On October 20th, FOX aired their revival of the 1975 movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

The musical comedy horror film follows sweethearts Janet and Brad, a couple whose unlucky fortune is to stumble upon Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s strange castle. Frank-N-Furter, a sexually ambiguous, flirtatious alien mad-scientist, is holding an annual Transylvanian Science convention to showcase his own Frankenstein’s monster, an attractive man named ”Rocky Horror” created to fulfill Frank's desires.

The show, while not quite matching the spunk of the original, was still wildly entertaining. With actors such as Laverne Cox, Victoria Justice, Adam Lambert, Ryan McCartan, Reeve Carney, Annaleigh Ashford and Staz Nair, the cast seemed overly eager to recreate the show. There were many mixed reviews, including several defending the original. Many explained that while the show did embrace the musical numbers, it was overall considered both “sanitized” and “safe.”

Brian Lowry, CNN: What this "Rocky" ultimately lacks is a requisite spark. The act breaks feel awkward and clunky -- a built-in challenge when migrating movies to TV -- and the dual seduction scene is disappointing. Some of the cinematic references are also understandably dated for target demographics that probably aren't well versed in Steve Reeves movies, or even Anne Francis. Still, even if the movie doesn't live up to the anticipation, there's a kick in reentering this time warp. And while it's not a fresh take, as Frank-N-Furter might say, that isn't all bad.

Sonia Saraiya, Variety: Unfortunately, Fox's production of "Rocky Horror," despite a few solid performances, appears to entirely misapprehend the appeal of the original film. Where the original is smutty, the re-imagining is slick; where the community around the original had created snappy, smart commentary to get through the story's slow scenes, the community in the FOX production is piped-in, packaged, and penned into a corner of the viewing experience.

Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times: The old saw about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery isn't really true for remakes - find something fresh, or go home - yet imitation is what mostly comes to mind here. If there were something revelatory to be gleaned by having Ms. Cox, a well-known transgender performer, rather than a man play the role, she and her director, Kenny Ortega, didn't find it. Only in the show's outlandishly maudlin finale does she really put her stamp on things.

But this movie was never intended to be better than the original. With wild dance numbers, an odd (yet entertaining) plot, and sexual jokes aplenty, the show at its surface seems an odd choice to revive for a typical audience. So why did FOX bring this iconic show back to popular media?

Having been around for almost 41 years, “Rocky Horror” has been kept alive by its quirky fans. Attending a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in a theatre is an experience unlike any other. People yell lines back at the screen during the extended pauses between dialogue, dress up in costume, including lingerie and other rather bold and non-conformist fashion choices, act out the film, and throw props including toast, toilet paper, and rice, at various times.

The story itself is strange, based as it is on a transvestite and other sex-crazed aliens who are just on Earth for a good time. But the message goes far deeper than just the chaos. With the iconic line “Don’t dream it. Be it,” both the original and revival versions of “Rocky Horror” stand for not fitting into the mold established by society, and being okay with that. It is about realizing you have the ability to stand out, and most importantly, that that is a good thing.

We are a part of a generation in which the general population is finally beginning to understand and appreciate those who are “different.” While the movie itself was flawed, the true “Rocky Horror” spirit lives on, promoting a more individual identity, allowing us to stray away from the status quo.