I’m glad that psychologists finally laid out why I love reruns. I have comfort shows on rotation and rewatch them in different seasons. With the constant pummel of disheartening and devastating stories around the world, reaching for the stories that resolve neatly and kindly allows my body to relax, recharging it for when life demands us to step out of our comfort zones.
I used to feel behind or unappreciative when I chose not to watch new shows or consume new art. There are incredible new stories being told all the time. When the world feels overwhelming, though, I often reach for the characters who have already seen me through tumultuous chapters. I’ll watch a new story when I’m ready to explore a new worldview.
Some say reruns are boring. I’d get eye rolls from others when I select an episode of our old shows, but we’d watch them anyway. Boring, comfortable, predictable (I have many middle names).
In the early days of training with Zinny, I was concerned about her boredom. Intellect and physical exercise are especially important with her mixed herding breed genes. Did she have enough variety of toys and puzzles? Did she get enough social time with the few people and dogs we saw? Did she get bored on our same walks around the neighborhood?
The last question was a big concern for a long time. I was so excited to have a walking buddy, but I wasn’t sure if our routes would be enough for her. I also didn’t want to limit our adventures, but I didn’t want to push us into potentially stressful situations before we were (somewhat) ready.
Yes, I know: dogs are flexible and adaptable and aren’t judging most of our choices (she really only judges my cooking that she dislikes). But dogs are intelligent creatures that need stimulation for their bodies and brains. Once we started training for our reactivity, I felt the constant tension between routines and expanding our comfort zones.
Dogs need routine. It builds trust that they are cared for, we know their limits, and we understand their needs. I know Zinny’s body language when she starts to get overwhelmed and needs direction. The world can be big and scary, and uncertainty can provoke anxiety. When we’re in familiar territory, I can more easily redirect her attention to me. She finds comfort more quickly.
With reruns, I don’t have to pay too much attention; I know where the arc is going, and I won’t be disappointed. On our familiar walks, Zinny’s senses aren’t bombarded with newness. We don’t have to learn an entirely new path every time, and we won’t be disappointed when we get to the end. Having these moments allows us to rest, and it makes us more energized for adventures. This is helpful for sensitive minds and nervous systems to be able to regulate while we grow. We need slowness. We need familiarity. We need a deep inhale before we exhale.
Reruns are great for moments when current events stun my nervous system. Instead of freezing and falling into hopelessness, I reset. My system reboots. Then I can expand and step out of my comfort zone with a steadier foot.
The ideas behind why we love reruns may differ from dogs’ appreciation of familiarity, but it helps me relate to Zinny. It also helps ease my concern of not taking her everywhere, whether or not she enjoys it. We take adventures slow and steady, and we enjoy our reruns in between.
So as we walk around our neighborhood, it might be a familiar route, but her favorite sniff spots have a new scent. Seasonal changes are noticeable. New neighbors come along with very, very interesting dogs who we should definitely say hello to. It’s a space we practice expanding our green and yellow zones (occasionally swerving into the red zone), because we are both familiar with the area and interested in exploring its newness.
Because within all of the glory of sameness, we find new details. It’s like finding deleted scenes or bloopers of a favorite comfort show. It’s just different enough to enjoy without venturing too far from home.
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