Gate of Nostalgia
I recently started rewatching the TV-show Stargate SG-1. It is a sci-fi adventure about people going through a Stargate to visit other planets. I was really invested in the show when I was a teenager. I have many nostalgic memories tied to the show and its off-shoots (such as Atlantis and Universe). Nostalgia is an interesting feeling. It connects you to your past self, it makes you feel good. In a nostalgic memory, there are no faults or problems. No no, only nice feelings allowed!
That is why it is seldom a good thing to revisit something that brings you nostalgia. The human mind has a way of removing parts of memories it does not like. When we revisit an old memory, all details, good and bad, resurface in excruciating detail. All those parts we removed from our grey matter return in full force. It is not uncommon that this taints the memory we had of the thing in question.
But when I got the opportunity to watch Stargate again, I just had to. And you guessed it, the show is certainly not flawless. It can be incredibly cringy at times, and I forgot about the low production value (everything is rubber). And for heaven's sake, how could I forget how every alien in the galaxy somehow speaks perfect English (except when the plot demands otherwise)? That said, while I went into the show expecting to be disappointed, I must admit I found myself liking it more and more as time went on. There is a certain quality to it that just does not exist in modern TV shows. For instance, the 'Monster of the Week' approach gives a sense of unending adventure. I also find the characters and their quips really likeable. So, while the show is not as good as I remember it, I still understand what made me like it so much as a teenager. Maybe revisiting nostalgic memories is not so bad if you are prepared to make new memories in their place?
