From Nostalgia to Now: How to Lovingly Reclaim Your Past Fandoms

Revisit the content you used to love!

In an age of streaming and à la carte media where it’s easy both to access shows and movies of any era and find folks who also love that content and are currently talking about it, we can revisit fandoms from our pasts. Maybe we rewatch for nostalgia and comfort; studies show that rewatching old favorites keeps us engaged while feeling relaxed, knowing what is coming plotwise but otherwise excited to see it again. Maybe we rewatch to see something we loved when we were younger with fresh eyes and newfound wisdom. Or maybe we are introducing new generations–our kids, nieces and nephews, or younger friends–to the content we loved when we were their age just like our parents or grandparents might have shared their favorite movies and music with us. Even as an adult, rewatching something from a decade ago can help us chart our own personal growth or thoughts and feelings toward a particular piece of content when it was released versus now.

There are several ways to revisit content of the past. And we’re always finding new methods of engaging with content that isn’t new. Here are some suggestions!

Rewatch it!

With streaming being the dominant way we consume entertainment, the options here are, quite literally, endless. It almost feels impossible that something wouldn’t be available to queue up when looking for an older show or movie. Some of the most popular shows on streaming services currently–aside from appointment TV of the moment and new release movies–are shows of the past like Friends, Gilmore Girls and Full House. These shows were not only popular as they aired, but have found legions of new fans in subsequent generations due to their perpetuity on streaming platforms.

A platform like Disney+ is a database of so much Disney content, old and new, including cartoon classics of the past like Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and more–especially as those films get modern reboots.

If you were aware of a fandom in the past that you never really got into, streaming platforms allow you to find that content and watch it now. Gone are the days where once a show is off the air, it’s disappeared (in many cases). It’s so much fun to dive into something older–especially when you can do it with others in some way. Which brings us to….

Listen to rewatch podcasts

Rewatch podcasts are ubiquitous and getting more popular by the day it seems. With streaming platforms delivering access to older TV shows that went off the air long ago, new fans are clamoring for fresh content surrounding their fandom. At the same time, original fans of the content love going back–especially if the cast and creative teams of their favorite shows are at the helm of the microphone and can share insights that make the content feel new and exciting again.

Some of the most popular rewatch podcasts hosted by former cast of those shows include Office Ladies (The Office), Pod Meets World (Boy Meets World), How We Made Your Mother (How I Met Your Mother), Still Ugly (Ugly Betty), Are You a Charlotte? (Sex and the City), Catching Up with the Camdens (7th Heaven), How Rude, Tanneritos and Full House Rewind (Full House). The podcast The West Wing Weekly, a podcast about every episode of The West Wing, was one of, if not the, first of its kind back in 2016.

For every podcast about an older TV show that is hosted by cast and/or creative teams of the show itself, there are countless more by fans.

Find online communities

Engaging with fandoms of older shows online can be super fun and rewarding. Online communities are filled with creative and passionate fans who love talking about and debating with others about the content they love.

Online communities exist on tumblr, Reddit, Discord and in social media spaces like Facebook. In any of these communities you will always find fans and factions that love the same show or move from a different era. Remarkist has its own Discord where you can find many threads dedicated to many shows of the past.

Online communities are also a great place to find fanfiction and contribute your own. Fanfiction is a great way to both revisit content of the past and engage with it in a new way

Attend real life cons and celebrations

If you’re looking to get off your couch or offline, there are plenty of real-world spaces in which you can revisit your fandom for an older show or movie. Fan conventions and celebrations provide unique opportunities to engage with other fans, meet or hear from cast members or creative teams, dress up in cosplay, buy fan art and other merch, and more. Sci-Fi/Fantasy cons like San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con, Dragon Con, LeakyCon, and Star Wars Celebration welcome thousands of fans every year.

But cons aren’t just for sci-fi/fantasy fans. Every year the ATX Festival in Austin, TX focuses on the craft of television and includes amazing panels on older dramas like The West Wing, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, etc. It’s known for high-quality retrospectives, writer panels, and cast reunions.

The Hollywood Show focuses on classic TV/movie actors, and fans can see and interact with actors from 60s–2000s sitcoms, dramas, soaps. Fans of Happy Days, Dallas, Beverly Hills 90210, Saved by the Bell, The Brady Bunch, etc., show up strong.

90’s Con, held by That’s4Entertainment, includes cast appearances from shows like Full House, Family Matters, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, etc. PaleyFest panels often revisit a show of the past and put on celebrations and panels devoted to that content as well as exhibitions at the Paley Center. Several conventions and weekend celebrations devoted to Gilmore Girls have popped up in recent years due to the show’s still-growing fandom.

If there’s a show you were ever interested in, chances are there’s a convention or celebration for it. And if there isn’t, you could probably go about putting one on yourself with the right amount of resources.

What are your favorite ways to revisit fandoms of your personal past? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments! And stay tuned right here for more ideas and opportunities for connecting to others who celebrate the fandoms you love.

Want more? Our Discord is where you’ll find tons of folks chatting in our forums about the books, TV shows, movies, music, and games we all love! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, tumblr, and Spotify for more storyworld content—and hit that subscribe button so you never miss a thing at rmrk*st!