Nowadays, TV shows are being released every week on various streaming platforms but surprisingly, today’s teenagers tend to watch older TV shows instead of the latest hits. Many teenagers prefer to watch old TV shows, such as Friends, The Office and Gilmore Girls, instead of watching new TV shows that are constantly released on platforms like Netflix and Hulu. The younger generation kids find comfort in watching old TV shows and feeling nostalgia instead of the new-style TV shows that are constantly released.
A large reason as to why teenagers nowadays want to watch older TV shows is because of the sheer sense of stability teenagers feel with older TV shows. Teens have an abundance of stress in their lives, and because of that, their lives become very overwhelming. They have academic pressure, familial pressure, chores to do around the house and constant social media notifications and updates. Older TV shows provide a more streamlined and expected structure which makes many teenagers feel calm.
For sophomore Vedant Pillutla, watching older TV shows provides a release from the daily norm. “ Whenever I watch an older TV show, I forget all about the stressful and packed day that I have had and just have fun watching the show because it gives me a sense of relief,” expressed Pillutla. The familiar structure of older TV shows makes them really fun and relaxing to watch for teenagers, whether alone or hanging out with friends.
The influence of social media also plays a big role in teenagers watching older TV shows. On Instagram and TikTok, scenes of old TV shows are recycled. These scenes come across teenagers’ feeds, and that makes them want to watch the TV shows again.
Watching these scenes on TikTok makes them nostalgic for the past and makes them want to go watch that TV show again. Junior Suvik Agrawal believes that watching older TV shows provides a sense of peace and relief. “Whenever I watch older TV shows, I think back to old times, and I reminisce on the past, which brings me a sense of calmness,” said Agrawal. Many clips of “The Office” or “The Big Bang Theory” appear on social media, making these shows feel relevant again in the present day. This makes it seem that these TV shows are acceptable to watch in the new generation.
Many teenagers also believe that the quality of older TV shows was way better. Many older shows were made before the rise of binge-release schedules, which is when writers focus extra hard on long-term stories and long-term character development. Older TV shows were released pretty often, making it seem the viewers had an inside look at the characters’ lives, but character development still wasn’t compromised, and the storylines of the characters were great additions to the shows. In contrast, though, many believe modern shows feel more rushed to keep up with the demands for them on these apps like Netflix and Hulu. These shows don’t have good character development, and they don’t give viewers an inside look at the characters’ lives.
Agrawal believes that modern-day TV shows don’t make viewers feel connected to the plot anymore. “I think that TV shows nowadays don’t really get us viewers into the story; it just feels like we are separated from the characters. In older TV shows, though, it felt like we were going through life with them,” stated Agrawal.
Many teenagers have begun to favor older TV shows instead of the new ones because these TV shows are a different feeling than the repetitive lives teenagers live every day. Things that are different from everyday actions and events tend to be enjoyed, and this is the same thing that has happened with older TV shows.
As the new generation keeps tapping into their nostalgia, older TV shows will continue to prosper, keeping the newer generation in tune with the quality of older television.
