Shows such as ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, ‘Ramayana’, ‘Mahabharata’, ‘Office Office’ and ‘Khichdi’ among many others have returned on our screens after years on streaming platforms like Disney + Hotstar and even on cable TV channels like Doordarshan.
The popular sitcoms and drama series from the ’80s and ’90s has lent a comforting familiarity in these uncertain and anxious times and it’s nice to be able to re-watch shows that evoke a sense of nostalgia and simplicity.
More often than not, viewers who majorly watch these shows are in the 35-60 age group who’ve grown up watching these shows and they have introduced these to the younger generation as well, as a form of bonding and harmony in the family.
Although they have outdated setups and production value, these shows are light and easily palatable in their storylines which makes their charm evergreen and relatability high in today’s audience too.
In the over-saturated market of fast paced binge culture, these 20-30 minute episodic series provide respite from the chaos, reminds us of simpler times and distracts us from the horrendous reality of our current world.
Even international shows such as ‘Gilmore Girls’, ‘The Office’, ‘Friends’, ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Full House’ among others have found an increase in viewership on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Shows that are primarily in the sitcom or comedy-drama category have more longevity than shows of other genres. This is due to the fact they don’t have an extensive plot, they can be watched as standalone episodes without context as well which makes them easy and fun to watch.
TV shows from the ‘80s and ‘90s are definitely giving stiff competition to the original web series of now and they’ve become a good option for viewers who don’t want to deal with the dilemma of “what to watch next”.
Tell us which TV shows from the past you’re re-watching in the comments below!