Despite Netflix, HBO, and On Demand having an abundance of new shows and content to binge watch, I always find myself re-binging the shows that I have already seen. From "Breaking Bad" (completely seen twice), "Orange is the New Black" (seen three times), to "American Horror Story" (I've lost count with this one), I have a tendency to re-watch shows far too many times. My most recent series re-binge has been "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," and, surprisingly, I have not fully seen this show since I myself was a teenager in high school. I have found myself in the cycle of re-binging shows, and it has certain stages that follow.
1. The Excitement
The opening theme of an old familiar show beings to play and there is nothing that can make you more pumped. You are so glad that you made the decision to re-watch this show, and there is no way that this is not going to be the best re-binge you have undertaken yet.
2. The Race
With a friend in tow to teach them the ways of your past, the couch becomes your starting point for the race of how many episodes you can cram in before your friend leaves you. The two of you do not even hesitate for the allotted 15 seconds between episodes on Netflix and completely skip the end credits to try and make more time for yet anther episode.
3. The Cocoon
As night rolls in, you migrate from the couch to the cave that is your bedroom. You find yourself becoming a human blanket burrito with your laptop precariously balanced somewhere on your bed as you continue the series, season by season. You find yourself in this position for hours upon hours, as the sun comes up, classes are skipped, and you remember countless parts of this series that you had forgotten.
4. The Crash
It hits you like a ton of bricks. You just finished an entire show, that took you forever to watch the first time around, in the course of one weekend. The bags under your eyes have bags, you hair is greasy, you're covered in crumbs from food you don't remember eating, but you watched the whole thing. The exhaustion sets in and you sleep until 3 p.m., not even a fire alarm will bring you back to the land of the living.
5. The Sorrow
6. And Repeat
Netflix loves you far too much. One day, while browsing through your Netflix suggestions, you come across a familiar show and, on a whim, you begin to watch it. The cycle repeats and everything will continue.
Will you ever see some of those shows that you are interested in on Netflix, or just keep watching some of your old favorites? Whether it be newly watched or an old favorite, we are all guilty of entering the "re-binge cycle" at some point. Happy binging everyone, and remember that it is perfectly fine to rewatch shows.
