When to re-watch a series?

[robelirobban]

Hey, I had a random though the other day. I was thinking about when I was going to re-watch all of my beloved sci-fi-operas. The problem is that I have never (!!) re-watched anything before - except random Mythbusters and The Simpsons episodes on tv. My main concern is that I would re-watch too early, thus ruining what could be an even greater experience.

So I'm asking you who have re-watched before, if there is a general guideline you are using to determine when the time is right? Or you maybe have this awesome equation which involves the time since last watch (t), series length (l) and series greatness (g)?

Many thanks for replies. Hopefully a general pattern will emerge that can be followed.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Pretty much when I'm in the mood and have the time--once I get going it's hard to stop.

 

[Kelso]

When I feel like it. Is there a better time?

 

[bigdaddy]

The winter when it's cold and sucky outside.

 

[RoJoHen]

When I feel like it. Is there a better time?

No, no there isn't.

I have rewatched Farscape and Firefly at least a dozen times. BSG, Babylon 5, Buffy, Angel, Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis...I've watched all of those at least 3 or 4 times. I just do it whenever I want.

Sometimes I will rewatch part of a series and take a break for a while before continuing, but I love rewatching my favorite shows. You get so much more out of them when you see them again because you catch a lot of things you missed the first time around.

 

[AviTrek]

When there is a lull in what I'm watching in new programming. When a show I want to rewatch starts over in syndication.

 

[RandyS]

When I feel like it.

That's usually what I do too, but it doesn't always work that way. Like now fo example, I am currently re-watching my DS9 DVD's, but this wasn't planned. One morning I was in pain and exhausted, and while having breakfast (and pain medication), I felt like watching the DS9 pilot episode. When it was over, I didn't want to get out of my chair, and the disk was already in, so I watched episode 2, and then, and the end of that, same thing with episode 3. Following a nap, I decided I wanted to see more, so I put in disk two, and in the six weeks or so since, I have nearly gone through the first five seasons, averaging one disk, or half disk depending on how much time I have, every day. Two disks every Sunday.

 

[zakkrusz]

When I'm bored and go into self-entertainment mode or am reminded of it and aren't doing anything. I end up rewatching a lot of series, usually via marathon.

 

[Gojira]

I have just started re-watching TOS then I plan to move on to TOS movies then TNG and TNG movies. Watching 2 episodes a day I figure this will take me about a couple of months. I began watching TOS in the early 70s so I have seen every episode more times than I can remember.

 

[BigFoot]

I re-watch a show when I'm in the mood for it.

 

[Caliburn24]

I'll watch the odd episode here and there of something I've seen if it pops up on the TV, particularly if my memory recalls it as a good episode.

But rewatch an entire series? Never done it, and likely never will. It just seems too time intensive for not enough reward.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Huh... I'm actually very strict with myself over rewatching.

Any series that I collect I put on a 5 Year List.

So, for example I last watched Farscape back just after The Peacekeeper Wars was released. And this month I have just begun rewatching it. Prior to that I rewatched Babylon 5 which I last ran through back in 2004.

As soon as I finish Farscape I think I'll return to Deep Space Nine as I have a feeling that the last time I watched the show was back in 2003 or so.

There were certain shows (especially B5/Buffy/TNG) which I watched so much and so regularly I got the point of knowing the dialogue, quoting the jokes/speeches etc), so I put a 5-year shelf-time on any show I watch now. It allows me to remember plot points and be excited about realising "X" or "Y" is going to happen, but it stops me from remembering and stepping on every joke and great line. My memory is pretty good, but even after 5 years I can't recall it all, especially 100+ episodes, so an almost simulated freshness comes to the experience when I rewatch.

Hugo - looking forward to a Sisko reunion

 

[Vendikarr]

Huh... I'm actually very strict with myself over rewatching.

Any series that I collect I put on a 5 Year List.

So, for example I last watched Farscape back just after The Peacekeeper Wars was released. And this month I have just begun rewatching it. Prior to that I rewatched Babylon 5 which I last ran through back in 2004.

As soon as I finish Farscape I think I'll return to Deep Space Nine as I have a feeling that the last time I watched the show was back in 2003 or so.

There were certain shows (especially B5/Buffy/TNG) which I watched so much and so regularly I got the point of knowing the dialogue, quoting the jokes/speeches etc), so I put a 5-year shelf-time on any show I watch now. It allows me to remember plot points and be excited about realising "X" or "Y" is going to happen, but it stops me from remembering and stepping on every joke and great line. My memory is pretty good, but even after 5 years I can't recall it all, especially 100+ episodes, so an almost simulated freshness comes to the experience when I rewatch.

Hugo - looking forward to a Sisko reunion

This is a good policy to follow. I like watching old shows when they feel 'new' again, as in I don't remember everything specifically.

Another thing I will do is a 'best of...' for a show. Pick out a few episodes I considered good and just watch them. Just last weekend I pulled out the Flash dvd, and watched the Trickster and Nightshade episodes. Good stuff.

 

[barnaclelapse]

It pretty much depends on my mood. It's not Science Fiction, but I watched all eleven seasons of Frasier and then immediately started over again when it was finished.

There have been others. There have also been shows I watched all the way through, loved absolutely and then didn't watch again for months or even years.

Depression can influence that kind of thing, certainly.

 

[Mistral]

Usually, I re-watch stuff when my dvr reaches 15% or less. With the new kid, its been hovering around 90-100% for 3 months so not much re-watching going on...

 

[robelirobban]

Hmm, so it seems that the majority of people re-watches whenever the urge arises. Although convenient I am more of a control-freak and can't just go with the flow. To add upon that Hugo comes and practically inspires me to follow his lead

I really like the thought of a simulated freshness and 5 years is not too bad. Especially since I have only got 1½ year to SG-1, the first time I actually seriously followed a series. Never missed an episode. After that it shouldnt be too much waiting for the rest, SG-1 is like what... 10 seasons after all?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

I'll rewatch random episodes of a comedy series in TV reruns, but for drama shows, especially SFF shows, I only rewatch them from start to finish to get the full experience again. I don't have a formalized time period, but I generally let a number of years go by - sometimes many years - before I rewatch a show. The longer you leave it the more you can approach the show with a fresh eye.