From The Sopranos to The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, archive content has never been more popular. What do our choices say about the nation’s psyche?
When lockdown 1.0 arrived in
Britain nearly 12 months ago, the nation dived headfirst into an ocean of on-demand television as a distraction. We were blessed with a flow of meme-worthy content, from Tiger King’s bizarre cast of characters, to Connell’s chain in Normal People and the revived debate about the “coughing major” after three nights watching Quiz. But as the days turned to weeks, then months, millions of us turned to more familiar comforts.
Netflix might still be churning out a couple of new series every week, but the popularity of archive content has never been higher. A recent Radio Times survey of readers’ viewing habits found that 64% have rewatched a series in lockdown, while 43% have turned to nostalgic shows for comfort. So what have we been watching, and what do our choices say about the nation’s psyche?
Subscriptions to BritBox – the streaming platform set up by the
BBC and ITV to house the broadcasters’ vast archive – have boomed, with new sign-ups surpassing those of Now TV and
Apple TV+ in December. “People are really enjoying this treasure trove of archive content,” managing director Will Harrison tells me (although he is keen to stress that BritBox also screens new programming). “Half the reason people are watching so much is that there’s more available now than there ever has been.”