# Do you have shows you watch repeatedly just because you like hanging out with the characters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491 "2016-09-10T01:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/1 "2016-09-10T01:30:16Z")
I’m this way with the _Inspector Lewis_ series. I love the two lead characters, the humor, the scholarly references, the Oxford setting, the scenery-- all that stuff. I own the boxed set and I’ve watched every single episode at least ten times. It’s like comfort food for my soul. When going through some difficult times last year (breast cancer diagnosis followed by moving my 91-year old mother across the country), I turned to _Seinfeld_, where nothing serious ever happens. It’s like visual junk food, and when you’ve been dealing with heavy stuff all day, you don’t need drama and surprises. I also have a movie that I watch over and over as a comfort thing-- oddly, it’s a ghost story, the 1944 [The Uninvited](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037415/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2), with Ray Milland. The first time I saw it, the ghost was so realistic it scared the crap out of me. But now, after 20+ viewings, I just like the setting and especially the music. The great song “Stella by Starlight” comes from this film. What are yours? ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/2 "2016-09-10T02:17:14Z")
NCIS, all three. I have some of the older ones memorized, almost. The original Law and Order, too. I feel like the characters are friends. And I agree with you that there are a lot of times when “you don’t need drama and surprises.” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/3 "2016-09-10T02:18:15Z")
Not me, but I just read an article online and a woman said she enjoyed watching ‘The View’ because it made her feel like she was sitting and chatting with a bunch of women friends. (I understand this completely. It’s rather sad ☹ - probably the same reason some young women liked watching Sex and the City, young teens like the Disney Channel shows…and on and on.) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/4 "2016-09-10T02:22:46Z")
Hogan’s Heroes and Are You Being Served? are two shows that feel like old friends. I’ve seen the episodes so many times and I know the characters so well. It’s just relaxing after a difficult day. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/5 "2016-09-10T02:26:43Z")
A British comedy called Peep Show. Also, 30 Rock. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/6 "2016-09-10T02:33:34Z")
**The King of Queens**. I’ve seen every episode dozens of times. I’ll put it on when there is nothing interesting on. It’s comfortable. mmm ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/7 "2016-09-10T02:38:53Z")
Oh yeah…NCIS, the ones with Kate and Ziva, not so much the recent ones. And definitely 30Rock, too. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/8 "2016-09-10T02:42:38Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Not me, but I just read an article online and a woman said she enjoyed watching ‘The View’ because it made her feel like she was sitting and chatting with a bunch of women friends. (I understand this completely. It’s rather sad ☹ - probably the same reason some young women liked watching Sex and the City, young teens like the Disney Channel shows…and on and on.) I’m pretty much this way with Stephen Fry’s _Qi_. It’s like a dinner party that I’d never get invited to in real life. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/9 "2016-09-10T04:25:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m pretty much this way with Stephen Fry’s _Qi_. It’s like a dinner party that I’d never get invited to in real life. I gave it a look tonight and loved it. I’ve always really liked Stephen Fry. I think I’ll add QI to my comfort food list. Thanks. P.S. It’s on AcornTV. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/10 "2016-09-10T04:27:38Z")
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/11 "2016-09-10T05:19:29Z")
I keep going to Harlan, Kentucky ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/12 "2016-09-10T05:51:07Z")
Star Trek. I don’t care how many times I’ve seen an episode, I just looooove hanging out with the homeboys on the Enterprise and on DS9. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/13 "2016-09-10T05:51:14Z")
Happy Endings and CougarTown. Especially Happy Endings. Unlike Penny, I would not have let Pete get away. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/14 "2016-09-10T05:52:39Z")
_Mythbusters_. I’ll just start it playing on Hulu and let it run all day. It’s very comforting; it could be about Adam and Jamie painting a house and I wouldn’t care. I’ll sometimes do the same thing with _Star Trek_ (TOS) and _Reno 911_. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/15 "2016-09-10T14:24:55Z")
Firefly and ST:TOS ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/16 "2016-09-10T14:42:37Z")
I have a book I reread. **Elmore Leonard’s** _Rum Punch_, which was made into the movie _Jackie Brown_. I read the book on my first day on the beach in St Martin every year to get into my “beach mood”. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/17 "2016-09-10T15:14:48Z")
Leverage. I love Harridson, Parker and Eliot, three people who are human, but as close to super heroes as people can be. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/18 "2016-09-10T15:24:32Z")
I always like to go to Mayberry and get my haircut! ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/19 "2016-09-10T15:35:26Z")
For comedies, Scrubs and How I Met you Mother would qualify. For dramas I would agree with others and say Star Trek (mainly TOS, TNG and DS9) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491/20 "2016-09-10T15:42:11Z")
_The Addams Family._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-shows-you-watch-repeatedly-just-because-you-like-hanging-out-with-the-characters/765491.md?page=2)