Rebooting a TV show is often seen as beating a dead horse — a fruitless attempt to recapture former glory, or worse, a tactic to squeeze out a couple more bucks from gullible, nostalgic viewers. Shows that were once chic and clever can end up feeling cringeworthy and banal. Audiences found the remake Gossip Girl (2021) dull compared to the glitz of the original, and Sex and the City’s reboot, And Just Like That… seemed to squander the once-beloved cast of characters. 

While there are plenty of terrible TV reboots, our cynical view of them is often rooted in the paradoxical expectation that a reboot must maintain the atmosphere and quality of the original while also creating something entirely new for fresh and sentimental audiences.

Criticism of reboots often stems from the expectation that they should match the quality of the original show at its peak. However, just because a show has an established framework to work with doesn’t mean the development process is any less difficult or time-consuming than creating the original series. We often forget that many critically acclaimed shows had less-than-perfect first seasons. Consider popular sitcoms, like the US version of The Office (2001) and Parks and Recreation, which are still widely watched today. 

The first seasons — or at least their beginnings — are often considered the weakest because the writers were still finding their footing. The first episode of The Office (2005) — a remake of the UK series — relied too heavily on the source material, lifting entire scenes from its predecessor, which failed to resonate with American audiences. Still, subsequent episodes of the show diverged greatly from the UK version, which led to a better developed cast of characters, and better reception overall. 

Likewise, Parks and Recreations’ first season, initially developed as a spinoff of US’ The Office, mirrored its tone too closely, which clashed with the Parks’ characters and story. However, in both shows, clunky plotlines were smoothed out by season two, as they developed their own identities. While still drawing inspiration from the shows that came before them, both The Office and Parks and Recreation were able to create something new. 

That ’90s Show (2023) occupies an interesting position in the reboot discussion, particularly in relation to nostalgia. The original series, That ’70s Show, aired from 1998 to 2006 and followed the antics of a group of teenagers in suburban Wisconsin during the 1970s. The group consists of Eric, a clumsy Star Wars nerd; Donna, the ambitious girl next door; Jackie, the spoiled fashionista; Kelso, the good-looking airhead; Hyde, the wisecracking rebel; and Fez, the flirty foreign exchange student. That ’90s Show follows a similar premise, but with the next generation of teens: Leia, the daughter of Eric and Donna; Gwen, a punk feminist ‘Riot grrrl’ and Leia’s best friend; Jay, Leia’s boyfriend and the son of Kelso and Jackie; Ozzie, the sarcastic jokester; Nate, the dopey half-brother of Gwen; and Nikki, Nate’s smart and stylish girlfriend. That ’90s Show takes on the challenge of producing nostalgia not only for the 1990s but also for the original show — a task that is both promising and tricky to navigate.

Season one faced criticism largely because Kitty and Red — Eric’s parents and fan favourite characters — along with guest stars from the original cast, did much of the heavy lifting. In order to stand apart from their original cast counterparts, the new cast’s characterization needed to be more fleshed out, especially with characters other than Leia. 

However, by season two, the show began to grow into its own as the new cast started pulling their weight, and the writing found a balance between honouring the original show and introducing fresh content. The jokes in season two are funnier and lean into the absurd dream sequences that made That ’70s Show memorable, while the new gang gains fuller characterization and stronger group chemistry, with more screen time focusing on the teens rather than guest stars. 

Is it better than the original? No — it’s tough to live up to a star-studded cast of names like Topher Grace and Mila Kunis, and the show’s tone is a bit more juvenile compared to the original’s slight edge. But replicating or redoing the original isn’t what That ’90s Show aims for. 

That ’90s Show targets the established audience of Gen Xers and millennials from the original series, but it’s also aiming for a younger Gen Z audience, many of whom might not have even watched That ’70s Show — and that’s okay. 

TV reboots that are most positively received often preserve the heart of the original series while being unafraid to step outside the source material to attract new fans. Shows like One Day at a Time (2017) and even Girl Meets World took the foundation of their source material and spun them into something fresh and different. 

While reboots can often be easy cash grabs for the entertainment industry, they also provide a way to retell old stories for new audiences. We reinterpret fairytales, write sequels to novels, and create musicals from movies — so why not give TV reboots a second chance?