Nowadays, you can't go a week without hearing about another show being revived, rebooted, or a reunion with the cast will be taking place. We've had the Fresh Prince and Friends reunions, the revivals of Fuller House and Saved by the Bell and Dexter, and reboots of Turner & Hooch and The Wonder Years on the way, there is so much content on the way for audiences. With Paramount+'s release of the iCarly revival recently, it got me thinking: are all these revivals and reboots the future of television? Will we see less original programming in the future? Let's take a closer look into it!
I think the reason there are so many revivals, reboots and reunions over the past few years is due to their biggest hook: nostalgia. Viewers, especially millennials (such as myself), want to see some of their favorite shows from the past come back. Seeing what characters from your favorite shows from years ago are up to in the present is no longer just something you can imagine. You can see it play out for yourself! Did DJ and Steve end up together after Full House? Did Dexter remain a lumberjack forever? What exactly did Zack Morris end up doing with his life? Seeing these events play out years after the original runs ended can answer burning questions fans have always wanted to know the answers to, while for some it brings a rewatch of original episodes into a whole new light. While nostalgia has played a strong role in these revivals and reboots, it is not the only thing that led to a huge following for the shows.
Another huge reason these shows and reunions are getting so much popularity is the rise of streaming. With so many streaming services out in today's day and age, everyone is getting onto the revival train. It is almost difficult to track which companies own which franchises and the rights to older shows. I feel nearly none of these shows would be here today if not for streaming. I don't feel that television networks would be jumping at the prospect of sequels to popular shows at this volume, they tend to save slots for new shows to get their networks more viewers. However, some revivals can be seen as less risky if they're put on a streaming service. For example, the Saved by the Bell revival is on Peacock, which is owned by NBC. NBC would not give the series a go for putting it on the network because the demand from the public isn't high. But by putting it on Peacock, it lowers the risk if the show is not that popular and the niche audience (Saved by the Bell fans) can keep the series afloat. The important thing is to decide where the fan base is most likely to view the show, whether it be streaming or on a network.
One thing that I have really been enjoying about the iCarly revival over the past two weeks is the change in tone from the original series. I like that the series is catered towards the viewers that grew up watching the original iCarly, showing Carly and her friends tackling life in their twenties. It is crazy to see characters from the original, relatively wholesome show on Nickelodeon swearing and dealing with heavy relationship problems. But I think that is exactly what sets the show apart from other revivals we've seen so far. Take Fuller House for example. The series does show the original kid characters as adults and dealing with more adult problems, but it still keeps the wacky, wholesome tone from the original Full House. It may have dipped its toes into some innuendos and risqué jokes, but the show was still suitable for all ages. What Fuller House dipped its toes in, iCarly dives right into it. It is most certainly not a show for younger audiences, and that's okay. It also surely eliminated the show being aired on Nickelodeon like the original show was. I would personally like to see more revivals take the same approach in the future.
With all of the reboots and revivals, has Hollywood run out of original ideas? No, I wouldn't say so. I think the reason all of these shows are so popular now is because the industry is listening to its consumers and revivals are high in-demand right now from many fan bases. Original movies and shows are still being made, they just may not get the same kind of attention that revivals and reboots are getting. I also don't think it is a bad thing that revivals are being made, I think it shows the power that fans can have, it even played a part in why streaming services are so popular and successful. It makes you think about more recent shows now and if they will have revivals or reboots someday. Big Bang Theory? Modern Family? Game of Thrones? The possibilities are really endless.
What are your thoughts on all of these revivals and reboots? Do you think it is good for the industry or do we need more original ideas? What are some of your favorite reboots and revivals so far? Let me know in the comments below!
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