A humorous factor occurred whereas I appeared for ’90s exhibits that might use a contemporary reboot. I received caught within the 2000s when a few of my favourite exhibits aired, and I noticed that each present I wished to be rebooted was within the style class.
If you recognize me, that most likely isn’t a lot of a shock, however the sheer quantity of style exhibits that had been created and didn’t take maintain is shocking even to me, who watched them. And the casts? Among the greatest.
In my thoughts, the important thing to a contemporary reboot is that the exhibits must have acquired quick shrift indirectly, whether or not the timing was all flawed or the present by no means lived as much as its premise. At the moment’s style exhibits which have succeeded could possibly be storytelling fashions for reboots. Listed below are the exhibits that match that invoice.
Defying Gravity (2009)
The unique premise of Defying Gravity adopted a crew on a six-year area mission to discover the photo voltaic system, unaware {that a} mysterious pressure known as “Beta” was manipulating them.
It caught my consideration instantly, however apparently, my mates and I had been the outliers.
For some purpose, the present was marketed as “Gray’s Anatomy in area” (no, actually), which didn’t match the tone of the present. The sci-fi components had been additionally gradual to develop, and ABC didn’t decide to its complicated storytelling.
It may work if the sequence had been reimagined as a status sci-fi mystery-thriller with profound psychological and existential stakes. Suppose Occasion Horizon meets The Expanse with a structured multi-season plan that reveals Beta’s intentions piece by piece.
Its core themes may embrace exploring the psychological toll of deep-space journey, hidden agendas, and the cosmic horror of encountering an unknown pressure that doesn’t function in response to human logic.
Sci-fans crave sensible, bold tales (see the success of For All Mankind), and this might faucet into that with sturdy world-building and existential dread.
Invasion (2005-2006)
One other present that also sticks with me as we speak is Invasion. The premise? After a hurricane devastates a Florida city, eerie adjustments start occurring, resulting in body-snatching paranoia (however are you paranoid if it’s true?)
It was a gradual burn, and ABC canceled it after one season simply because it was getting fascinating, partly because of the devastating results of Hurricane Katrina occurring throughout its run. Timing is the whole lot.
It could possibly be reimagined as a psychological sci-fi horror sequence exploring mass hysteria and lack of identification within the wake of a hurricane. Suppose The Leftovers meets The Factor, specializing in what occurs when individuals don’t know who to belief if mates and family members will not be themselves anymore.
The core themes of identification, paranoia, local weather change as horror, and the way worry spreads like an an infection can be well timed and drive dialog. In as we speak’s world stuffed with viral misinformation and conspiracy theories, a present that faucets into the paranoia of not realizing what’s actual can be terrifyingly related.
Harper’s Island (2009)
A homicide thriller slasher sequence set on an remoted island throughout a marriage? Sure, please.
The premise had all of the makings of an ideal whodunit: a bunch of family and friends trapped with a killer selecting them off one after the other.
However the title did nothing to promote it, and whereas the execution was enjoyable, it by no means fairly broke into the mainstream.
A reimagined model as an anthology horror sequence the place every season tells a brand new self-contained slasher thriller may work. Suppose The Haunting of Hill Home meets Scream, the place each season reinvents the horror method: whodunit slasher, supernatural horror, survival horror.
The important thing themes of previous trauma, household secrets and techniques, and the stress of being trapped with individuals you could or might not belief would make this a binge-worthy, must-watch present.
Horror TV has misplaced its footing prior to now few years, however exhibits like Mike Flanagan’s Netflix sequence, American Horror Story have proved it may work. Why not give this each other shot?
Now and Once more (1999-2000)
This present had such a killer premise — an atypical man’s mind will get positioned right into a genetically engineered super-soldier’s physique with out his consent, forcing him to dwell a brand new life whereas being minimize off from his household.
CBS, after all, had no thought methods to promote it. Was it a household drama? A sci-fi thriller? It was each, and but neither, so they simply canceled it on a cliffhanger.
A reboot may take a a lot darker, paranoia-driven strategy, leaning into the terrifying actuality of getting your thoughts stolen and rewritten for another person’s agenda.
Suppose Black Mirror meets Mr. Robotic, the place as an alternative of simply “adjusting” to his new physique, the protagonist slowly realizes the federal government has been rewriting his ideas, reminiscences, and feelings to form him into one thing he by no means agreed to be.
Free will? Gone. Id? Manufactured. And the worst half? In the event that they created him as soon as, they’ll do it once more.
With as we speak’s developments in AI, cybernetics, and neural implants, this story is extra related than ever. If somebody managed your mind, are you continue to you?
Jericho (2006-2008)
There aren’t many people sci-fi TV lovers who don’t recall Jericho with fondness and remorse.
The sequence follows a small city in Kansas that watches in horror as nuclear bombs destroy a number of U.S. cities, leaving them remoted and struggling to outlive. The premise was unbelievable — a survival drama with political intrigue and community-driven storytelling.
So what went flawed? CBS fumbled the scheduling, by no means knew what to do with it, and regardless of a fan-driven resurrection, it didn’t final.
However think about this as a gritty, survivalist post-apocalyptic drama — extra like The Final of Us meets Yellowjackets, the place rebuilding civilization isn’t straightforward, and each selection has penalties.
The world loves darkish, real looking survival tales (Station Eleven, Fallout), and this could possibly be an ideal addition to the style, however provided that it leans into the ethical grey areas of survival as an alternative of network-friendly drama.
Journeyman (2007)
A journalist begins randomly touring by time, affecting lives however by no means realizing when or why. It was like Quantum Leap however extra mysterious and emotional, besides it aired on the worst doable time, proper earlier than the 2007 writers’ strike.
If it had been given an actual shot, it may have been enormous.
A reboot may take the Darkish meets 12 Monkeys strategy — a deeply serialized, high-stakes time-travel thriller the place every soar reveals new layers of a a lot larger plan.
Destiny vs. free will, the butterfly impact, and the emotional toll of rewriting historical past? It’s precisely the sort of present that might soar with as we speak’s prestige-loving viewers in thoughts.
Awake (2012)
A detective survives a automobile accident and wakes up residing two realities — one the place his spouse survived and one the place his son did. Each time he falls asleep, he switches between them.
Awake‘s premise was sensible, nevertheless it was too high-concept for community TV on the time.
A contemporary reboot ought to lean into the psychological thriller aspect of issues. Suppose Severance meets True Detective — a mind-bending thriller the place the 2 realities aren’t simply completely different; they’re influencing one another in methods he doesn’t perceive.
It’s an ideal idea for as we speak’s audiences who love selecting aside hidden clues and dissecting parallel worlds.
The Occasion (2010-2011)
Authorities conspiracies, a hidden alien race, and an enormous cover-up — The Occasion had the setup to be the subsequent Misplaced, however as an alternative, it collapsed beneath the load of its personal convoluted storytelling.
A reboot may repair that by maintaining the thriller grounded. As an alternative of a multitude of time jumps and cliffhangers that by no means paid off, make it a Homeland meets Arrival-style espionage thriller with a sci-fi twist.
Play it like a slow-burn alien infiltration story, the place the stakes construct steadily as an alternative of being thrown on the viewers suddenly. It could possibly be the gritty, sensible, politically charged sci-fi present we’ve been ready for.
FlashForward (2009-2010)
FlashForward imagined what would occur when the whole world blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds — and sees a glimpse of their future. Society spirals into chaos, attempting to determine what all of it means.
Incredible premise. Mediocre execution. It dragged on, received slowed down in pointless subplots, and by no means totally delivered on its potential.
A contemporary reboot may take inspiration from Westworld and Black Mirror — leaning into the philosophical and psychological influence of realizing your personal future.
What occurs to faith? Crime? Free will? If individuals don’t like their imaginative and prescient, can they modify it? And in the event that they do… was it ever the longer term in any respect? As all of us wrestle to grasp our place on the planet, we want exhibits that make us think about the probabilities inside our grasp.
Revolution (2012-2014)
Who doesn’t think about the day all of the electrical energy on Earth stops working and civilization collapses? It seems like an incredible present idea, proper?
Sadly, as an alternative of specializing in real looking survival and the extra profound questions, the present went off the rails with magic pendants that might flip the ability again on.
A reboot ought to strip away the nonsense and deal with actual survival drama. Suppose The Highway meets The Final of Us — a darkish, gripping story about how completely different factions rebuild when the previous world is gone for good.
No magic tech. No straightforward solutions. It’s only a brutal, grounded tackle what occurs when the lights exit endlessly.
After the Paradise finale, a second season (or a by-product?) may have already got one thing like this on their agenda.
Underneath the Dome (2013-2015)
It’s exhausting to think about that one of many longest-running diversifications of a Stephen King novel was this dangerous. The premise of a small city is abruptly trapped beneath an invisible, impenetrable dome with no escape, dwindling assets, and societal breakdown ought to have been nice TV.
King’s novel Underneath the Dome had that sensible premise, however the TV adaptation dragged on too lengthy, launched alien egg nonsense, and wasted its potential. It was one in all our favourite exhibits to hate-watch, which isn’t one of the best promoting level.
A rebooted model ought to be a decent, two-season psychological thriller. The Mist meets Yellowjackets, the place the dome is handled as an existential catastrophe, not a supernatural gimmick.
The main target ought to be on human nature beneath excessive strain as a result of, truthfully, the dome isn’t the true menace – the individuals inside it are.
The River (2012)
The River adopted a documentary crew looking for a lacking explorer within the Amazon, solely to seek out one thing deeply flawed.
It had the proper Blair Witch meets Misplaced setup however relied an excessive amount of on low cost scares and underdeveloped characters.
A reboot ought to go full slow-burn horror. The Terror meets Annihilation — the place the deeper they go, the much less actuality is sensible. The jungle itself feels alive, and the true horror isn’t what’s chasing them; it’s what’s already inside them.
Completed proper, this could possibly be one of many scariest exhibits on TV.
Dollhouse (2009-2010)
Right here’s one other high-concept drama that didn’t dwell as much as its premise — a secret group wipes individuals’s minds and reprograms them to develop into regardless of the consumer wants, from spies to lovers to assassins. However some “Dolls” begin to keep in mind.
The idea was sensible, however the execution was a rushed mess, due to community interference, uneven storytelling, and a finale that was crammed into half a season.
A reboot ought to ditch the company wish-fulfillment angle and go full biotech espionage thriller. Suppose Severance meets The Bourne Id, the place the Dolls aren’t simply employed playthings however covert operatives unknowingly being utilized in world energy performs.
As an alternative of the standard “who am I?” amnesia trope, make it a noir thriller the place the lead is attempting to piece collectively a previous that was systematically erased, all whereas their former selves go away breadcrumbs within the deep corners of their thoughts.
With espionage, motion, and a psychological battle over identification, Dollhouse could possibly be reimagined because the sort of high-stakes, cerebral sci-fi thriller that Westworld wished to be earlier than it misplaced the plot.
Miracles (2003)
This present may have been the subsequent X-Information — a crew investigating fashionable miracles, uncovering eerie supernatural mysteries, and slowly realizing one thing massive and terrifying was taking place behind the scenes.
However in basic ABC trend, ABC had no thought what to do with it. It received buried within the schedule, wasn’t correctly promoted, and was canceled approach earlier than it may develop into one thing nice.
A reboot may lean into that X-Information meets Evil construction — a mixture of case-of-the-week investigations that slowly construct towards a bigger, horrifying thriller.
The crew investigates “miraculous” occasions — some actual, some explainable, and a few that shouldn’t be taking place in any respect. A minimum of one skeptic is required, however slightly than being a flat-out naysayer, they’re afraid of being confirmed flawed.
Each episode leaves simply sufficient doubt. Even when there’s a rational reply, a lingering “what if?” at all times makes you query the whole lot.
It ought to have a pointy, self-aware edge — not full comedy, however the sort of darkish humor that makes the weirdness even creepier (suppose Evil’s greatest moments).
Completed proper, this could possibly be a style favourite for followers of intelligent, eerie supernatural mysteries. And in as we speak’s world of viral “real-life” paranormal encounters, city legends, and unexplained phenomena, it could be terrifyingly related.
That is definitely not a complete listing of style exhibits that could possibly be rebooted, so inform me what I missed.
Would you need to watch any of those reboots? Drop your ideas beneath.