with, which they proved to be true in a 2016 study.

It's almost like witnessing the drama in shows like "Euphoria," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Succession" makes you feel stronger and more resilient, even though you didn't go through those hard times yourself. Just seeing your favorite characters endure them is enough. Being drawn to these kinds of shows means that you appreciate complex problems and emotions, especially when you can grow from them.

Romance

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Romance shows run the gamut from dramas like "Bridgerton" to comedies like "Emily in Paris" to reality shows like "The Bachelor." It's like there's truly something for everyone, unless you just hate love altogether.

In some ways, watching these shows is a way for people to fill the romantic void in their own lives. As entertainment journalist Amy Kaufman, who has covered "The Bachelor" for years, said, "I think why we're so obsessed with the show has something to do with our desire to have fantasy and romance in our life ... When I watch two people connect, it makes me feel like I can have this someday."

But it's not all imaginary. Research has actually proven that couples who watch romance shows together have stronger relationships themselves. It's like what they're watching becomes part of them. Being a romance fan shows that you not only believe in love, but that you want it for yourself, whether it means strengthening your current relationship or hoping you'll find the right person for you one day.

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Animated comedies

Shows like "Family Guy," "Bob's Burgers" and "The Simpsons" are, on the surface level, pretty ridiculous. However, they do a very good job of depicting how ironic and dysfunctional life is for most people. It's no surprise that they have legions of devoted viewers.

A 2020 study found that the most common reasons people tuned into these shows were a need for entertainment and relaxation, as well as being interested in the social criticism they provided. The researchers explained, "Social criticism refers to the motive of viewing media content that breaks social taboos and ridicules people in society."

Even though shows like this feel like a joke, they often address very serious topics related to culture, politics, and current events. But they manage to do so in a lighthearted way that is never too serious, so they still feel safe and comfortable. This helps people feel seen and accept the chaos of the world they're living in without feeling afraid.

Sci-fi

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TV shows that incorporate sci-fi or fantasy elements can be endlessly interesting. "Supernatural," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Stranger Things" all offer fans a new world they can escape into that is still just enough like their own for them to learn some big lessons. These kinds of shows say several things about the people who rewatch them on repeat.

For starters, a lot of sci-fi is very future-focused. Whether it's through technological advancements we could only dream of or new societal norms we can't fully comprehend, shows like this give us a glimpse of what the future could be. This lets you wonder if we're all on the right track as we are now, and if there's hope for something better.

Many of these shows also rely heavily on what's known as "the chosen one" trope, which means there's one specific character who has the ability to resolve the plot through completing a mission or solving a problem. In the sci-fi world, this often means fighting supernatural forces to save the world in some capacity. This might not seem like it translates very well to real life, but people who like these shows could be in search of a greater purpose in life, believing they are destined for more than what they currently have.

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