Entertainment
When word got out that your favorite witch sisters were coming back with a CW's upcoming Charmed reboot, you no doubt thanked the stars that your spells had been finally answers. But back up: the Charmed reboot is slated to be a fresh "reimagination" set in 1976. Say what, now? Suffice to say this leaves the show to fall on precarious terms, but it also makes me think about the nature of resurrecting series — and how there are some shows that should never ever get a reboot.
Now, we're not talking about revivals that follow a set of characters 10 to 20 years later (although that's its own thing). We're talking about the facelifts that some of our favorite classic series get periodically (mostly by The CW, let's be honest). And while it gets us all excited for a minute, usually a revamp will leave you craving for the integrity of the original. Sometimes you simply don't want to tamper with perfection. Or, rather, imperfection that really just held up well in a specific timeframe, and now would just amble into our modern era somewhat awkwardly, yet beloved.
There are many specific shows that I'd like to stay clear of giving the Charmed treatment and keep their awesomeness intact for all time just the way they've always been. Such as:
1
'Buffy The Vampire Slayer'
I mean, the original Buffy series was already a re-imagining of sorts, molded from the ashes of a little appreciated film of the same name starring Kristy Swanson. Still, while I'd always welcome more Buffy-verse properties, it'd be ill advised to resuscitate the series with another face behind the famous slayer. She's already died twice, let it lie.
2
'Hey Arnold!'
It's cool that the Jungle Movie will wrap up some questions. Anything more than that, though, will tamper with the legacy of a phenomenal children's show.
3
'Friends'
Friends has been resurrected enough by a thousand shows about attractive twenty-somethings living in New York. You could re-work it to be more diverse, but ultimately, it's been done before, it was done really well on that particular show for a decade, and we're good.
4
'How I Met Your Mother'
Speaking of which, How I Met Your Father is still being shopped around as a tangible idea, this may still happen. However, given the monstrous disappointment of the ending, the concept should not be taken for another walk around the park.
5
'Scrubs'
They tried it once with that disastrous med school season, so let us not attempt it again.
6
'My So-Called Life'
Easily one of the most fantastic teen soaps of it's era, and since the plug was pulled on it so early you'll always yearn for more of it. This one, so '90s and iconic due to the angst of a young Claire Danes, is best kept preserved in a time capsule.
7
'Freaks & Geeks'
Often lumped into the same "Gone Too Soon" category of MSCL, there might be some that would still want more from the series. But how can you possibly go about it? How can you go about that without taking out the dulcet tones of Rush?
8
'Mad Men'
There are certain spin-off angles that maybe could work, however, the show itself shouldn't be remolded for any other era than the '60s.
9
'Johnny Bravo'
It's one of Cartoon Cartoon's finest, and while in some ways Johnny's excessive machismo is played for laughs (actually, all of it is played for laughs, he's certainly not rewarded for it). Still, there's no need for more excessive machismo in television, even if we're gonna be satirical about it.
10
'Veronica Mars'
We're still getting Veronica Mars movies with the old cast in tact, so as of this moment, there certainly isn't a need.
11
'Daria'
More sardonic ladies on television? Heck yes. However, much like Beavis and Butthead, something might be lost with Daria herself if you take her out of the MTV era. Sure, the show plays well in our superficial times, I just don't want to torture her with 2017.
12
'The O.C.'
This Fox show has CW reboot written all over it, like it's begging to be brought back with a new cast of young, sexy Californians. Here's the thing, though: nobody will ever be a better Seth Cohen than Adam Brody, and nothing should ever soundtrack a show like this but early 2000s emo.
13
'Dawson's Creek'
Honestly, I don't want to see any other adult man portray a teenage boy with that cry-face. It'd be sacrilegious.
I think, if you look deeply into your heart of hearts, you'll realize the truth: these shows were products of their times, and that's where they should stay.
