Series that are worth a second (or third, fourth or fifth) look.
So many shows, so little time. I get it. But sometimes there's a real lag between the stuff you've seen and new things to come or new seasons of your favorites. Due to the shutdown of production, maybe some of those seasons won't happen until next year. I KNOW.
But for me, there are some things that just hold up no matter how many times you've seen them, and it's also quite fun to rewatch with someone who is seeing them for the first time. Here are a few (certainly not all) that I can recommend rewatching if you've only seen them once.
So, here we go:
The Sopranos. I used to do a rewatch every year anyway but in 2019 I got to enjoy it with my partner who had never seen it to begin with. It's not a perfect show (I love the character of Livia, but that accent? That is not a New Jersey or New York Italian accent and it bugged me every time she spoke. Still, "Poor YOU" is a classic.) There are also some VERY weak actors which really stick out like sore thumbs when performing next to the likes of Edie Falco and James Gandolfini (can you say Valentina?). On the upside, and there are many, the scene with Tony and Carmela fighting at the end of season 4 finale, "Whitecaps", is the best and most real marital fighting scene ever. I was bowled over when I recently saw a 20th anniversary reunion of the cast and Edie Falco waved off praise for that scene, saying basically that she didn't remember it. It is soul-ripping and hard to believe it was so insignificant for her. In the meantime, enjoy the "ohs and hos" above.
Mad Men: Holds up beautifully and again, while not perfect, (some of the later episodes have dialogue that just does not sound real to me) it comes close. And hell if "Not great, Bob." doesn't become a part of your daily repartee.
Breaking Bad: I've seen the whole series about five times but rewatching never gets old. This is a series that I do think is perfect. It's also fun to listen to the episode-by-episode Insider podcast if you can get past all the backslapping and Vince Gilligan's interminable praise of everyone who works on the show. There are so many memorable moments but this is one of my favorites.
The Wire: Although we have issues in this house getting anyone to watch anything that wasn't filmed in the last two years, this show made the cut. If you can get to the end of S4 without bawling you're a better person than I, even the second time around. Timely also because of the presence of Idris Elba as Stringer Bell.
Have some favorite rewatches to recommend? Leave yours in the comments.
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