The Great Unwinding: Why “Cozy” and “Retro” Media Became the Stress Vaccine of the 2020s
But this isn't just about nostalgia. It is a survival mechanism. bexxxy
“It’s not that people don’t like conflict,” says showrunner Marcus Thorne, who produces a popular LEGO Masters spin-off. “It’s that they want resolvable conflict. In a baking show, the worst thing that happens is a cake falls. In ten minutes, they bake another cake. In the real world, we can’t fix inflation or geopolitical instability in ten minutes. The show provides a simulation of control.” The Great Unwinding: Why “Cozy” and “Retro” Media
Welcome to the era of “cozy media.”
Consider the streaming data. According to Nielsen, The Great British Baking Show (or Bake Off ) consistently ranks in the top three most-streamed shows in the U.S., despite having no car chases, no murders, and no raised voices. The primary antagonist is a poorly baked choux pastry. The climax involves a handshake from a soft-spoken judge named Paul. “It’s that they want resolvable conflict