I finally got why people binge The Office over and over

I was at my buddy's apartment last weekend and he had it playing on a loop in the background for like 6 hours straight. At first I thought it was weird because I've seen every episode at least twice. But after hanging out there, I noticed I kept catching new little jokes I missed before. It's kind of like comfort food for your brain where you don't have to pay full attention but still enjoy every moment. Has anyone else found a show that works that way for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_nathan24d ago

Realized the same thing about The Office a few years ago, and now I watch it through at least twice a year. It's like hanging out with old friends where you don't have to try hard, you just get to laugh at their dumb jokes. I think this is part of a bigger thing I've noticed about how we interact with stuff these days. Everything is so fast and loud, and we're always being sold something or told to pay attention. Shows like The Office or Friends or even old Simpsons episodes give you a break from all that noise. They're like a little pocket of safe, familiar weirdness where you can just exist for a bit without worrying about anything. That's probably why people put them on when they're stressed or just need background noise, it's like a warm blanket for your brain.

rileyl6724d ago

Wait, you watch it through twice a year? That is honestly amazing to me. I thought I was a big fan but I might have watched the whole thing from start to finish maybe three times total since it ended. Twice a year is like a whole lifestyle commitment. You are right about the safe familiar weirdness part though. There is something about knowing exactly what joke is coming and still smiling at it. My wife puts on an old episode when she has had a rough day at work. It is basically comfort food for your brain. But twice a year. That is a lot. I am almost impressed.

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