Everybody Loves Re-Runs

Dave Jory explains how some TV shows get better with age - and a later time-slot.

Generally when reviewing a television show, reviewers will look at new episodes of new shows. But sometimes, a TV show ages like a fine wine. Once it's old and being shown in late night re-runs, it finds a whole new fan base. Everybody else used to love Raymond, except me. But these days I LOVE Raymond re-runs.

Most days I operate on nothing more than a dangerous amount of coffee and about 3 hours sleep. It makes me cranky and I sweat brown, but I'm clocking up a solid 20 hours a day with my eyes open. And that's very impressive.

I'd be lying if I said the hours after midnight are productive in any way. After midnight I lie on the couch with my mouth hanging open, watching TV. I try to do this for as long as I can, until I start passing out, then I stagger off to bed. This might seem like pointless, immature time wasting, but I highly recommend this behaviour. It's good for people of all ages. Because if you're anything like me, you get bored easily.

But after years of late nights, I've found the cure for my boredom. I discovered that the longer I stay awake and the more exhausted I am, the lower my standards get. And that makes me really easy to entertain. If there's something remotely interesting on TV after midnight, I'm loving it! Case in point, Everybody Loves Raymond. I never much cared for Everybody Loves Raymond when it was first on TV. At 7:30pm that show just didn't cut it for me. Then they started showing re-runs of Raymond after midnight. And now I love Everybody Loves Raymond. I've seen every episode. Raymond and his family are like my special, secret late night family.

I'm even considering investing in some Everybody Loves Raymond DVDs. I just can't imagine life without Raymond and the wacky Barrone family. Sometimes I dream that I am Raymond.

I wake up laughing on the couch, then I crawl to bed. Crying.

God dammit, I really need some sleep.