Remember how excited we all were when Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were spotted bumping into each other at the SAG Awards in 2020? One of the most iconic couples of the early noughties, the romantic nostalgia evoked by Brad and Jen was unparalleled. That is, until Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (Bennifer to you and me) confirmed their reunion in a steamy show of affection earlier this week.
But what’s really fuelling our obsession with the past, particularly previous relationships? Do we simply just need an excuse to call our ex?
Personally, I think it goes a bit deeper than that (and I’m not just bragging that I’m over my ex, honestly). Barely a year goes by without a vague cultural declaration that, “the 90s are *officially* back!” Whether it’s bucket hats à la Britpop or un-ironically buying a Groovy Chick duvet, it’s not just late 90s/early 00s relationships that we have a soft spot for.
Look at Friends: The Reunion, which saw all six original cast members of Friends (which ran from 1994 to 2004) reunite and reflect on the show’s impact. It broke viewing records across the UK, with around 5.3 million people tuning in, Sky News dubbed it, “the most-watched show on Sky One ever.”
And Friends isn’t the only reunion we’re…
