Need for Nostalgia

While the future still seems uncertain in some cases, it is enjoyable to look back on the past and re-connect to some things that we know and love. This can be done in many different ways. Some people are reconnecting virtually with old friends, going through old boxes while redecorating, listening to music you once loved, or in my case, reminiscing on some classic TV shows.

This need for nostalgia spurred from watching the recent ESPN documentary, The Last Dance, featuring Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the 90’s Chicago Bulls. There’s no denying the greatness of Jordan and how much people love that era of basketball; however the style of play has changed over the years. While times have changed, we can still appreciate greatness when we see it, even though the way it is played or presented might be different from the way it is now.

Take the 90’s hit comedy, Seinfeld, for example. While the laugh track seems out-dated, and most of their problems could easily be solved by a quick Google search or text message, you can still relate to the comedic genius of a show about absolutely nothing.

When you look back at other TV shows like Lost, it averaged around 26 episodes per season whereas now some of the new hit shows don’t even have 20+ episodes in the entire series! Back then, writers built their stories around the calendar year – 26 weeks on air, 26 weeks off. Shorter seasons are the result of the shift to prioritizing quality over quantity to tell stories. Even though older shows can be time consuming and feel slow at times, you are able to appreciate the full back stories of each character. They start to feel like someone you know and know well. I think we can all remember that one show that we watched as part of our weekly routine for years.

While we don’t know what our weekly routine is going to look like this week, next week, or even a few months from now; in the meantime, stay safe and rewatch some old TV classics like these:

• Seinfeld
• Arrested Development
• The Wire
• The Sopranos
• Friends
• New Girl
• Breaking Bad

Leave a comment on our LinkedIn page and share your nostalgia or favorite TV shows!

– Jocelyn van der Geest, Research Analyst