top of page
  • Writer's pictureJessica Taylor Yates

Rebooted Shows That Should Have Stayed In The Past

You can have a school reunion, but you don't go and hang in the canteen in your 50s. IT'S OVER.

We didn't need the movies, and we don't need the reboot. VALE SAMANTHA! Source: Pedestrian TV

Sex and the City (SATC) is BACK, yo, but with one glaring omission: no Samantha! Our 90s heroines Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte will return to HBO for a 10 part miniseries, 'And Just Like That...' following on from the original SATC franchise. I...am not really for it. They're a four! Do Friends reunite without Phoebe, Scrubs without Turk, The Office without Michael (wait...)? We've talked about TV Shows That Turned Like Spoilt Milk, and a lot of these had to do with killing off the main character. Samantha was my favourite, and it feels insulting and kind of despo to go on without her.


That said, will I hate-watch? 110%.


There's plenty of amazing shows that had great (or terrible) endings and should have left it there. I'm not talking about reboots with a new cast (Dynasty, 90210, ick) but the cast coming back for 'one last time.' Guys, common. You can have a school reunion, but you don't go and hang in the canteen in your 50s. IT'S OVER. That's not shade at being in your 50s - Grace and Frankie is one of the best shows ever - but you can't recreate the magic. It's done.


Scroll through for our list of shows that we think should have just stayed where they belonged...

Will & Grace

Us hearing about a reboot of this show. Source: GiPHY


Now, look. Was Will & Grace iconic, irreverent, funny and iconic? Absolutely! But did it realllyyyy need a reboot? Come on now. Whilst the ending is up there with one of the worst of all time (*Spoiler alert* Will and Grace aren't friends for like 20 years, and only reconnect through their kids at college, wtf?!) the reboot paid no attention to the (first) finale. In the reboot, Will and Grace didn't have kids and were friends, apparently, the first finale was just a silly 'dream' of Karen's. That is super lame, and an insult to the 18 million viewers who tuned in. Nexxxttt.


Arrested Development

Me after the first ep of Season Four. Source: GiPHY


So, hardcore tragic fans like me refuse to acknowledge the existence of Season 4 and 5. To be honest, I didn't even know there was a Season 5 until last week when it randomly came up on my Netflix suggestions and I kept scrolling. These seasons are Fake News, like, they're not real. I remember being keen on Season 4 at first - a girlfriend of mine had a viewing party, we all wore denim cut-offs, ate frozen bananas and ate pea soup (if you know, you know)...and then it began. Minute by minute, we became more and more dismayed. Just...why? From the awkward green-screening to the change and ageing of the characters, it was an abomination. Seasons 1-3 were perfect. Leave it that way.


Scrubs

Trying to watch more than 2 seconds of Scrubs 2.0. Source: GiPHY


Scrubs was my household show. The one that was always on in the background, the DVDs (lolz) scratched from repeat use. I knew all the lines, the characters, the seasons. It also had one of the most perfect endings to a TV show of all time (I rewatched after the travesty that was the How I Met Your Mother finale so I could breathe again)...that is, until 'Scrubs 2.0' appeared. Like, what? You finished!! With J.D sprinkling in guest appearances amongst the interns, it was an insult to fans of the OG show and fans turned off in droves. I personally subscribe to the idea that it is a separate show, and therefore, does not exist in the Scrubs Season 1-7 family. As you were.

Roseanne

The world hearing about Roseanne Barr being allowed on television again. Source: GiPHY


I mean, I wasn't exactly a hardcore fan the first time around, so I super don't get this show's first run, nor its return. This type of lame fam sitcom doesn't really have lasting popularity here, but apparently, in the States, it thrived. That said...the original finale (*spoiler alert*) was like, super depressing. (Sidenote - WHY do shows that were predominantly funny do this?! How I Met Your Mother, Will and Grace, take note! If we wanted to watch Breaking Bad, we would!) Basically, it turns out in the original finale that the series is all in Roseanne's head, and actually, her husband died. Like, what?! But in the reboot, as The Notorious B.I.G says, 'it was all a dream.' LAME!!!


Fuller House

Us hearing about the reboot. Source: GiPHY


Let's be real. This show was probably pretty average to begin with, but we look back on it fondly, cos there were like, two tv stations in the 90s, and you know...Olsen twins! But now, with the Olsens tapped out to focus on being billionaire fashion designers, Aunt Becky locked up for the whole college admissions scandal and Bob Saget running R+ rated comedy tours, it all just feels...off. Not to mention, it all focuses on D.J and Steph Tanner. Come on guys, just get a new gig.


Reality shows like Big Brother and Australian Idol

When Aus Idol 2020 airs... Source: GiPHY


Ugh, enough already. Don't get me wrong. The first season of any reality show, in the beginning, was exciting. Remember the first-ever Big Brother? The contestants in there had no idea anyone was even watching, let alone that they had become insanely famous. Similarly, our first few Aus Idol seasons gave us Guy Sebastian, Casey Donovan, Jessica Mauboy (I voted for you girl, never forget). But how many contrived singing shows can there be? As time goes on, contestants and audiences get wiser, and judges get meaner. We know the formula. More upsettingly, these shows haven't really created stars in recent years - name one winner of The Voice. Or name a song. These shows don't care about the contestants, and in turn, I don't care about them. Nexxttt.



That said, there may be some reboots we want: The Inbetweeners, American Dreams, Grosse Pointe, Kath and Kim.


Just me? What did I miss?


bottom of page