The other day, I was on my way to the library to pick up a copy of the movie "Downfall" (which is awesome and you all should watch it) when I came across a copy of Time magazine that was set out for people to read. The big topic was on wartime rape in places like Africa, but I saw that there was an article titled “Is Nostalgia Killing TV” or thereabouts as I browsed through.
The article discussed the recent trend in rebooting television shows from 10, 20, and even 30 years ago and how the low ratings that they brought in were dragging down the industry a bit. Shows like "X-Files" and "Full House" were very much a product of the times, speaking to concerns and interests that were prevalent in the era and transitioning them to modern times is by no means easy.
In some ways, I am inclined to agree with the Time article for a few reasons. As I said, times have changed. We know more about our world than we did 20 years ago and everything from politics to family structure has shifted. Of course, you can tell new stories exploring these themes, but utilizing characters from an older show carries plenty of baggage from that time. The old character archetypes might not mix with the new themes and exploration of the old themes goes over well with some people while alienating others.
Some shows have made the transition ("Battlestar Galactica" is one example), but many others still cling to the older model and can only find an audience that is looking for something new.
Which brings me to my second point, with all of this emphasis on what’s old and nostalgic, what’s new and original is left by the wayside. The field of writing and producing TV shows and films is fairly large, with hundreds of hopefuls to be found, but only a few of those hopefuls actually get to produce their works. How many of them are asked to handle a reboot or a remake instead of getting a shot at their own show? Granted, it can be a great way to get one’s foot through the door, but a writer may find themselves stuck with the remakes and may never get a chance to bring something new to their audiences.
Don’t get me wrong, nostalgia is a good thing. It’s a reminder of what we enjoy and used to escape some of the mundane aspects of life. We can go back to the shows that we enjoyed in our past and know that we will not be disappointed in what we see. However, as always, sometimes it is good to experiment and see if there is something out there that you didn’t know that you liked.
If you spend too much time living in the past, you might not get that chance.
