The age of the television reboot. In 2016, classic television shows The X-Files, Gilmore Girls and Fuller House have all made returns, with Twin Peaks and Prison Break following behind. In the age of endless television reboots, how do we keep getting sucked in?
When Laura Palmer told a stunned Dale Cooper, “I’ll see you again in 25 years,” viewers of the 1990 series, Twin Peaks, had no reason to believe that her prophecy would ring true. Though 2017 is one year later than predicted, Twin Peaks will return, alongside a whole slew of television reboots and sequels based on franchises past. Earlier this year, long running sci-fi television series, The X-Files, returned after 14 years away to mixed reviews. Heroes: Reborn, sequel to the popular 2006 television series Heroes, was cancelled after just one season due to largely negative reviews. The reboot of MacGyver, having been recently released, has received similarly negative reviews.
Returning later this year is much loved drama Gilmore Girls, as well as Fuller House, followed closely by the highly anticipated Twin Peaks sequel and Prison Break in 2017. The rise of streaming services such as Netflix have been key to these returns, as the target demographics of these shows, aged between 18-34, are increasingly moving towards streaming and away from traditional television media. But will these shows break the trend set by their disappointing predecessors?
The problems with television reboots and sequels can often be boiled down to the intentions behind production. According to Claire Atkinson of New York Post, recent studies have indicated a 10.6% fall in television viewers aged 18-34 over the last four years, leading to lessened ratings for traditional television shows. Thus, productions have begun to rely on nostalgia in order to draw fans back, at the cost of high quality and well-produced television.
This fall in television viewers is also reflected in cinema-based trends, which has seen a consistent loss of audiences aged 18-24 over the last four years, according to Brett Lang of Variety. In order to combat this, and to drive ratings, many traditionally film-based franchises have made the leap to television, with varying success. Sam Raimi’s horror series The Evil Dead has found new life with recent television series, Ash vs Evil Dead, which has garnered much praise, while both From Dusk Till Dawn and Lethal Weapon have also made a successful transition. Minority Report, on the other hand, which premiered in 2015, was cancelled after only 10 episodes due to a perceived lack of imagination and frankly terrible writing. While television reboots have the power to reinvigorate older franchises, often, they become tired rehashes of worn out concepts.
While fans of these classic franchises have clamoured to discover what Rory Gilmore has been up to in the last 8 years, to catch up with the adventures of Michael Scofield, or wondered if the truth of The X-Files really is out there, it is this very nostalgia that networks have relied on in order to green light the many incoming sequels or reboots of much loved franchises. While some returning shows have received critical acclaim, the vast majority have received middling to negative reviews, and many beg the question – is it really necessary? The rising popularity of sequels and reboots have contributed to a severe lack of original content within television media, and a reliance on old media is unsustainable. Sometimes, it might be better to leave old franchises in peace.
Are there any upcoming television reboots you’re looking forward to? Have any other opinions about the future of television? Comment below!