History Main / ReWatchBonus

* It's interesting and [[HilariousInHindsight funny]] to read ''[[Literature/DaddyLongLegs Daddy Long Legs]]'' again after you know that [[spoiler: Daddy Long Legs is Jervis Pendleton.]]

* ''{{Watchmen}}'' is like this. [[AlanMoore Moore]] [[WordOfGod stated]] that this reason alone is why he felt it was un-filmable: there is simply too much detail going on in every panel for a movie to capture all of it. [[Film/{{Watchmen}} The film]] kinda (for example, it's hard to notice Rorschach as the guy with "TheEndIsNigh" sign on the first sitting).

* ''TheBigLebowski'' is a good example: once you've seen it once, and know the twists, you are able to focus on all the in-jokes, and the fantastic details put into the character development, like The Dude dropping J's on the counter when he tries to pay for his coffee. Other Coen brothers movies (OBrotherWhereArtThou, Fargo, etc) often examples of this, due to all the little moments they put into their movies that only repeat viewers pick up on.
** TheBigLebowski is also not that funny the first time. It's a fairly amusing film, but it doesn't get really funny until the third time.
* TheUsualSuspects, due to the [[TheUsualSuspectsEnding twist ending it named]].
* ''ArrestedDevelopment'' often has jokes that only make sense after you've seen later episodes.
** The Rita storyline in particular stands out. [[spoiler: Who would have thought the behaviour of a spy and a Mentally Retarded Female could be so similar?]]
* ''Film/TheBigSleep'', due to the horribly complicated plot.
* ''{{Memento}}'', due to the AnachronicOrder.
* ''The Spanish Prisoner'' lives and breathes this. There are so many details in the plot that even the third or fourth time you're still finding new ones.
* ''{{Watchmen}}'' is like this. [[AlanMoore Moore]] [[WordOfGod stated]] that this reason alone is why he felt it was un-filmable: there is simply too much detail going on in every panel for a movie to capture all of it. [[Film/{{Watchmen}} The film]] kinda (for example, it's hard to notice Rorschach as the guy with "TheEndIsNigh" sign on the first sitting).
* ''LordOfTheRings'', simply because it's impossible to absorb a thousand pages of information in one sitting.
* ''TheBookOfTheNewSun'' has masses of things that go over the readers' head the first time around - such as the fact that [[spoiler: [[{{Squick}} Dorcas is Severian's ''grandmother'']].]]

* ''MysteryScienceTheater3000''. In too many episodes to name, it's impossible to catch all the jokes in the first viewing, because you're too busy laughing at the jokes that came immediately before them.
* ''{{Futurama}}''. It's hard to notice everything in one episode.
** Similarly, it's possible to watch episodes of ''TheSimpsons'' dozens of times without catching all of the hidden gags.
* For Babylon 5, this was called [[http://ubots.com/b5/jms_on_b5.shtml#ARC4 Holographic Storytelling]], that if you read two scripts, went back and reread the first one, you could see things in it that you hadn't seen before. When you read three, again glanced over the first - and new things had come out.
* Many of the more open-ended VideoGames fall into this trope, either because you see new ways through a WideOpenSandbox level you didn't see before, or playing on a different difficulty level or as a different character cause the game to play out differently.
* Nearly every ''{{Discworld}}'' novel happily survives multiple readings. Once you know the surprise that inevitably happens near the end, you can go back and pay attention to all the little things that hinted to it. There are also a whole whack of references and {{Shout Out}}s which you may miss the first time. It's also true for the ''series'' as a whole; once you've seen how, for example, Lord Vetinari's character ends up, it's extremely satisfying to go back to his first appearance and see his CharacterDevelopment.

* The fourth season of ''{{NCIS}}''. After the season finale [[TheReveal Reveal]], the entire [[spoiler:Tony gets a girlfriend]] plotline becomes ''much'' more interesting.
* ''ShadowHearts: Covenant'' has a twist ending that... Does something to the character dynamics. [[spoiler: The female lead character falls in love with the main character... Who turns out to be her son, thanks to little time travel incident at the end. Thankfully the relationship never went anywhere beyond one-sided crush, so it's all just a bonus to the game's pervy humour.]]
* CirqueDuSoleil shows have this trope in spades. The first time out, one's attention tends to focus on the often-spectacular acrobatics and comedy acts (which is as it should be), but with repeat viewings the distinctive characters and relationships, throwaway gestures, background events, lovely music, etc. are easier to notice and appreciate. This is especially true with non-touring shows such as ''Mystere'', ''"O"'', and ''LOVE'', which crank up the SceneryPorn and often invoke LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters. And any show with real AudienceParticipation will be a little bit different every time.

* In ''CallOfDutyBlackOps'' Viktor Reznov, the Red Army sergeant from ''World at War,'' is a prominant character during the story of ''Black Ops'' thirty years later. We first see him as a fellow prisoner in a Russian prison camp who escapes with Alex Mason, the protagonist. They are seperated, but Reznov turns up years later as a Russian defector and joins Mason's MACV-SOG unit on their various [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin black ops,]] going as far as wearing an American uniform; he actually blends in frighteningly well with American Marines whenever they're around. MACV-SOG has a precident for this in the form of Grigori Weaver, another Russian defector whom Mason has to assure others is trustworthy despite being Russian. [[spoiler: It turns out Reznov died in the camp and from then on is actually a figment of Mason's imagination, ''FightClub'' style. He's wearing an American uniform because Mason is replacing a random American with Reznov in his mind, but the player finds nothing strange about Reznov joining the unit and wearing the uniform because of previously seeing Weaver. Because Reznov is also an EnsembleDarkhorse, the unbelievability is further mitigated by the fact that a weak excuse is satisfactory if it allows him to have more screen time. Several innocent moments and seemingly unimportant lines of dialog are actually the people around Mason questioning his sanity as they notice fleeting moments where he's talking to someone who isn't there, but they're all cleverly disguised; the one time someone simply says "What the fuck is wrong with you?" to Mason, it seems as though he's chastising Mason for being startled and making noise when they're supposed to be keeping quiet.]]
* ''MassEffect'' as a series has this due to MultipleEndings, but the ''Overlord'' DLC has a different form. Throughout the mission, you hear a noise that sounds like random static multiple times, until you get to the end and hear it with no distortion. The next time you play, you will very clearly hear [[spoiler: QUIET PLEASE MAKE IT STOP]] every time you play.
* TheMightyBoosh gets a ''lot'' better on repeat viewings. Part of this may be because of the way the stories meander and don't necessarily seem to be going anywhere. Once you've seen the episodes once, you can just enjoy the ride and the jokes on repeat viewings.
* ''[[{{Fable}} Fable 3]]'' "They will bow to my will or they will burn", eh Logan?

* And speaking of being back, for a first time viewer of {{Scream}} it seems like Stu's mockingly declaring, "I'll be right back!" instants after being warned not to when Randy explained the rules of surviving a horror movie situation is just another instance of many of Stu being a dumbass. But [[spoiler: on repeat viewings we realize the real reason for his confidence and prankish tone is that he knows he genuinely has nothing to fear of breaking any of Randy's rules--as he is the killer himself.]]

* ''FinalFantasyVIII'' uses very subtle storytelling techniques to describe its characters. BigBad Ultimecia is a [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere HUGE victim of this]], as it's not clear people are referring to her origin unless you play the game the second time and note when [[GrandTheftMe she is speaking through someone else.]]
* ''FanFic/KyonBigDamnHero'' includes a ton of subtle references to HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi. That's even before to have declared to be a fic that also crossovers with Higurashi. For example, right off the bat we have [[InMediasRes the prologue]]'s {{Epigraph}} referencing the HatePlague.

* It's interesting and [[HilariousInHindsight funny]] to read [[Literature/DaddyLongLegs Daddy Long Legs]] again after you know that [[spoiler: Daddy Long Legs is Jervis Pendleton.]]

* ''TheBigSleep'', due to the horribly complicated plot.

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Compare {{Foreshadowing}}. May result in FridgeBrilliance. Many of these end up being regarded as [[CultClassic Cult Classics]].

* ''FinalFantasyVIII'' uses very subtle storytelling techniques to describe its characters. BigBad Ultimecia is a HUGE victim of this, as it's not clear people are referring to her origin unless you play the game the second time and note when [[GrandTheftMe she is speaking through someone else.]]

* ''{{Watchmen}}'' is like this. [[AlanMoore Moore]] [[WordOfGod stated]] that this reason alone is why he felt it was un-filmable: there is simply too much detail going on in every panel for a movie to capture all of it.

** Similarly, it's possible to watch episodes of {{The Simpsons}} dozens of times without catching all of the hidden gags.

* Nearly every {{Discworld}} novel happily survives multiple readings. Once you know the surprise that inevitably happens near the end, you can go back and pay attention to all the little things that hinted to it. There are also a whole whack of references and {{Shout Out}}s which you may miss the first time. It's also true for the ''series'' as a whole; once you've seen how, for example, Lord Vetinari's character ends up, it's extremely satisfying to go back to his first appearance and see his CharacterDevelopment.

* [[{{Fable}} Fable 3]] "They will bow to my will or they will burn", eh Logan?
* The "I'll be back" line from the original ''The Terminator'' was originally intended to be one of these. It backfired, as the line became more well known for first-time viewers than anyone expected.

When a movie, etc. that's not very impressive on first viewing seems to get better and better the more times you see it.

Whether due to moments of FridgeBrilliance, an AnachronicOrder or a good TwistEnding, some movies are just better the second time.

Many of these end up being regarded as [[CultClassic Cult Classics]].

*** [[Tropers/PasswordForgettingTroper This Troper]] Personally watched the film three times just to see if this was true, it is.

** YourMileageMayVary on this one. Part of the fun of watching the movie (at least for this troper) was trying to figure out just what the hell is going on. Once you know...eh.

* For this troper at least, Wilco's album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". While most of their albums fell under vaguely-experimental alt-country, this one is brimming with feedback, noises, and radio samples. It's nigh-incomprehensible until you tease out the songs from the noise, which takes a few listens.

*** [[{{Tropers/PasswordForgettingTroper This Troper]] Personally watched the film three times just to see if this was true, it is.

* TheMightyBoosh gets a ''lot'' better on repeat viewings. Part of this may be because of the way the stories meander and don't necessarily seem to get anywhere, but once you've seen the episodes once, you can just enjoy the ride and the jokes on repeat viewings.

* In [[CallOfDuty Call of Duty: Black Ops,]] Viktor Reznov, the Red Army sergeant from ''World at War,'' is a prominant character during the story of ''Black Ops'' thirty years later. We first see him as a fellow prisoner in a Russian prison camp who escapes with Alex Mason, the protagonist. They are seperated, but Reznov turns up years later as a Russian defector and joins Mason's MACV-SOG unit on their various [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin black ops,]] going as far as wearing an American uniform; he actually blends in frighteningly well with American Marines whenever they're around. MACV-SOG has a precident for this in the form of Grigori Weaver, whom Mason has to assure others is trustworthy despite being Russian earlier on. [[spoiler: It turns out Reznov died in the camp and from then on is actually a figment of Mason's imagination FightClub style. He's wearing an American uniform because Mason is replacing a random American with Reznov in his mind, but the player finds nothing strange about Reznov joining the unit and wearing the uniform because of previously seeing Weaver. Because Reznov is also an EnsembleDarkhorse, the unbelievability is further mitigated by the fact that a weak excuse is satisfactory if it allows him to have more screen time. Several innocent moments and seemingly unimportant lines of dialog are actually the people around Mason questioning his sanity as they notice fleeting moments where he's talking to someone who isn't there, but they're all cleverly disguised; the one time someone simply says "What the fuck is wrong with you" to Mason, it seems as though he's chastising Mason for being startled and making noise when they're supposed to be keeping quiet.]]

* ''TheBigLebowski'' is a good example: once you've seen it once, and know the twists, you are able to focus on all the in-jokes, and the fantastic details put into the character development, like The Dude dropping J's on the counter when he tries to pay for his coffee. Other Coen brothers movies (OhBrotherWhereArtThou, Fargo, etc) often examples of this, due to all the little moments they put into their movies that only repeat viewers pick up on.