From HBO Max (soon to be just Max) announcing the reboot of the Harry Potter franchise to the countless commercials I’ve seen promoting How I Met Your Father on Hulu, it feels as though new content has never been “new,” just unnecessary refurbishments. With Hollywood rebooting beloved TV shows and franchises, creating and preserving fresh content is becoming more difficult. As an avid consumer of entertainment, this trend not only disappoints me, but it also makes me question the longevity of original ideas. So, is this “reboot era” worth it, or is this the first nail hammered into the coffin that is authenticity?
When I think of anything in the realm of reboots, my mind immediately goes to Disney’s live-action films. Other than the 2015 remake of Cinderella, Disney’s reboots have always felt less magical and lively than its animated classics. With the plot, characters, setting, and music left unchanged, the reboots still lack the nostalgia and sense of wonder the original films gave us; so what’s the problem? Exactly that. There is no elevation to the story, no addition to the content we know so well. We are being retold the same tale we grew up with, which forces the rebooted version to feel lackluster and stale. While a reboot takes elements from its predecessor so it’s familiar to the audience, it should simultaneously provide something new and unexpected.
Most of Disney’s animated films were popular during their time because they provided something refreshing. Whether it was the brilliant musical score of The Lion King (1994) or the addition of a valiant princess heroine in Mulan (1998), the animated films already established the status quo. The reboots presented what worked, but forgot the “yes, and” step, meaning they never added more to the original narrative. Cinderella (2015) elaborated on Ella’s relationship with Kit (Prince Charming), which illustrated a clearer picture of their romantic relationship. Not only did this help the narrative and make Ella’s character arc more compelling, but it added an element that was missing from the original 1950 film. This reboot took the foundational material and gave its audience more, deepening the classic and often overused story.
In addition to reboots failing to further the original material, they also disregard their target audience. For example, Disney Channel decided to reboot Boy Meets World with Girl Meets World in 2014. As a Boy Meets World enthusiast, I remember being beyond excited and filled with anticipation for the reboot. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm would quickly turn into annoyance and frustration. While I could write an entire rant on why Girl Meets World ruined everything its predecessor so graciously provided, I will restrain myself. Instead, let’s focus on the main reason why it failed to live up to the legacy of the original: it targeted the wrong audience. The Disney Channel brand completely ruined the potential of the show, as the themes discussed throughout the series lacked the depth they needed to be taken seriously or presented authentically. Boy Meets World aired on ABC (now ironically owned by Disney), which was a family channel. Hence, the ages of the audience ranged, and the show used that to its advantage. The characters and their audience grew together; the older Cory and his friends got, the more mature the content was. This helped the narrative of the show as it was meant to follow Cory as he navigated the world and his place in it. Girl Meets World attempted to do the same, but by marketing the series to younger children with the Disney Channel name, Riley couldn’t grow with her audience. Her character arc and personality remained stagnant as the seasons progressed, reflecting the naivety of her child audience.
That 90s Show, iCarly (2021-), and more may have followed the growth of their now-adult audience, but their failures come from the writing. Both of these shows, for instance, tried to recreate the comedy of the original material with a modern twist. Not only do the jokes rarely land, but modernizing the humor of its predecessor isn’t as productive as the writers may think. The humor from the original shows worked because it fit the comedy of its time. Revamping the jokes isn’t a refreshing take on the series but rather a lazy attempt at seeming new.
I think what’s being misinterpreted isn’t the rebooted TV series and films themselves, but the definition of a reboot. Hollywood seems to believe that reboots should be the original material copied and pasted to death. I’m not arguing that rebooted content should be eliminated from the entertainment space, but rather it should build upon the foundation left by its predecessors. If Hollywood is unable to do this, then maybe it should mourn what was once successful and allow it to rest peacefully. The coffin doesn’t have to bury the authentic material being produced now; it is now more important than ever to tell different stories with multifaceted characters and perspectives. While Hollywood has made significant progress in diversifying and including various voices, reboots could be detrimental to these strides unless they become a part of the progress itself.
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