The show you rewatch for the fifth time tells you what kind of comfort you’re looking for. Pay attention to that.

Going back to something you already know the ending of is not about the story. You return for a particular feeling: a house where people are kind, a group that never breaks up, a world where problems are solved by the end. Which feeling you reach for says what has been in short supply lately. Comfort is specific, and your choices already know what kind you need.

Next time you put it on, pause long enough to name what you are after. Safety, company, something funny, something calm. Then ask whether any of that is available off the screen this week, even in a smaller dose.