I am definitely one of the people who always harp about how AWESOME the 1990s was. Apparently, current pop culture agrees with me.
Right now there are three television shows that have been rebooted, and two that are in the works of debuting reboots.
What exactly does it mean to reboot something?
When a show that previously aired is returned, but with a new twist to its main storyline, this is a reboot.
Reboots are double-edged swords. Satisfying a large fan base of a show is one of the objectives of a reboot, yet it's rare that can be done. Every person who was a fan of a show wants to see something different if the show is brought back.
Here I list the five shows in reboot status currently, what I liked about the show originally, and if I personally wanted to see a reboot.
1. "Sailor Moon"
"Sailor Moon" is a Japanese anime cartoon about a reincarnated princess and her protectors and their battles against the Negaverse.
I had been watching "Sailor Moon" since it's very early time slot of 6 a.m. I was mesmerized by the girl power of these "pretty soldiers", the many different storylines, and the clumsiness/ditziness of the main character.
"Sailor Moon" put the characteristics of sun sign astrology into personification. My mother was teaching me astrology during the time "Sailor Moon" first began airing, so it was fun to compare notes.
I particularly enjoyed drawing the Sailor Scouts and collecting "Sailor Moon" memorabilia.
Today I have a good majority of the dolls, stickers, VHS episodes, and taped-from-television episodes on VHS.
In my eyes, "Sailor Moon" was perfect the way it was. I wouldn't have minded more of "Sailor Moon R", "Sailor Moon Super S", and the "Sailor Stars" seasons dubbed for the United States.
The reboot "Sailor Moon Crystal" debuted on Hulu back in June 2014.
2. "Charmed"
"Charmed" is a supernatural drama about three sisters who find out their witches.
I watched "Charmed" from the first episode to the last episode - completely engulfed in it the whole time. The show made me cry, made me think, made me think, made me laugh, and made me curious.
"Charmed" was not only the first show I watched all the way through, it was also the first show I participated on fan websites about. I was one of the geeks who talked about Charmed Universe theories on message boards and begged all my friends to watch it.
I didn't want a reboot for Charmed, but I did wish they had continued the stroryline of the future descendants of The Charmed Ones since the end of Season Eight was rushed due to the elimination of the WB Network for the now CW Network.
The reboot was officially announced in 2017.
3. "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer"
"Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" is a supernatural drama that follows the journey of Buffy Summers, a 16-year-old Slayer. The show was a continuation of the movie "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry that came out in 1992.
Buffy was one of those shows that teenagers of the 90s grew up with. The storylines were typical of the struggles high school students went through. Peer pressure, teasing, dating, suicide, school shootings, puberty, parent/teenager power struggles. The show just added the supernatural elements.
I was so devoted to Buffy that when she started dating Riley and college - I had to stop watching. I was so upset that the intense Buffy / Angel storyline was so no more. I eventually came back to the series and caught up with it after it ended in 2003.
Buffy was as intense and intricate as a show could be. I don't feel like it needed a reboot.
The reboot was confirmed in 2010.
4. "Full House"
"Full House" is a show about a single father raising his three daughters with their uncle and his best friend.
I loved "Full House" because of its cheesiness. The storylines were relatable, but they were also much simpler than what was seen in Buffy and Charmed. The innocence of the show was what gave it magic.
Kimmy Gibler was my favorite character since my first name is Kimberly. She was the white female version of Steve Urkel on "Family Matters."
"Full House" had a huge fan base. Though a fresh take on its premise is interesting, my question is, did it really need a reboot? "Full House" was one of those classic 1990s shows with dramatic music, audience sound effects, elementary conflicts, and after school special messages at the end of each episode. Shows like that are good within its time. Outside its time it just feels inauthentic.
The reboot started on Netflix in February 2016.
5. "Roseanne"
"Roseanne" is a comedic drama about a low class and low brow family.
What drew me to "Roseanne" was the sarcastic humor they used throughout the series. It greatly resembled the humor on "Married With Children."
At the time, though I thought "Roseanne" and her husband were funny, I related more to the interpersonal struggles of her kids. The show barely featured them (because it was about Roseanne obviously), but when it did I paid extra attention.
I came to "Roseanne" in the first place because of the movie "She-Devil" that Roseanne did in 1989.
I had no idea "Roseanne" was being rebooted! I'm at a loss as to why it needed to be rebooted. I wasn't even aware it had a big fan base!
The reboot began March 2018 on ABC.
