I've Seen This Before, But You Haven't

My wife is making her way through her first watch of Better Call Saul, a show I've seen in its entirety twice, and through YouTube Shorts a dozen more times. For me, there's no stone left unturned: no more plot twists, no easter egg unfound, no behind-the-scenes trivia to learn. The clips offer a stop-scrolling familiarity and the chance to practice the proper inflection and tone for those famous lines (This? this chicanery!?). The online deep dives offer a nice bit of cocktail chatter for anyone else "in the know." So why would I care to rewatch a show that I've poured over many times over?

It's all about the company and the opportunity for connection. At 63 hourlong episodes, I've spent plenty of time inhabiting this universe, living in the world of Jimmy, Kim, Nacho and the rest. I know which characters I gravitated towards, what moments resonated with me, and how my feelings evolved as the show marched towards its conclusion. I'm now exposed to my partner's journey with those same questions in mind, as if we're debriefing after a party. I revel in the moments that elicit reactions, big and small - from a loud "DAMN!" following a character death, to the hushed "damn..." after an argument between fan-favorites comes to a head. The TV show offers a payoff, but it also means the gamble to show something I've enjoyed paid off, too.

We're currently on S4, and she doesn't care for Howard Hamlin. This pains me, especially with the knowledge of what lies ahead for the bleached-and-bronzed lawyer. These casual couch takes give me a chance to reflect on my own journey with this character: how did I feel up to this point in my initial viewing, how did it change in retrospect, and why do her feelings differ so vastly from mine? Finally, a real conversation in lieu of the one-sided conversations that come from reading agreeable YouTube comments and subreddit posts. The algorithmic landscape lends itself to passive interpretations of the media once-consumed: it regurgitates rather than reinterprets. A live viewing partner, with their own thoughts, opinions, and emotions is much more suitable for stimulating new thoughts (sitting next to them during those moments of shock and awe is a plus too).

Sharing films and tv shows has always been core to my relationships with people. The rewatch is an invitation, an acknowledgement that this investment is worth the time. Above all else, it's an invitation to understand you, my viewing partner, through this shared lens. Asking anyone, especially my wife, to watch a show can simultaneously feel like the lowest risk and most daring act of vulnerability. Whether the show lands or not says plenty about taste and the media that carries meaning for us. As we progress through Better Call Saul, we'll have much to discuss, plenty of chances to practice our Chuck McGill impression, and more to learn about each other.