From Steph Cerio:
When it comes to watching my previously marathoned television series Pretty Little Liars, I have come to realize I am very selective when it comes to where I choose to watch the show, who I’m with, what I eat, etc. As you sit down to watch our favorite television series (my chosen medium), has it ever occurred to you that you may be sitting on the same exact side of the couch each time, with a glass of wine in your hand and your favorite blanket draped over you?
These rituals have become extremely prominent and talked about more openly recently; for example, on the show Pretty Little Liars and Keeping Up With the Kardashians there are live tweeting feeds all throughout the show. Shay Mitchell who plays Emily Fields on the hit show Pretty Little Liars opens her twitter page #PLLayWithShay to her fans as a forum where she and her fans can personally connect and share their thoughts and feelings about each episode airing that night.
This is a great example of rituals because these fans as well as Mitchell sit by their computers every Thursday night and tweet back and forth. In the Castle discussion forum, “kittycat” (the blogger) posts a YouTube video of four young girls’ reactions to the season finale of the TV series Castle. These girls display some serious rituals as they watch weekly: they have pillows to scream in, blankets, water bottles for hydration, cookies and tissues.
The Blogger, kittycat, has similar views and beliefs as I do about marathoning rituals. I cannot watch any show I’m marathoning with anyone, I find the commentary and conversation distracting from the action and story lines taking place in the show. I also watch my shows on my couch, with the same fluffy tan blanket on my lap, a cold glass of water and my phone at my disposal for a commercial break to text my friends who are also watching.
Having these rituals and doing the same things each week helps me to fully relax and enjoy that hour of “me” time. For others, like the girls witnessed on the video clip, it could be a way to socialize and hear other opinions and inputs on the events taking place in the show.
Well, I’ve given it some thought, and the only ritual I have when I am marathoning is that I am alone. I can watch my show anytime, anywhere, etc. The characters become such friends that I can be close with them anywhere I am. Dawson’s Creek, for example, was viewed from my couch, my kitchen, my bed, my desk, school, work. I think I take my marathons as such a personal experience, that I don’t even crave talking about them with others afterward. One habit that I have developed, however, is the way in which I move on to the next episode on Netflix. I have to start on the show’s main page every time. Instead of using the convenient feature that takes you into the next episode automatically, I consistently go “Back to Browse”. I’ve realized that I don’t trust the feature and I become anxious that I might inadvertently miss an episode of the show. I also like to see the progress I am making through the season. I’d say I’ve developed some habits, but I haven’t been sold on the rituals just yet.
This post inspired me examine my own rituals when I marathon favorite shows. I am also a person who cannot watch or marathon a show I am truly invested in with someone else. In order to really understand what is happening in the episode, and in order to truly get to know the characters, I need to be by myself. I cannot be explaining what is going on to my friends, or risk the chance that I will only get to half-listen to the show. In contrast, if I marathon texts that I am not really invested in, I find it more enjoyable with friends. For example, I am not a huge fan of the Harry Potter movies, but I love the books. So, if my friends suggest that we get together and watch all the movies in a weekend, I will watch with them. It is more of a social activity, where I can hang out with my friends and de-stress. We will make comments and chat about non-Potter topics all throughout the movies. And that is fine with me because I am not really invested and committed to the text. However, when I was marathoning Damages, I needed to be by myself. As much as I enjoy marathoning that text, it is not a social occasion. I can’t be talking through it, or I will miss something important. Like many people, I definitely have rituals I fulfill when I marathon, and one of them is being on my own.
A marathoning ritual, for me, depends on the show or movie I am watching. If it is Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter anything, I am alone and nobody better speak to me. I’ve got my coffee and I am not moving for hours.
If it is a string of classic Disney movies, this changes completely. Disney movies are the movies I put on when I’m lonely or bored or doing homework. If someone comes in and starts talking to me, I’m happy to give them my attention and ignore the screen.
Rituals….hmmm. When I marathon certain shows that both I and my husband watch, we can watch together. We both know the rules, no talking, no texting and no interruptions what so ever. We sit on the couch, each of us on our respective “sides” and watch. At the end we discuss our favorite parts of the show and what characters we like or may not like in the episode. However when I marathon shows that I like to watch and he hates, I have to be alone. Not just alone in the room watching, but home alone because I can’t take his snide remarks about the show that I happen to be watching. I sit on the couch with my phone, favorite burgundy fuzzy blanket and a glass of whatever. I never really realized I had rituals when marathoning, but I guess it’s thats just part of what makes us marathon, comfortable surroundings, I assume, make it more likely to marathon, at least for me.
I began marathoning when I became bored with the fact the there was nothing but re-runs on TV and I was without any company. Being alone in the beginning, began the habit of needing to always be on my own while watching Netflix. I never thought that I would be bothered by someone else in the room until my mom disrupted my marathoning to ask me a question. The surprise of her barging in made upset and now I cannot watch any type of show that I love with anyone else and I get an attitude if someone interrupts me. Besides needing to be alone, I always prop myself upwards with plenty of pillows in my bed, with a glass of water beside me while watching Netflix through headphones to keep outside sounds and distractions away.
When I media marathon my favorite shows, Grimm and Once Upon a Time, I prefer to watch it alone with a glass of wine and some popcorn, and wrapped in a blanket. It was not until I read this blog post though that I actually realized how this is a routine of mine. However, during this past summer I marathoned a couple TV shows and movie trilogies with my mom and we had a couple different rituals. We would watch the newest show in our living room, each on a different couch, and with a snack. As opposed to when I marathon by myself and are no social interaction whatsoever during this crucial time, when I marathon with my mom we discuss what is going on during the commercial breaks and after the show is over. I think it all depends on what kind of show you are marathoning whether or not you can watch it with other people and also what kind of rituals you have. I will definitely from this point on observe what I do when I am media marathoning.
As far as rituals go, i like to be on my laptop in gym shorts. It doesn’t matter where i am, as long as I’m comfortable. But socially, I like it better when I watch a show by myself first. Then i get to come to my own conclusions and i won’t interpret anything throw any lens but my own. But I do think that going back and watching something with a group of people opens up my mind to new interpretations that I wouldn’t have had on my own. It’s interesting to see what other people think and compare them to my own ideas. Sometimes I catch things I missed or look at things in a new light.
One of the reasons why I like netflix so much and why, at least for me, it has facilitated marathons is because I can choose to marathon whenever I want. In terms of rituals, I never really had a set time or place to want to marathon except usually for books. With these I like to be in a quite place and preferably by myself so I can really focus on what I am reading. For movies and tv shows I usually find that I prefer to watch these in groups, but no bigger than 3 people. In a small group it can be fun sometimes to see other peoples reactions or to get their perspective. I also like to be able to talk about what I watched. In larger groups than that though it can be easy to get distracted from what you are watching and you can miss things.