According to Psychology Today, people have been re-watching shows more and more often than they start new ones, which has brought about the more common use of the term “comfort show,” to describe a piece of media, typically a television show, that brings a sense of calm or comfort from it’s familiarity. For senior Louis Jesse, shows that make this list are the sit-com “Community,” and the new Amazon Prime release, “The Legend of Vox Machina.”

“I found [Community] over the pandemic, and I kinda relate to the characters and stories because it’s so zany and wacky, and you never really know what any of them are doing,” Jesse said.

Jesse has rewatched “Community” a self-proclaimed total of six times, regularly returning to it for something to watch during long homework sessions or relaxation time, and has been fervently awaiting the release of upcoming episodes in “The Legend of Vox Machina.”

“I love D&D, and…I’ve only seen the first two episodes of Critical Role, but it has such great character introductions and development. The comedy is fantastic,” Jesse said. “It’s probably one of the best shows of 2022 right now.”

Junior Elaina Rainwater has also been enjoying new releases like season two of HBO original “Euphoria” and the long-awaited release of the third season of Netflix original “Sex Education”.

“I think a lot of people preferred movies over TV shows for a long time… but nowadays, COVID keeps a lot of people home,” Rainwater said. “What else is there to do?”

Like most people, Rainwater took it upon herself to find comfort in the consumption of media which she lovingly describes as comedic, but realistic.

“It’s kind of embarrassing, but I love shows like “Bojack Horseman,” and “Rick and Morty,”…I think I have a special appreciation for Bojack [Horseman] because that one talks a lot about…what it’s like to get your life back on track,” Rainwater said.

Junior Macy Pearson, another watcher of the teen drama “Euphoria,” has proclaimed it a guilty pleasure show. While she does enjoy it, there are certain parts that she’d likely enjoy the show on a deeper level without.

“[The show] is a bit iffy because I know that HBO has set a lot of bad standards for what a lot of people see a the glorification of drug abuse,” Pearson said. “I’m afraid that, as the show goes on, it will seem less authentic, because the writers are running out of extremes to go to.”

Despite the criticisms she may have for it, Pearson is more than satisfied with her surface-level enjoyment of the controversial, and oftentimes problematic, HBO drama.

“The plot is just interesting and enticing. It’s easy to watch and just sit back with my brain turned off,” Pearson said.

Despite the criticisms some hold for the shows they watch, Rainwater finds herself at one underlying theme that, despite the good and the bad of a TV show, seems most everyone that consumes media can understand.

“I like shows that make me think, but not too hard. Just shows that I can genuinely enjoy watching…but it’s like it’s thoughtless,” Rainwater said. “It’s understandable and relatable. And how else are we meant to escape from our world?”