Why America Is Turning Back to Nostalgia TV
Millions of viewers are choosing comfort & familiarity - here's what marketers can do with that.
A few weeks ago, I spent 20 minutes scrolling through streaming apps trying to find something to watch. After bouncing between Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and a handful of others, I gave up and put on an episode of Friends I've probably seen a dozen times.
It turns out I'm far from alone.
In a world where thousands of TV shows are available at any given moment, many viewers aren't using that endless choice to discover something new. Instead, they're returning to something familiar. According to MRI-Simmons’ latest Content Drivers Study, 73% of U.S. adults rewatch shows they've seen before as a source of comfort.
These viewers are 17% more likely than the average adult to seek out TV that brings them back to previous times in their lives and 17% more likely to want a predictable emotional experience from their entertainment. They're also 22% more likely to typically watch nostalgia TV content, particularly shows from the 1990s and early 2000s, and 20% more likely to rank Nostalgia TV among their favorite genres. In a media landscape defined by abundance, what people increasingly seem to want is familiarity.
In a streaming world built around discovery, comfort may be the strongest driver of all.
When TV Feels Like Comfort Food
The appeal of nostalgia TV goes beyond simply liking older shows. For many viewers, it's about how those shows make them feel. Among the 17 million Americans who rank Nostalgia TV among their top five TV genres, the emotional motivations are hard to miss.
- These viewers are 24% more likely than average to prefer "feel-good" television over dark or gritty content all the time.
- 21% say they're motivated to watch TV that brings them back to earlier periods in life, making them 130% more likely than the average adult to be driven by nostalgia itself.
- Another 21% are looking for TV they can enjoy without paying too much attention, making them 45% more likely to value low-effort viewing experiences.
After a long day of work, family responsibilities, and constant notifications, that kind of entertainment can feel less like a guilty pleasure and more like self-care.
What's particularly interesting is that nostalgia viewing isn't just an older audience phenomenon. While the group skews female, with women representing 67% of viewers (index 131), and is 75% white (index 106), Millennials make up the largest share at 38% (index 113). Gen Z isn't far behind, accounting for 21% of nostalgia viewers (index 113). In other words, even generations that didn't grow up with some of these shows are finding comfort in older content. Nostalgia, it seems, is becoming less about personal memories and more about discovering entertainment that feels refreshingly different from what's dominating television today.
Maybe It's Not Just the Shows We Miss
It's easy to assume nostalgia viewers simply want to relive the past. But the data suggests they're also responding to certain aspects of modern television that don't always align with their preferences.
Nearly half of nostalgia viewers say there is too much sex and nudity in TV shows today (47%). The exact same percentage believe there is too much profanity in modern programming. That doesn't necessarily mean they're looking for squeaky-clean content. It may simply reflect a growing desire for programming that feels lighter, more wholesome, and easier to enjoy with friends or family. Combined with their strong preference for feel-good viewing, it paints a picture of audiences seeking entertainment that helps them disconnect from stress rather than adding more of it.
In many ways, that's exactly what older television often delivered. Sitcoms wrapped up conflicts in 30 minutes. Procedurals followed familiar formulas. Viewers knew what kind of emotional experience they were signing up for before they pressed play. In today's era of prestige television, shocking plot twists, and increasingly dark storylines, predictability is becoming a feature rather than a flaw.
Hollywood's Reboot Era Makes More Sense Than Ever
If there's one takeaway content creators should pay attention to, it's this: nostalgia viewers are ready to revisit old favorites in new forms. A remarkable 71% of Nostalgia TV fans are open to watching a reboot or remake of an older show. Considering how much affection they still have for legacy content, that number isn't surprising. We’re already seeing this trend in TV development with ABC’s Scrubs revival in early 2026 and Netflix’s remake of Little House on the Prairie this summer.
When thinking about which older shows could have the biggest impact in a new format, a few favorites rise to the top.
- Nostalgia viewers significantly over-index for having classic sitcoms in their top 10 favorite shows, including Seinfeld (18%, index 379), Everybody Loves Raymond (10%, index 309), and King of Queens (8%, index 274).
- Their tastes aren't confined to a single era, either. Among 2000s favorites, they over-index for Supernatural (8%, index 199), The Sopranos (5%, index 142), and Monk (5%, index 232).
- Even more recent series have already earned nostalgic status, such as Stranger Things (12%, index 166), Game of Thrones (7%, index 90), and The Vampire Diaries (6%, index 230) holding spots in viewers’ top 10 lists.
That's a reminder that nostalgia isn't really about a specific decade. It's about reconnecting with cultural moments that felt meaningful, comforting, or exciting when they first entered our lives.
71% of Nostalgia TV fans are open to watching reboots and remakes, proving audiences are also ready to experience the past again in new ways.
Nostalgia Viewers Still Live in the Modern Media World
One misconception about nostalgia audiences is that they must be less engaged with digital media. The reality couldn't be more different.
These viewers may love older shows, but they're consuming them through modern platforms. An overwhelming 93% streamed video content in the past month, while 88% were active on social media. They aren't disconnected from today's media ecosystem. They're fully immersed in it. They've simply become more selective about the kinds of content they choose within that ecosystem.
For advertisers, that distinction matters. And while these viewers are actively engaging with media, many are surprisingly receptive to advertising.
- 42% believe some ads can actually make TV content more entertaining.
- 37% say streaming ads provide useful information about new products and services, while another 37% genuinely enjoy TV advertising.
- Perhaps most notably, they're 46% less likely than average consumers to have a negative perception of brands that advertise during mature or explicit content.
This is an audience that remains highly reachable across both media and advertising touchpoints, they seem to like ads, and they’re pretty openminded about ads’ surrounding content. Score.
The Audience Brands Shouldn't Overlook
Beyond their viewing habits, nostalgia fans represent a valuable consumer group that are just as interested in the future as they are in revisiting the past.
- 15% plan to change jobs in the next year, making them 12% more likely than average adults to do so.
- They are 11% more likely to expect to add an exterior addition to their home in the next year.
- 8% plan to become parents, making them 10% more likely than average, while 17% expect to add a cat or dog to their household, indexing 9% higher than average.
- Another 32% intend to take a vacation within the next year, making them 7% more likely than average consumers to be in-market for travel.
From technology and financial services to home improvement, pet care, and travel, they're entering categories that matter to advertisers.
The Real Opportunity: Market the Way People Want to Feel
The more I think about the nostalgia trend, the less it feels like a TV story and the more it feels like a broader cultural story.
People are overwhelmed. We're constantly scrolling, choosing, comparing, and evaluating. The average viewer has more entertainment options than ever before, yet many are actively seeking content that feels familiar, predictable, and emotionally reassuring. That's why a rerun of Friends can sometimes feel more appealing than the latest prestige drama everyone is talking about.
For brands, it’s important to recognize that the consumers gravitating toward nostalgia TV aren't necessarily looking backward. They're looking for a break. Messaging that emphasizes community, family, humor, simple pleasures, and shared experiences is likely to resonate more strongly than messaging centered around disruption or intensity. Just as viewers are turning to familiar shows to escape the noise, the brands that provide a similarly comforting emotional experience may find themselves building stronger connections in an increasingly crowded media landscape.
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Source: MRI-Simmons 2026 Content Drivers Study (SP26 USA); Audience: Top TV Genres Watch_Nostalgia/Rewatch
