Collegiate Times

Everyone finds themselves at some point or another putting in a DVD of Zoolander or Office Space for the tenth weekend in a row. Many Laguna Beach fans have an amazing ability to sit through day-long marathons of their favorite high school drama. When we see a friend partaking in obsessive viewing, the first thought to come to mind is, ?Not again. Why??

There are many reasons to watch reruns or go out and buy the complete DVD set of a favorite show. At the top of the list is comfort. When there?s a show that we can?t miss each week, the attachment lingers well into rerun season. The need for a weekly fix of comedic relief or outstanding drama can?t be filled in everyday life. So we turn to the next best thing ? the television set.

Comfort also plays a role in watching those old-school classics we all remember from childhood and high school, when life was so much easier. Who can forget the way little Michelle Tanner from ?Full House? made us smile, or how whenever the ?Fresh Prince? theme song begins to play, everyone in the room sings along? These blasts from the past, times when family bonded in the living room and playing with friends after school was the norm, generate a need in us to want to recreate those moments.

?I feel good when I watch episodes of the ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?? they make me reminisce about the good old days,? said Courtney Samuels, senior marketing major. ?I guess you could say it gives me a sense of nostalgia. Plus, I can relate to it better than other shows. A lot of the stuff that happens in that show is legit, not all made up like other shows,? she said.

Another feeling promulgated by watching repeats is control. When we know what is going to happen, we get a sense of power and feel smarter for it. According to a weekly study by the Nielson Media Research group, ?Wheel of Fortune? and ?Jeopardy? are two of the top ten rated shows in syndication. One may wonder why people would watch the same game show episode more than once. Maybe they hadn?t seen it the first time around. But the joy of answering those questions and puzzles correctly (even if it?s the second time you?ve watched it) outweighs the 30 minutes of life lost.

Other high-ranking programs, according to the Nielson group, are shows like ?Judge Judy,? ?Dr. Phil,? and ?Oprah.? One may now wonder why people would want to repeatedly listen to someone else?s problems. Well, think about it. If we focus on the crises of others, our problems don?t seem as bad. It frees our minds.

The next time you?re feeling overloaded with problems or want to take a trip back to the past, have an all day marathon with your favorite television show. Sit back with friends and enjoy the memories, the laughs and the comfort of a favorite movie.