Mining the Past for Ideas

All the streaming channels in business today realize they’re competing with more than each other to engage their viewers. The programming reality today is that these channels also compete with every form of social media and entertainment on TV and the internet. Facing such an onslaught of competition, they might be forgiven for looking to the past for ideas for shows or “monetizing nostalgia,” as they call the practice in the latest buzzword. You can look at this growing trend either positively or negatively, and both sides deserve to be examined. 

Positives

The positive side of these “reboots” is you get to see your favorite shows again, occasionally with the same cast. The cast is important to the streaming channel, as people often tune in to see their favorite stars rather than the specific show. If they manage to retain the original cast, creators, and writers from the past, the audience can have high hopes for the reboot, as they had recently for That 90s Show reboot of That 70s Show or the Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

Negatives

The downsides can also be considerable. A reboot of a much-loved show undertaken by a young crew can miss much of the reasons for its original popularity. A show with talented writers often commented on the times and made subtle references that are lost on younger crews looking to inject new life into a much-loved show from the past. They simply don’t “get” the show. This is particularly relevant when the only thing surviving is the name and the characters. These total overhauls of shows are much more likely to be quickly canceled as there is little nostalgic reason to tune in, and people who do are often disappointed. 

The majority of viewers would rather the streaming services pay more attention to finding the best new talents and voices than proving they’re running out of ideas by continuing to dredge up the past.