Rerunning the Marathon
/People always say that first impressions are important; that your original opinion is not likely to change. However, rules always have exceptions.
You'll definitely need a lot of popcorn to get through this marathon.
For an avid TV watcher, some sitcoms are unavoidable. They play marathon upon marathon of episodes on TV, at almost any hour of the day. In my case, these marathons were always playing between getting home from school and sitting down for dinner. Shows like King of Queens, The Steve Harvey Show, Yes, Dear, and Still Standing were always on. And as a preteen, teetering between shows on the Disney Channel and the crime dramas that my parents watched, I could strike the perfect balance; adult content mixed with the goofiness of a children’s show.
The first episode you see may not be particularly funny or memorable, but you think that maybe the next one will be better, or the next one. Eventually, after investing hours into the show, it grows on you. After having the same episode show up again a few days later, it makes more sense.
A show like Yes, Dear is pretty predictable. There's the bumbling goof who never seems to be able to do anything, contrasted by the successful businessman. Throw them under the same roof, and you have a modern-day Odd Couple. In that respect, it is not original, and the same could be said about the humour. However, after watching a few episodes, you can feel its charm. You start to see the differences that it brings to the table, something that you may not have seen after one episode.
Marathons offer viewers the rare chance to grow with the characters, all in one sitting. Even better is when that marathon contains reruns of a cancelled show, which usually means that the viewer can see the show from start to finish. No more waiting two weeks for that next episode, especially if that’s two weeks for a show whose first episode you didn’t enjoy.
If you find yourself with nothing to do for a whole day, why don’t you revisit a sitcom that you stopped watching after its pilot. Maybe it will surprise you.
My weekly recommendations:
Still Standing (2002-2006)
Yes, Dear (2000-2006)
ANDREA IRVINE
Andrea Irvine is a 23-year-old writer from Hamilton, Ontario. After completing her English degree at the University of Ottawa, she found her true passion in the Professional Writing program. Her busy schedule of homework, TV watching and attempting to cook keeps her from her love of tea and Scrabble dates.
