31 TV Reboots and Revivals Where Some Worked and Others Tanked Hard

How do you think these stacked up to the original?
31 TV Reboots and Revivals Where Some Worked and Others Tanked Hard
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We don’t know if you’ve ever reconnected with an old friend, but it can definitely go both ways. You start off remembering the good ol’ days, but they (and you) have grown and changed so much over the years. Are they that same old great pal that you can’t wait to hang with again, or has life found a way to beat them into a shell of their former self? 

When it comes to TV show reboots and revivals, we don’t think we could’ve drummed up a better analogy. 

Man, we nailed that. Dropping this on our editor’s desk will be the perfect time to ask for a raise. Where were we? Oh yeah. See if you want to still hang out with these shows or not!

The Munsters

COMEDIES that shouldn't have been saved THE MUNSTERS TODAY A revival, a reboot, a regret. This 1988 reboot is technically a revival of the original Munsters, since the first episode continues the original series in 1966. Cheaply made with cheesy jokes, it paled in comparison to the original. CRACKED

MAD TV

COMEDIES that shouldn't have been saved MAD TV Let's go bland! For 14 seasons (1995-2009), Mad TV gave SNL some zanier, spicier competition, and sprouted some now household names. The 2016 revival on The CW failed to produce new interesting characters, and the primetime slot watered down the Mad TV style CRACKED

Futurama

COMEDIES that shouldn't have been saved 1 1 FUTURAMA writers had moved on... Clearly. After four great seasons, fans unsuccessfully pleaded with Fox to keep the show alive in 2003. Comedy Central revived it in 2008, but many of the writers moved on, and the new ones undid a lot of what made the original so good. CRACKED

The Odd Couple

COMEDIES that shouldn't have been saved THE ODD COUPLE Grown men living together isn't crazy anymore. The original worked in the late '60s, because two divorced men becoming roommates was an outlandish concept. In 2015, we just had 12 seasons of an odd couple on Two and a Half Men, so rehashing this old premise was futile. CRACKED

Community

COMEDIES that shouldn't have been saved COMMUNITY Some mantras aren't meant to be. After five seasons, Yahoo! Screen helped fulfill Community's #sixseasonsandamovie mantra by producing that sixth season. Most cast members moved on, and it failed to recapture the magic of those early seasons. #andamovie looks bleak. CRACKED

Arrested Development

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 2003-2006 HUSTERO COMPANY 2013-2015 Arrested Development Arrested Development was ahead of its time, anticipating the internet's absurdist, post-post-post- ironic humor. The Netflix-produced Season 4 was also fun, even if not at the same level. Then Season 5 came along, and it became clear that the show was over. CRACKED.COM

Animaniacs

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1993-1998 2020 Animaniacs Animaniacs had all the absurdity, wordplay, and meta jokes our child brains needed to grow strong and deranged. The revival was well received for trying to capture the zaniness, but in a post-BoJack Horseman, post-Rick and Morty world, it struggles. CRACKED.COM

Full House

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1987-1995 Full House The original show was kind of bland, but generally beloved for its sweetness and earnestness. The revival continued the blandness, only now trying raunchy humor, and no, it didn't work. Well, at least Bob Saget was cool. Fuller House 2016-2020 CRACKED.COM

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1990-1996 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air The original was hilarious and smart, so when the drama hit, it hit hard. Bel-Air is just grittiness for its own sake, a tonally monotonous, self-serious affair. Bel-Air 2022 CRACKED.COM

Kung Fu

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1972-1975 Kung Fu The original had many things going for it (starting with David friggin' Carradine), but the whitewashing was always tricky. The current revival has the CW's trademark cheesiness, but at least it shows some respect for actual Chinese culture and performers. 2022 CRACKED.COM

Murphy Brown

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1988-1998 Murphy Brown For a hot moment in the '90s, Murphy Brown was the political comedy. The show was highly critical of politics, but at its best, also self-critical. The 2018 revival never went beyond, can you believe Trump is dumb and orange? It didn't stand a chance. 2018 CRACKED.COM

Mad About You

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1992-1999 Mad About You The original was witty, sweet, and the two leads carried it with grace. The revival, however, was a waste. It ignored the original show's ending, and while the grace was still there, it wasn't witty enough and its sweetness was just too little, too late. 2019 CRACKED.COM

Boy Meets World

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1993-2000 Boy Meets World The original show was a beloved coming-of-age story. While not as impactful, the spin-off was well received for maintaining the style, updating the problems and lessons, and including including Cory Matthews as the wisdom-imparting teacher. Girl Meets World 2014-2017 CRACKED.COM

The Twilight Zone

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1959-1964 The Twilight Zone No revival has ever gotten to the iconic, groundbreaking, just legendary heights of Rod Serling's original. Jordan Peele developed and hosted the latest one, and it was... fine? We associate Peele with awesome horror, but this wasn't it. 2019-2020 CRACKED.COM

DuckTales

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1987-1990 DuckTales The new team had big shoes to fill-and fill them they did. The revival continues to have wacky adventuring, while also having much more depth than the original. The intro has nothing on the original, though, but at least they kept the iconic theme song. 2017-2021 CRACKED.COM

Veronica Mars

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 2004-2007 2019 Veronica Mars Veronica Mars was a fascinating and surprisingly non-condescending teen-noir. The 2014 movie was pure fan service, but 2019's fourth season was one of the best revivals ever, moving forward while also exploring Veronica's inability to move forward. CRACKED.COM

Roseanne

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now H WACC ACES 1988-1997 Roseanne Roseanne was a beloved sitcom, for some reason. The revival started off strong, until Roseanne Barr engaged in actual, real-life racism-so the show killed her off and morphed into The Conners. 2018 CRACKED.COM

Dexter

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 2006-2013 Dexter Dexter was a highly respected character study, until it became a meandering showcase of villains of the week, and had one of the worst endings ever. The revival was celebrated as a return to form, until Dexter was killed by his own son. Seriously, how do you have two awful endings? Dexter: New Blood 2021-2022 CRACKED.COM

Roots

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1977 Roots Roots was a powerful, respectful miniseries that helped millions understand the history of slavery in the U.S. (and won a bunch of awards). The remake was very well received, had an impressive cast, and made some needed changes for historical accuracy's sake. 2016 CRACKED.COM

Saved By the Bell

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1989-1993 Saved by the Bell Yes, Zack Morris was a dick, but seeing him be a dick was so much fun. The movies and spin-offs were lame, but the revival smartly made fun of the classic show, while also telling new, compelling stories. 2020-2021 CRACKED.COM

Sex and the City

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1998-2004 Sex and the City Sex and the City was smart, groundbreaking, and way too white and straight even for the '90s. And Just Like That... took the path of chastising itself for not being woke enough, which made its concept of older white women learning about diversity just cringe. And Just Like That... 2021 CRACKED.COM

Twin Peaks

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1990-1991 Twin Peaks Predictably, David Lynch's foray into TV changed it forever. Then, in 2017, Lynch gave us something indescribable, not a direct continuatio, but a highly experimental, erm, show? Movie? 2017 CRACKED.COM

The X-Files

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1993-2002 The X-Files By the time the original run ended, the show had been declining for a while. The second movie sucked, and the revival was even worse. Its first season (the tenth) at least ended with the alien invasion we had been waiting for - except it was all just a vision. 2016-2018 CRACKED.COM

V

TV Reboots and Revivals Then vs. Now 1983 V If V was to become a true sci-fi classic, it was going to be after the initial miniseries. But then the inferior continuation arrived, and the whole concept was done. The revival initially received good reviews, but then fizzled out. 2009 CRACKED.COM

24

TV Reboots and Revivals Then VS. Now 2001-2010 24 24 began strong, won awards, dwindled near the end, got a TV movie, the whole deal. 24: Legacy, on the other hand, did nothing new or interesting. Kiefer Sutherland and most of the cast were gone, and it only lasted one season. 24: Legacy 2017 CRACKED.COM

Frasier

Nixed Reboots Por - 1 Frasier David Hyde Pierce said he wouldn't be back as Niles in the new Frasier show. That whole time of my life is deeply important to me... But by the same token, because it's so valuable to me, I also wouldn't do it just to do it. CRACKED

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Battlestar Galactica

CRACKED BATTLESTAR GALACTICA The 2009 finale of Battlestar Galactica sparked debate with its religious themes, and the suggestion that God was behind it all, which many fans saw as a cop-out that was, well, a literal deus ex machina. Plus, Starbuck being an angel didn't help.

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