By Eesha Talasila

There are times when I scroll through Netflix, and I feel as though I have watched everything possible. That’s when I have to opt to watch one of the really bad Netflix originals that somehow survived two sequels. I know these movies are really not great; the plots are horrible and the acting is not the best. The thing is, I still enjoy watching these things, as do many others: why is that? Movies such as “The Kissing Booth” and “He’s All That” have been on top of Netflix’s most watched list during the week of their releases. Pretty much everyone I know has watched all three of the Kissing Booth movies, despite all agreeing that they suck. As a critical person myself, it is hard to explain why I enjoy watching these movies. I think a good phrase would be “hate watch”. These movies are so bad, they are funny. I think my favorite hate watch would be the infamous CW show “Riverdale”. This show has delved into plotlines that make absolutely no sense, but when I am extremely bored, I still watch it to see how bad the trainwreck is. I think another reason why we enjoy watching horrible content is because we can share the humor of it with others. Certain movies and TV shows have been so cringe-worthy that there have been viral jokes about them. It’s funny to make fun of things, and we like sharing that. Sometimes we get so caught up in making fun of a movie or show, it actually becomes good to us. There are some episodes of “Glee” that are quite literally insane, but this show is critically acclaimed. Shows and movies do not always have to be serious and explore issues in a realistic way, they can do it with completely insane things that would never happen. It’s nice to shut your brain off every once in a while, especially while we are constantly bombarded with information. Watching movies that require literally no critical thinking can make for an unforgettable Friday night.