I love to rewatch TV shows and movies. Ever since I was little, as soon as I finished a show or movie that I loved, I would immediately go back and rewatch it. My parents and my friends always questioned my decision to do that. They claim that it is a waste of time because “Why would you want to watch something when you already know what’s going to happen?”
It took me many years to realize why I love to rewatch shows and movies. Every scene, every line, every action in the film is put there for a reason. Every decision is intentional. The writers and directors carefully choose specific dialogue that they want their characters to say and how they want those characters to deliver it. They choose to include certain elements that might foreshadow or parallel a certain scene that will occur in the future.
When watching a show or movie for the first time, most audience members don’t notice these little things. Our minds focus mainly on the plot and the characters. We want to know what is going to happen next, so our brain doesn’t notice the small cues that are put in the show or movie. However, when watching it the second time, I already know the plot, so I can focus more on the little things. For instance, the other day I was rewatching the TV show The 100 for the second time. I noticed a parallel in the dialogue from the first and fourth seasons that I did not pick up on the first time watching. It was cool to see how circumstances changed from the first time the characters said those lines compared to the last time.
For this reason, I love rewatching shows and movies for the second time. It allows me to appreciate the work put into creating a show or movie more. I think everyone should try rewatching some of their favorite films to see if they can pick up on little details that they didn’t notice before.