In a world where everyone has subscriptions to streaming providers like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and many more, each making hundreds of their own shows, many teens are still more drawn to older television shows. This is not to say that new, current shows are not appreciated, but shows like Friends, Seinfeld, Gilmore Girls, etc. are staying as relevant as they were when produced.
Why do students choose to re-watch these series over and over again? Why not watch new shows with weekly new episodes, instead of watching the same episode for the hundredth time, knowing what is coming next?
“Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows” says Jo Davis ’20. “I am almost through watching all seven seasons for the seventh time.”
Lauren Asher ’20, explained that she likes watching the show Friends. “I like these older shows because they are classics and are feel good and easier to relate to. And they bring me closer to my parents because they watch them too.”
Watching shows that both you and your parents love has become a common way to bond and connect with parents. Students today live busy lives filled with academics, sports, and other extra curriculars, leaving students with little down time to spend with family. The time students do have is often exhaustion filled, so, by watching a tv show, students can bond and connect with family while also getting the rest they need to recharge before their next task.
Many of the shows that have grown in popularity, despite their completion, were filmed in the 90s. There are definitely shows loved that were made before them, I Love Lucy, for example. However, most shows were started in the 90s and early 2000s. Some examples given by Ursuline students were Seinfeld, Friends, Bewitched, The Twilight Zone, Parks and Recreation, and How I Met Your Mother.
Seinfeld, the comedy starring Jerry Seinfeld, was first released in 1989 and the final episode aired in 1998. The first episode of Friends aired in September of 1994, and it ran for ten years, ending in May of 2004. Both of these comedies capture the 90s perfectly, from fashion, to trends, to the simplicity of life without the technology we have today.
Teens can enjoy these shows because of sentimentality connected with a simpler time the world, where the world was not run by technology, social media, and the ability to work around the clock on phones and laptops. The characters in these older shows live fun lives outside of work, and some teens envy that.
The nostalgia connected to the 90s and early 2000s is unique. Those who can remember and relate to that time in the world hold on to those memories. There is something so warm, nostalgic, and perfect about that era in time, and teens today separate themselves from younger generations by their memories of that time in life, and by watching these shows, they are able to remember a simpler time.
Teens today, while they also watch current shows, love older tv shows for many reasons. These shows continue to stay relevant and unless something drastic changes, it seems they will stay relevant and available to the public, allowing people to take in, connect, and relax in remembering a simpler time.
