Why Watch That Old Episode?

 There's Nothing On! Wait... 

I often ask myself: "Why am I drawn to watch an episode that I haven't seen for a while? Perhaps it's one that I am not particularly drawn to. It might be that I'd already watched my favorite episodes recently, and having nothing better to watch, I've decided to settle for a "second rate" episode. Maybe there's just nothing else available. I often watch Star Trek online, via a website like StarTrek.com, that highlights a particular episode each week.

Most times it's the nostalgia factor that grabs me: I want to see the episode that I remember, albeit hazily I try to recall the camera angles, possibly the cool artwork, even a musical strain. If it doesn't come easily, I think that I might watch just to refresh my memory, find a cool quote, or relive a great scene.

I find that the defining factor for me is that I simply want to see something familiar. Somehow it doesn't matter which Star Trek series it is. It's simply the need to interact in the Star Trek universe, to feel at home, like an old blanket, it gives me instant comfort.
That universe is a place where I can forget myself. I can be a doctor, wielding a hypo-spray, medical tricorder in hand. I can be a navigator, or a scientist - it doesn't matter. In the Star Trek universe, I would have been schooled for free, I would have been healthy thanks to universal healthcare, and my family wouldn't be penniless because money means nothing in their society. Why wouldn't I want to be there?

For a few moments, even a silly episode such as "Spock's Brain" can make me laugh, drag me in, and toss my own brain around for a little while. I'm sure that many fans can relate the same feelings. Star Trek is as comforting as a bowl of mac n' cheese, but hasn't all the calories.