Stop Trying to Revive 90s Classics

From the creation of live action versions of our favorite cartoons to rebooting classical television shows, there has been a lot of talk about injecting the 90s right into 2000s. On the surface, bringing back classics like these seems like a great idea. Many classic shows and movies have developed a cult following through the internet and social media; this means that there is a great target audience and lots of interest for these reboots and, in most cases, it helps bring about actors that we have not seen work in while. However the love that we have for classics simply cannot be duplicated and seems to be indicative of the lack of creativity and inspiration that seems to exist in the television and film industries.

There is a reason that we can watch old classic shows like Family Matters and Friends and laugh like it is the first time that we've seen it. There are several good aspects of the shows like the writing, acting and values, but it also carries an air of nostalgia for us. There is something about sitting down and watching a show from your childhood that mentally transports you back to the mindset you had when watching it originally. You remember the way it made you feel and the things that it made you notice. You simply cannot duplicate nostalgia.

Additionally, when making sequels or spin-offs it seems best to do so in close proximity to the original. When doing them this way, you haven't lost the original audience who is very familiar with the original characters as well as the political and social climate to which the original caters. All of these things are preserved in a well placed sequel or spin-off. Inevitably, when you wait 20-30 years, your show depends on a different set of values that separates it from the original. Will those well-established characters even work in a show with new value systems? The vibe of the show will seem off because of this.

Attempting to regurgitate classics onto current television screens is equivalent to using the same essay for a different class. Executives want to take work that has already been done and profit off of it for a second time without adding much to the equation at all. Instead of coming up with new show ideas and characters, they want to use shows that already exist, give them a second coat of paint and package them as new. This is why movies like Black Panther and shows like Giants are so successful and refreshing. They bring something new to the table, something that we have not already seen and conversations that we have not already had on screen. However, shows like Fuller House and Girl Meets World tend to divide audiences. Some love reboots like this as it helps them get closure for the original characters and add something new to their storyline. However, others absolutely hate it and think that it tarnishes the legacy of the original show. Every now and then we'll get an absolutely awful reboot like Grease 2, that no one asked for (especially because the end of Grease made no sense and they didn't even mention it in the sequel), which acts as a waste of time, money and the audience's time.

If the duplication of classics and movies like The Emoji Movie are the future of the American television and film industry, then our best years are behind us. With directors like Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele and writers like Donald Glover and Barry Jenkins, there is absolutely no reason that we need to lean on classic projects for future releases or revenue. Leave the 90s in the 90s.