Over the past decade or so, reboots and revivals have become a major source of contention among consumers. More and more networks and streamers began rolling out updated iterations of past favorites, whether it was Netflix getting the Tanner family back together for Fuller House or The CW reimagining 1980s primetime soap Dynasty through a modern lens.
The success of reboots and revivals wasn't always a given, even if established IP seems like a safe bet for a slam dunk (which it generally is, at least at first). While the craze has slowed down ever so slightly, there have still been plenty of returns, like sitcom revivals Will & Grace, Frasier, Roseanne, Night Court, and Mad About You, drama reboots like Charmed, Bel-Air, Gossip Girl, and Magnum P.I.
Whether we like it or not, the reboot and revival train will continue to move full steam ahead. There's already a handful of beloved shows set for some sort of return, as networks and streamers have either placed into development or set for release four upcoming shows that will surely draw a lot of eyeballs and even more criticism. Do these shows need reboots or revivals? Let's dive in!
Friday Night Lights
The sports title Friday Night Lights has hit bookshelves, movie theaters, television screens, and now back again. The book inspired a film, which both inspired the Emmy-winning NBC drama series of the same name. Even though the series was wildly underrated (literally!) during its time, Friday Night Lights has enjoyed sustained popularity on streaming platforms like Netflix and Peacock.
Well, after ordering a fourth and final season of its dramatic Fresh Prince remake Bel-Air, Peacock has decided to continue making old things new again with an in-the-works Friday Night Lights reboot. Obviously, the premise of an unlikely hero of a coach wrangling a chaotic high school football team lends itself to new iterations, but baring the same title as the NBC series that has stolen hearts for going on two decades might not produce the same lightning-in-a-bottle effect.
Scrubs
Just like Peacock looking to move from one reboot to another, ABC already seemingly has a power play in its pocket for one of its most successful sitcoms' imminent endings. Roseanne revival spinoff The Conners will sign off with its seventh and final season in March 2025 after over 100 episodes, but the alphabet network already has a potential Scrubs reboot/revival on deck.
Bill Lawrence became involved with the Scrubs project in the works at Disney and pushed the possibility of it coming to fruition in a big way. The main cast of the original medical comedy series, which aired on NBC for seven seasons before moving to ABC for its final two, is in talks to return, though details remain under wraps. The news of new version of Scrubs created pause for its fans, fearing that after the messy ninth and final season (reboot in itself), a revival would further drag its legacy down.
Prison Break
After its premiere on Fox in 2005, Prison Break became a breakout hit series, which lasted for four seasons. Of course, the drama returned to our screens for a revival season in 2017, but following the conclusion of the nine-episode fifth season, the potential of a sixth season was ultimately squashed when series star Wentworth Miller expressed interest to pursue other roles.
However, now there's talk of a completely new edition of the series coming to Hulu. In November 2023, a reboot series was said to be in development from Elgin James, who's known as the FX crime drama series Mayans M.C. Fast forward to December 2024, and a pilot was officially ordered at Hulu. While it's sure to be a draw for fans of the original series, the new version won't feature any characters from Prison Break, instead just taking place in the show's universe. Was a reboot really necessary then?
Suits
The summer of 2023 was one to behold, in part because we witnessed a television renaissance unlike any other. Suits began streaming on Netflix and exploded in ways that it hadn't during its nine-season run on the USA Network. Seriously, it was an unexpectedly massive drop that can't be understated. It's as if Netflix surprise-dropped a full series of a new show all at once. It was wild!
Before long, NBCUniversal was looking for ways to bank on the newfound success of the series, since there was definitely something to look into. There was a demand for the legal drama that the company couldn't have forecasted. Spinoff series Suits: L.A. starring Stephen Amell was fast-tracked and will make its premiere on NBC in February 2025. This will be the one to watch, the real tastemaker that will determine if the Suits phenomenon was a flash-in-the-pan moment or a harbinger of a new TV development plan.