Do you go back and read a first part to re-familiarize yourself with the characters?

I always like to recap in a serial story, especially if it has been a little while between instalments.

I don't go back to the beginning, but if a new part of a story loaded quite some time after the preceding part (or there's another reason why I might read the new part much later) I tend to reread the preceding part.

CarolinaPaddler
I do it as a writer but not as a reader. I'll go back to a first story for enjoyment but not to reacquaint myself.

Let us assume there is a twelve part story with one 3,000 word part each month.

I might go to part one multiple times since the first few parts are normally the best Authors tend to raise the punishment over time since they try to outdo themselves in later parts. Thus the first parts are more realistic, and if the story is good I tend to reread them again and again.

I remember a story where a tawse played the part of preferred implement. At one point the heroine nearly burned down a barn while smoking. Punishment: 30 strokes from each aunt and uncle present. Later I looked up the tawse. Result, in the judical system a judge was limited to 39(?) strokes for a criminal. It's only logic that a caring family will deliver between 120 and 150 strokes. I reread the first parts multiple times but the story as a whole was dead for me.

Thank you to all that have participated and given their views on re-orienting themselves to later parts of a story

If I am writing a multi part series, I will reread what I've done out of necessity, as the memory isn't what it once was.

If I'm reading a multi part series, it depends. If the same characters are involved throughout and it's so engaging I read it through very quickly, I probably won't need to. But, if it's a while between installments, I'll refresh my memory on who did what to whom, before continuing on.

It seems I'm late to comment, sorry - to busy re-reading prior parts of serials for which a new part has caught my attention.
Seriously, I only usually go one installment back rather than to the very beginning.