In an age where there are more TV shows than ever before, it may seem silly to rewatch something instead of checking out all the new series premiering, but that’s the reality we’re living in. For some, the endless possibilities are too overwhelming, and returning to a comfort show again and again just makes sense. Of course, not all old shows have the same rewatchability though, which is why some are more popular than others.
Interested in finding out what shows people are watching over and over again, a Redditor posed the question in the AskReddit sub and was quickly flooded with more than 11,000 responses. While a relatively wide selection of shows were mentioned, there were two that truly reigned supreme by getting the most mentions, upvotes, and comments: Futurama and Arrested Development.
Futurama Is The Most Rewatched Show According To Reddit Users
Beating out all live-action shows and other animated classics like The Simpsons, also co-created by Matt Groening, Futurama is currently the series that the most people are happily rewatching, according to users in this Reddit thread. The animated sci-fi series follows pizza-delivery man Fry as he wakes up 1,000 years in the future and gets taken in by his sole descendant, an elderly scientist. Revived in 2022 years after its second cancellation, Futurama currently boasts eight seasons (which includes the direct-to-DVD features) and 150 episodes that are available to stream on Hulu, with the back half of Season 8 debuting in July 2024.
Reddit User TheDandyDons kicked off the Futurama love fest, commenting:
Futurama for me, I rewatch it every year, and it just never gets old
While it seems that Reddit Users are in agreement over their love of the sci-fi series, their reasons for why the show is the greatest to rewatch take many forms. Take a look at some of those reasons:
- How could it get old if it's from the future duh... EDIT: don't worry I'll see myself out - @djaure
- Yep, seen every episode 20 times or more, still finding new jokes and the old ones dont get stale. - @mithridateseupator
- Bender's antics are truly the gift that keeps on giving - @Benjyaakovis
In addition to the above comments, fans also flooded the thread with their favorite episodes and quotes, proving just how big of a fan of a Futurama fan they are. As someone who has admittedly never seen the series, reading all the joyous comments definitely has me wondering if I should finally check it out.
Arrested Development Also Got A Lot Of Love
Coming in second place with over 5,000 upvotes and over 300 comments is the sitcom Arrested Development. Like Futurama, the series was revived by a streaming service and continues to find new fans thanks to the ability to stream it with a Netflix subscription. The show's Bluth family has their pompous lifestyle turned upside down when the patriarch gets sent to prison for white-collar crimes, and Jason Bateman's Michael Bluth is tasked with juggling the real estate business his father left behind and keeping his eccentric family in check, with all the in-jokes and callbacks humanly possible.
Reddit User dokhtarjoon was the first to give the satrical sitcom its flowers, writing:
Arrested development. You actually get more out of a rewatch. There are references and Easter eggs that you only pick up on when rewatching!
It's hard to top a concise comment like that that clearly explains why the series is the best to rewatch, but that didn't stop other Reddit Users from trying. While most of the comments were flooded with quotes and favorite moments, others shared fun facts to show off their love. Here are some of the highlights:
- My girlfriend and I named our cat Gene Parmesan - @SuperKnuckleCanuckle
- I came here to say this! I rewatch so many shows but this one is notably better on rewatch! - @llunachick2319
- I love when Rita is sitting on a bench for Wee Britain, but her head blocks out "it" so all you can read is "Wee Brain" - @FittedSheets88
While no show came close to topping the numbers these two did, there were a handful of others that Reddit Users seem to agree to make for great rewatches. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Malcolm in the Middle both got over three thousand interactions. And The Simpsons also cracked the top five, though only the classic first ten seasons are worthy, at least according to user SnuggleBunni69. Surprisingly, the classic sitcom Seinfeld isn’t getting as much love as one might think, with only 500 interactions as of this writing..
The results were certainly shocking to me, but then again taste in TV is subjective so I’ll never judge anyone for what they choose to watch.
