TV Reboots That We Would Love To See Happen

Rather than taking risks on new, original content, studios are increasingly turning to the safer bet of nostalgic reboots. In this model, old shows are regurgitated with enough cherished memories intact to appeal to old fans and enough updated content to hopefully captivate younger viewers. We see it all the time with movie remakes, remastered video games, and, of course, revived television shows.

To be fair, there have been some good rebooted shows in the past, such as 2004's "Battlestar Galactica," multiple "Doctor Who" installments, and the recent live-action "The Tick."

However, most rebooted television shows are either bad or really bad, such as "The Bradys," which was a melodrama from 1990 that attempted a "mature" take on "The Brady Bunch"; the 2008 "Knight Rider," which followed the son of original protagonist Michael Knight (played by David Hasselhoff); that one show where "The Rugrats" were teenagers for some reason; and many, many more.

What about shows that haven't had a reboot yet, but deserve one? Surely those have to exist, right? If so, which shows are the most deserving? Here's our list of the shows we'd like to see back on TV.  

"ALF" was a family-friendly sci-fi sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1990. It starred ALF, a puppet voiced by actor/puppeteer Paul Fusco. The eponymous furry alien crashed with a family in the suburbs, getting into shenanigans while trying not to get noticed by nosy neighbors and the like.

The show was pretty wholesome (aside from the running joke that ALF was eating the neighborhood cats), but ended on a grim note. In fact, the final episode closes on a cliffhanger wherein ALF is taken by the government to be locked up and presumably experimented on and dissected. The writers weren't aware the show was going to be canceled, so the plot wasn't resolved. It was supposedly addressed in a TV movie years later, but not all fans consider that canon.

A reboot could potentially resolve the government plot once and for all. It could also be interesting to see how the family manages to hide this big, lumbering alien in the age of smartphones, home security cameras, the internet, etc. The studio could make "ALF" grittier and more realistic and use CGI instead of puppetry (though it should probably always be a comedy). 

The cult classic "Space Ghost: Coast to Coast," which ran from 1994 to 2004, was one of the first original shows Cartoon Network ever produced. When the network debuted, it pretty much solely aired Hanna-Barbara children's cartoons, since it had licensed their entire library and not much else. When requested to make original content to appeal to adults, studio exec Mike Lazzo decided to turn one of the lesser-known Hanna-Barbara characters into a late-night talk show host.

The flagship show for the premiere of Adult Swim, "Space Ghost" combined intentionally low-quality graphics with a zany, absurdist sense of humor and became a cult hit. "Space Ghost" was also used to introduce Cartoon Network's other original shows: "Powerpuff Girls" and "Dexter's Laboratory" debuted on it, as did the idea for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."  

There was a brief, half-hearted attempt at a reboot on Game Tap after its cancellation, but Space Ghost and crew should get another shot. The late-night talk show circuit has become pretty stale lately ("Carpool Karaoke" and Jimmy Fallon, we're looking at you) and could definitely use a big injection of surrealist satire from the host with the most, Space Ghost. 

Heck, you could even ditch the behind-the-desk talk show format and put that version of Space Ghost in many different situations (similar to what they did with "Cartoon Planet"), especially considering the unfortunate passing of Martin C. Croker, who voiced Zorak and Moltar.

"Wonder Showzen," which aired on MTV for one season from 2005 to 2006, is styled after a generic kids' show, with puppets, kids, and anthropomorphic letters. At first glance, it looks like it'll be just some generic "isn't it funny kid's characters are cussing and talking about sex" shows that popped up around that time ("Puppets Who Kill," "Greg the Bunny," "Crank Yankers," and "Team America: World Police" all debuted in the 2000s).

However, its comedy and satire go much deeper than that. For one, it tackled touchy subjects that most shows would shy away from, including racism in America, the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, and potential Leftist uprisings, which it portrayed in a sympathetic light.

With everything in the world possibly even more polarizing and crazy than it was 15 years ago, this might be the perfect time to bring "Wonder Showzen" back on the air. It's tantalizing to imagine how the "Wonder Showzen" team would tackle contemporary issues, from rising far-right extremism to the hegemony of social media. They were never afraid of confronting dark subject matter before. It would certainly be subversive, and probably a little gross, too. But that's part of its charm!

"Xena: Warrior Princess," starring the iconic Lucy Lawless, was a staple of cult adventure TV shows during the mid-to-late '90s. Originally a spin-off of the Kevin Sorbo-led "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" show, "Xena" surpassed the former show in ratings and reviews pretty much immediately. The show's plot follows Xena as she travels across Ancient Greece, trying to atone for past misdeeds by defending the innocent and helpless. It had its serious moments, but was largely good, campy fun. 

There has actually been talk about a reboot off and on for years. The desire is there, but studios seem to have reservations. We'd argue that they shouldn't. The premise is perfect for the grittier fantasy style that has proven so popular in recent years. Improved CGI technology could make for some pretty epic sword-and-sandals battles. While Lucy Lawless is too iconic to be replaced, the show could follow a new generation. Lucy could even make a cameo in an episode or two.      

Whatever the reboot goes for, one thing's for sure: it should make the LGBTQ+ subtext of the original series text. That was, after all, the impetus for the reboot talks in the first place.  

"Manimal," with its self-explanatory title, is indeed a show about a man who turns into an animal. The show was created in 1983 by Glen A. Larson, creator of the original "Magnum P.I.," "Knight Rider," and "Battlestar Galactica." Like many of those other shows, "Manimal" was basically a weekly procedural where the titular hero, played by actor Simon MacCorkindale ("Wing Commander"), helped the police fight crime. The show was criticized for recycling basic and cliched plots despite its ostensibly supernatural hook. It only lasted eight episodes.

The show would fare better now with a reboot. It could follow in the footsteps of MTV's "Teen Wolf," which was a more serious take on the goofy Michael J. Fox classic. The show could be updated so "Manimal" isn't helping the police but instead pursuing vigilante justice, like a superhero. TV special effects in the early '80s TV were pretty limited, but nowadays even lower-budgeted stuff can get decent VFX, so that could help the premise immensely. 

Alternatively, the premise could go in a comedic direction, spoofing generic supernatural procedurals. In fact, it seems that was the route Will Ferrell and Adam McKay were going to go with when they announced (a now seemingly canceled) reboot of the property a few years ago.

NBC's "Powerless," which aired for one season in 2017, had a great premise. Set in the official DC Universe, the story focuses on the regular, "powerless" people who have to live and work in a world full of costumed superheroes and supervillains.

The show, which starred Vanessa Hudgens ("High School Musical"), Daniel Pudi ("Community"), Ron Funches ("Harley Quinn"), and Alan Tudyk (also "Harley Quinn"), was actually pretty good. Hudgens made a solid lead as the unflappable and chipper Emily, who worked at a super-security company that was a subsidy of Wayne Enterprises. Pudi and Funches played a pair of goofy inventors. Tudyk played the absent-minded boss, Vanderveer "Van" Wayne, a real character from the comics who is Bruce Wayne's equally rich and very spoiled cousin. 

Sadly, "Powerless" wasn't renewed because it struggled with its execution. Despite its strong cast and compelling story, it adopted a tone that was a little too silly and broad for its own good. A sharper, more satirical approach to its material would greatly benefit it if it were to be rebooted.

Honestly, even if NBC or some streaming service like HBO Max were to simply bring the show back for a second season, that'd be cool, too.

"The Flintstones" was the first animated prime-time sitcom. It was set in a version of the Stone Age where humans co-existed with (and sometimes domesticated) dinosaurs and also had modern technology like cars, telephones, and TVs. It was loosely based on "The Honeymooners," with Fred Flintstone as a working-class caveman stand-in for Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden (but was a construction worker instead of a bus driver, or whatever the Stone Age equivalent of a bus driver would be). The series got a poorly reviewed big-screen revival in the 1990s but hasn't returned to TV since it ended in 1966, despite attempts at resuscitation. 

The humor is, honestly, very dated. Much of the comedy stemmed from upholding traditional marital, familial, and gender roles. To get around this issue, we'd turn to DC Comics' "Flintstones" limited series from 2016, which was part of a wave of DC Comics based on Hanna-Barbara properties around that time (this included a post-apocalyptic "Wacky Races" and a hard-nosed "Scooby-Doo"). Written by award-winning author Mark Russell, the "Flintstones" comic updates the original material. Not only does it give the characters and world a new visual style, but it also contains a lot of prescient and biting social commentary. It even makes prehistoric, dopey dad Fred pro-gay marriage. 

All this said, it seems like a "Flintstones" remake called "Bedrock" is already in the works. It's not based on Russell's comic, but the information available about it makes it sound like it is indeed getting updated to suit modern audiences. 

Unfortunately, "Freak and Geeks" only ran for one season from 1999 to 2000. Even so, it was the launching pad for many careers that would turn out to dominate the next couple of decades, including that of creator Paul Feig and executive producer Judd Apatow. It was also where most people were first introduced to the likes of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Martin Starr, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and Busy Philipps. 

The show was a high school dramedy set in the early '80s (before the decade got over-saturated and hacky) in a fictional suburb of Detroit, Michigan. It followed two different groups of kids, the titular "freaks" and "geeks," with a focus on Linda Cardellini's withdrawn Lindsay Weir and her geeky brother Sam (John Francis Daley) as they tried to navigate high school and their home life.

If "Freaks and Geeks" were to be rebooted, it would be nice to see the actors reunited once again and to see where their characters finally ended up. Enough of the main cast is still alive, well, and in good standing to return. 

"My Mother the Car," which aired on NBC in 1965, is considered by many to be the worst sitcom ever created. The Geico Cavemen show also exists, so we doubt "My Mother the Car" is the absolute bottom of the TV barrel, but we concede it's not great.

The premise of the show is honestly all in the title. It's about a man, played by actor Jerry Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke's less-successful brother), who has to contend with the fact that his mother, voiced by actress Ann Sothern, has been reincarnated as his old-timey red Porter car. The show got terrible reviews due to its cringe-worthy jokes and repetitive plots. It was canceled after only one season. 

We know this sounds unwatchable, but hear us out: there's a kernel of an idea in the premise that could lead to a good show with the right creative team behind it. The first step would be to get interesting comedians in the roles. It could also change from a mother/son relationship into a mother/daughter one. Pairings that might work include Amy Pohler, Awkwafina, or Tiffany Haddish alongside a car voiced by veteran actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, or Alfre Woodard. We'd even shore up the show's emotional core by suggesting that the mother didn't have much time in human form to raise their daughter, possibly because they were on the road too much for work. The car gimmick could be a supernatural way for them to eventually reconcile. 

"Duck Man" was a cult adult animated cartoon that aired from 1994 to 1997 and starred Jason Alexander around the same time he was playing George Costanza in "Seinfeld." The show is about the titular Duckman (full name: Eric Tiberius Duckman), who worked as a private eye alongside his partner, who happened to be a pig named Cornfed. The series also focused on Duckman's messed-up home life, which had him living with his three sons (two of whom shared one body), as well as the twin sister of his dead wife, who hated his guts.

The show was great. Beyond simply being edgy and crude, it also contained some salty satire about American hypocrisy and double standards. It could use a comeback for that alone. The animation and character designs were also unique as well, with a lot of personality that is missing in modern adult animated shows.

There's also been a bit of '90s nostalgia lately, with networks and streaming services rebooting the likes of "Animaniacs," "Beavis and Butt-Head" (for the second time), and "Daria." Why not add "Duckman" to the mix? Furthermore, like the aforementioned "ALF," "Duckman" ends on a major cliffhanger that hasn't been resolved in almost two decades. 

Give the fans some closure, why don't ya?

This entry sort of breaks the rules a bit, because it is based on a TV pilot for NBC that never aired, rather than a fully fledged show.

After the success of the "Battlestar Galactica" reboot in the mid-2000s, creator Ronald D. Moore's follow-up was to be a gritty cop drama called "17th Precinct" set in a modern fantasy world. In it, police detectives used magical spells to solve crimes, such as a necromancer cop talking to a corpse to get information about its death. At the time, Moore described it as "an adult-themed 'Harry Potter.'"

As mentioned before, the show never materialized. However, the pilot has since leaked, and its greatness proved that it had the potential to be a gripping show. Despite some of its originality being usurped by later shows and movies, like SyFy's "The Magicians" and Netflix's "Bright," urban fantasy—especially adult urban fantasy—is still a relatively untapped vein. Think about it. How many "Game of Thrones"-esque fantasy shows and standard police procedurals exist right now? Doesn't it seem smart to combine them? 

It even touched on trans issues before a lot of mainstream television did via the character Inspector Liam Butterfield (Esai Morales), who changed genders magically. Some of that subplot is dated at this point, but the character's transition is still treated sympathetically and as a simple matter-of-fact aspect of this world, which could be expanded upon in a reboot.