Reboots: Did they sink or swim?

Nothing beats the original. That’s a usual stigma that coincides with the release of the spinoff of a show or movie, especially when it thrived the first time around. However, recent reboots have shown promise. The key to a successful spinoff is incorporating the perfect balance between referencing the original show and telling a story that encompasses its own unique flare. A common hesitation of attempting a reboot is that it won’t do the original justice. The fear of stepping on the toes of the program that an audience once fell in love with can interfere with the possibility of it creating a magic of its own. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the remakes that either drowned in the waters of failure or managed to stay afloat. 

Cobra Kai: 

The 1984 motion picture, “Karate Kid” certainly won the hearts of the nation and deemed the film an ultimate classic. The trifecta revolving around martial arts depicted the continuous rivalry between the protagonist, Daniel LaRusso, portrayed by Ralph Macchio, and pronounced villain Johnny Lawrence, played by William Zabka. Flash forward to present day, and the roles are reversed in the 2018 series that has been up and running for four seasons. Now, Lawrence is the center focus, and he opens up his own Karate dojo to relive his glory days and finally get back at LaRusso after his devastating loss all of those years ago. This reboot has been a smashing success, featuring both humor that adults can relate to, along with accurately depicting our current generation. Each character is provided with their own engaging storyline, and there are several that can be considered fan favorites. This spinoff proves that the “Cobra Kai” franchise has what it takes to strike first. 

Gossip Girl:

You know you love them. Fans followed Manhattan’s elite through six seasons of relationships, drama and of course,  gossip. Running from 2007 to 2012, the award-winning television program brought the audience to smiles and tears in a roller coaster of emotions. The “Gossip Girl” reboot had incredibly massive shoes to fill after the original show’s reigning legacy that is still admired to this day. Considering this, it is understandable that the expectations for a spinoff series were underwhelming. Doubts and suspicions were raised even prior to the reboot’s release, and the failed revival received backlash from the get-go. The spinoff features a cast filled with fresh faces, while the audience longs for the group of actors that brought their trademark characters to life. The brains behind the operation of the infamous “Gossip Girl” is revealed in the remake instantly, even though fans looked forward to putting together the pieces that surrounded their identity in the earlier series. The attempted renewal of “Gossip Girl” undoubtedly dropped the ball in carrying on the legacy of this iconic TV drama. 

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series 

“We’re all in this together” thinking that the “High School Musical” trilogy was nothing short of perfection. The students of East High left fans lost in the music with their showstopping theatrics and unforgettable moments. After the curtains closed in 2008, it was perceived that the Wildcat’s chapter was ending. However, the story was rewritten in November of 2019 when rising stars Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett took the stage in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” After two successful seasons, the television program has shown great potential. With impressive vocals, along with an array of captivating songs, this show truly made its own name for itself. It took the magic created by the original “High School Musical,” and implemented it into its own unique masterpiece. The show takes place at the legendary East High School from the initial movie, but exists in a separate universe where Troy Bolton is merely a character played by Zac Efron, and “High School Musical” is simply the film the drama club is basing their school musical upon. The show is the perfect combination of bringing out nostalgia from our childhood, and sparking the “Start of Something New.”

iCarly 

There are some shows that everyone grew up with that feel like a piece of our childhoods, and iCarly is definitely one of them. The hilarious antics and entertaining web show of best friends Carly Shay and Sam Puckett brought laughs to people everywhere. The witty banter, clever pranks and fair share of famous guest stars made “iCarly” a household name. In the attempts of reviving this series, creators decided to bring back the original characters rather than starting from scratch. The single-season reboot depicts the lives of the familiar faces we all know and love, along with a few new ones. However, the former teenagers are now adults out in the real world, where their problems have gone astray from simply high school drama and rival web shows. The element of the spinoff that shifted fans towards feelings of dislike was that it did not provide the same childhood comfort it did back in 2010. The series itself is not entirely flaw-filled, but its extreme contrast from the initial series drives fans away and causes them to wish that the characters’ futures were left untold.