When a show I thought was okay premieres its second season (or third, or fourth, or ...), I just watch the new season. The recap is good enough. When a show I thought was pretty good premieres a new season, I often back up two or three episodes to help refresh my memory and put me back in the vibe of the show.
But when a show that I really love puts out a new season, I go back to the beginning and watch it all again. For instance, season 5 of Stranger Things (its final season) will come out next year, and I’ll go back to season 1, episode 1 and start watching, just as I did when season 4 came out, when season 3 came out, and when season 2 came out. With the end result that, by the end of next year, I’ll have seen season 1 of Stranger Things five times, season 2 four times, season 3 three times, and season 4 twice. Of course, I’ll only have seen season 5 once, but maybe I’ll rewatch it all from beginning to end a few more years hence.
I bring this up because season 4 of The Umbrella Academy (also the final season) is coming out next month, so I’ve started back around with episode 1 of season 1, and let me tell you: it’s just as amazing as it was the other 3 times I’ve watched it. It’s about as close to a perfect episode of television as I can possibly imagine. It sets up some extremely complicated family dynamics in an engaging way that epitomizes the maxim of “show, don’t tell”; it introduces a whopping 10 main characters in a way that cements them all firmly in our minds; it includes some amazing acting, some amazing music (including a gorgeous violin piece performed by Lindsey Stirling), and what may be the most perfect single cinematic shot that I’ve ever seen, set to (of all things) “I Think We’re Alone Now” by 80s pop star Tiffany. I was really surprised how great it was all over again, the fourth time I’ve seen it.
Anyways, that’s my recommendation to you: go rewatch The Umbrella Academy. Unless you haven’t see it at all yet, in which case ... what are you waiting for?