Play It Again, Sam

In my life thus far – and let’s be clear, I am still quite, quite young – the amount of time I have spent watching TV shows is equal to the amount of time spent watching those same shows over and over again. Thanks to modern technology, bingeing on television shows has become a favorite pastime. But I can remember the old days when catching a television show again meant watching a rerun or waiting until it hit syndication and started airing on TBS or the local Fox affiliate. Then there were the DVD box sets. The money spent on DVD sets for shows now readily available on streaming services would make me multi-hundredaire. Suffice it to say I have watched a lot of the same shows over and over and over again, but there are a select handful of shows that rise to the top of my viewing list with near ridiculous regularity. 

I have watched all episodes of Gilmore Girls too many times to count. Literally. Dozens of times. I’m due for another run, it’s been at least 3 months. The writing is so smart and the characters so engaging that even though I know most of the dialogue by heart and could repeat the plot of an episode with just the title, it is well worth watching again. 

If any show comes close to Gilmore Girls as far as repeated viewings is concerned, it’s Top Chef. It does not matter that I know who wins. No matter how many times I watch it, season one Tiffany will straight up lie to Miguel about her comments at Judges Table, Otto will knowingly drive away with lychees that have not been paid for and Carla Hall will be delightful. 

In the same vein, The Great British Baking Show is literally playing on my TV right now for the fourth or fifth go round. That British sense of civility, the charming music, the delicious bakes? Delightful. While the bakers are technically competing against each other, their behavior would never lead you to believe it’s a competition. Genuinely happy for others who do well and genuinely saddened when bakers must leave the tent, the bakers and The Great British Baking Show is restorative. 

Two other shows are repeatedly binge worthy: The Office and Parks and Rec. The evolution of Michael Scott will never get old. He transformed and matured but his core desire remained the same: to be a part of a family, whatever kind of family that might be. And you can never get enough Leslie Knope. She pours her heart and soul into everything she does, especially her relationships. It’s impossible to choose the best pairing: Leslie and Ann, Leslie and Ron, Leslie and Ben, Leslie and Joe Biden.

Of course, the OG repeat watch was Seinfeld. Watching Seinfeld in syndication was a big part of my formative years. Probably too big. I laughed at the jokes I understood just as hard as those that went right over my head. I knew Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer as well as a I knew my family members. Not sure what that says about me or my family, but there you have it.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

It isn’t a Sunday morning without CBS News Sunday Morning. Focusing on art and culture, Sunday Morning is the finer things club of the television landscape, and I have been watching my entire life. Reading the headlines may lead to the conclusion that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. The cure? Sunday Morning. Wynton Marsalis’ opening trumpet is a call for humanity, reminding us of what we all have in common.

Sunday Morning feels different than any other television show. Today alone the stories ranged from a profile of Julianne Moore to the technology of hearing aids to the Alvin Ailey dance company to the lure of mermaid lore. Truly something for everyone. And the stories are given room to breathe, lasting more than just a couple of minutes. With its’ eye often turned to the arts, it is probably no wonder that I am attached to the show.  Authors, musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists and architects all get their due on Sunday Morning. The best in their field share their motivation, their process, their struggles and their triumphs.

And then, of course, there is the humor. In my formative years, Bill Geist’s forays into the lesser known, slightly eccentric, hobbies and events around the country were the highlight of the show. I vividly recall a story about individuals who collect toasters. Toasters. Who knew antique toasters were so fascinating? Now it is often a story from Mo Rocca or commentary from Jim Gaffigan or Nancy Giles that strikes the funny bone. Recognizing the importance of humor in everyday life is not to be underestimated. 

Each episode of Sunday Morning ends with a Moment in Nature. No voiceover, no music, just the natural sounds of the environment. It may be mountain goats, fish in a stream, a coral reef or cacti in the desert. The simplicity of the segment and the beauty of the natural world being highlighted combine to provide a brief respite from reality.

Certain pieces of pop culture frame your childhood memories. For me, this includes starting my Sundays with Sunday Morning and finishing them with Wishbone after swim practice. With Entertainment Weekly announcing a transition to a monthly publication I am crossing my fingers that Sunday Morning remains sacred. "Friday Night" just doesn’t have the same ring to it.