Bite Sized Bingeing: Why I Watch Old TV Shows One Swipe at a Time – by Jacqui Capel
Written by Jacqui Capel, Head of Media at Today the Brave.
Lately, I’ve noticed something odd about my viewing habits. I’m glued to TikTok, scrolling through tiny, 60-second snippets of old TV shows, Law & Order, The OC, Skins. Some I’ve already watched, loved, and committed to full seasons of, and some I have never even heard of (One Born Every Minute anyone?). Yet, somehow, the idea of sitting down to watch a full episode of any of these on a traditional screen feels like an Olympic event.
And I’m not alone. I know you’ve done it too. I don’t have time for a 40-minute episode, but I’ll happily scroll through the same thing in 20 parts, posted by TVLOVER_iI202. It’s confusing, isn’t it?
Give me that sweet-sweet dopamine
TikTok’s charm is in the elements of both brevity and surprise. There’s something magical about content that’s as fleeting as a flick. We’re living in a world that prizes “instant” over “immersive,” and to our caveman brains, short-form videos let us feel like we’re doing something without actually being productive. Our brains love the dopamine hit of a quick laugh, surprise, or 15-second drama, without the time investment.
I used to be cool, and so did TV
There’s another reason I can’t scroll past a Gilmore Girls clip. Watching those short bursts of Rory and Lorelai feels like reuniting with old friends. But here’s the catch: I don’t need to watch a full episode to bask in that sweet nostalgia. A little clip here and there does the job. It’s like I’m getting all the warm fuzzies of the early 2000s without the emotional labor of sitting through a 40-minute plotline. Why take the emotional rollercoaster when you can just have a single, feel-good moment?
Bingewatching actually sucks if you think about it
Let’s face it: watching a full episode of a show involves planning. It requires sitting down and committing to at least 22 minutes of screen time. With TikTok, though, watching feels as natural as breathing. I’m not even making eye contact with the screen half the time. It’s a “convenient” kind of laziness. I can enjoy my clips while waiting for my coffee, avoiding a task, or pretending to listen to my husband. Why would I want to pause my scrolling to settle into a full episode when the content’s already fit to my lifestyle? The most elite version of this is of course watching something on Netflix, while also watching a completely different, less good show on TikTok with a thoughtful looking Chinese woman nodding along to each plot point in the corner of the screen.