Everybody has that one comfort show they just cannot help but rewatch over and over again. You just can’t beat the magic of watching or rewatching one of your favorite TV shows. Since streaming services have opened up never-ending access to all of our favorite shows, the exceedingly high viewing rates of old shows have influenced the cast and crew of these classic series to come together for a reboot. From Sex and the City to Gilmore Girls, everyone’s top comfort shows have come out with reboots or spinoff series to feed our never-ending obsessions with our favorite storylines and characters. The thought of an additional glimpse of the shows we can’t get enough of sounds great; however, the reboots and spinoffs never seem to live up to the iconic original series.
The renowned series Gossip Girl following New York’s elite was rebooted in 2021 with a completely new cast and new take on the hit show. After just two seasons, the cancellation of the reboot was announced this month due to the declining interest and how many viewers missed the nostalgia of the original series more than they enjoyed the new spin. The reboot definitely gave die-hard Gossip Girl fans a more real and “with the times” view of the upper east side, tying social and political issues with the overall idea of the gossip girl character. The new script and cast were taken well at first, but as the series continued, a lot of the original themes from the original series were left to the wayside. Similarly, That 70’s Show was made into a reboot that premiered on Netflix this month. With all the main characters grown up, the reboot focuses on a new group while incorporating the old cast in That 90’s Show. As fans of That 70’s Show continue to give the TV series views due to its 70’s theme, tight-knit friend group, and lighthearted plot, it’s hard to say if the reboot can match the same popularity as the original franchise.
While good in theory, reboots never seem to live up to the original die-hard series. Everything which makes up a good comfort or nostalgic TV show just can’t be duplicated in a similar fashion, which viewers and fans have seen time and time again. Trying to maintain and attempt what the original TV show had—from the outfits to the overall theme and characters—reboots fail to deliver the same blockbuster ingredients which make top binge-worthy TV shows.