The Era of The Reboot

For about the past five years or so, the media industry has had a phenomenon taken by storm: the era of the reboot. Audiences are taken back in time with settings, characters, and storylines created decades ago. From Stars Wars to That 70's Show, tons of shows and movies have had their stories added onto. While the nostalgic pull may be enticing, the question is, "does this actually make sense for the plot of the story, or is this a money grab for the production company?" This question is always promptly answered by the general reaction of the internet but is prefaced by heavy critique and debate from social media users. Fans are always at one end of the spectrum and love it or at the other end and hate it.

The Addams Family

One of the newest and most beloved reboots is Tim Burton's Wednesday, now streaming on Netflix. The public was overjoyed with Jenna Ortega's portrayal of Wednesday Addams with her Stanley Kubrick stares and intricate dance moves. While the whole Addams family was recast since their last film in 1998, there was a sense of approval from the old cast as Christina Ricci, who held the role of Wednesday Addams in the 90s movies, was cast as the villain of season one. Ultimately, the reboot scored a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.2/10 on IMDb.

Charmed

Source: IMDb Source: IMDb Source: IMDb

This reboot was definitely one of the more controversial ones. Both writers and cast from the original show publicly expressed their disappointment with the new show. Holly Marie Combs, who held the role of Piper Halloway, tweeted, "Here's the thing. Until you ask us to rewrite it like Brad Kern did weekly, don't even think of capitalizing on our hard work. Charmed belongs to the 4 of us…." This was followed by writers and other cast members from the old show being split in opinion. Despite the controversy, the reboot was somewhat popular but was canceled after four seasons. The show received a score of 71% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7/10 from IMDb.

The Karate Kid

Source: IMDb Source: Netflix Source: Wikipedia

The most recent addition to The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai, has quickly become one of the most popular and appreciated reboots. The show follows the antics of adult Johnny Lawrence and adult Daniel Russo as they reignite their rivalry thirty-some-odd years later. This reboot possesses the exact kind of nostalgic pull that audiences love and was done immensely well. This reboot is what the majority of reboots should be, reprising old storylines and characters that audiences are not finished with. Ultimately, the show received a score of 95% from Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.5/10 from IMDb.

Gilmore Girls

Source: IMDb Source: POPSUGAR Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Since the original writers of Gilmore Girls ended the story on a cliffhanger, it was only natural for them to come out with a reboot and finish the storyline. While the new addition to the storyline may have been needed, the execution of it was interesting. The main character, Rory, turned into her worst nightmare as her mother and grandmother watched. The contrast between the main series and the reboot made some sense but annoyed and disappointed fans. Despite the disappointment with fans, critics have somewhat enjoyed it. The show was given an 87% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5/10 from IMDb.

Sex and The City

Source: Rotten Tomatoes Source: Today.com Source: IMDb

One of the most popular shows in the '90s and early 2000s, Sex and The City features the antics of four single thirty-year-olds as they navigate love and life in New York City. The show, which ran for six seasons, including two movies, captivated women everywhere with its overtly blunt explanation of a single woman's life in her thirties. The reboot, And Just Like That, released in 2021, was one that was not welcome as one of the main cast members, Kim Cattrall, who held the role of Samantha Jones, refused to be a part of it. Ultimately, the Netflix show received a score of 48% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 5.7/10 from IMDb.

With plans for new productions being announced and many more being released soon, the reboot category is here to stay, even though it may not be welcome. Overall, reboots and reprisals are a mixed bag, with some fan bases loving the new content and other fan bases blaming the production companies for ruining one of their favorite pieces of media.