Reviving Classics: What Sitcom Should Be Rebooted Next?

Michael Lieberman | March 17, 2023 at 9:19 AM

What's The Next Great Reboot and How It Should Be Done

Get ready for a trip down memory lane with a twist! This blog is all about classic sitcoms that are ripe for a reboot. From "Cheers" to "Married...With Children," and even "The Golden Girls," we'll take a look at why these shows deserve a second chance and what a modern retelling could look like.

With reboots becoming increasingly popular, why not give these classic shows a chance to shine in a new light? Who knows, you might just find a new favorite. In this blog, Hollywood Branded discusses the appeal of reboots and which sit-coms we feel are ready for a reboot.

What To Reboot Next?

Reboots have become a popular trend in television in recent years. With many beloved shows from the past being brought back to life, there has been a resurgence of interest in these classic franchises. Audiences are drawn to the familiar characters and storylines, as well as the opportunity to relive fond memories from their childhood. At the same time, reboots also provide a chance for modern audiences to experience these shows in a new light, with updated special effects, new perspectives, and fresh twists on familiar storylines. With the success of sit-com reboots like "The Conners," "That 90s Show," and "Frasier," it is clear that the trend is here to stay so here are a few classic sit-coms I think deserve a reboot next and my idea on how.

Cheers

Cheers was a huge hit for NBC from 1982 to 1993 and launched the careers of stars like Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, and Kirstie Alley. The show was set in a bar named "Cheers" in Boston, Massachusetts, and revolved around the lives of the employees and regular patrons of the bar which included accountant (and beer aficionado) Norm Peterson, postman Cliff Clavin, and therapist Frasier Crane who got his own spin-off show which is also being rebooted this year.

A reboot of the show could see a new owner buy Cheers, which has been closed and forgotten about for years, and introduce us to a whole new staff and regulars while providing ample opportunity for Norm and Cliff to once again take their barstools along with other past cast cameos.

Scrubs

There has been rumors of a Scrubs reboot bubbling for some time now so I'm certainly not reinventing the wheel with this call but this was one the funniest shows of the 2000s. Scrubs was a medical comedy that featured a group of medical interns trying to learn how to be doctors all along with the occasional slapstick moment or daydreamed vignette by J.D. played by Zach Braff. As T-Mobile has realized with their recent commercials, is there a better bromance than the one between J.D. and Donald Faison's Turk? I don't think so.

As Grey's Anatomy has proven, doctors come and go so we could certainly pick up again at Sacred Heart Hospital with J.D., Turk, and Elliot as the veterans working under now Chief of Medicine Dr. Cox and a whole new class of medical students doing their best to learn the ropes and avoid a hazing from the Janitor.

Married...With Children

This one is a long shot for sure but this whole blog is basically me playing "fantasy TV programmer" so let's have some fun with it.

The show was a humorous look at the life of the Bundy family in Chicago. Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) is a shoe salesman who is frustrated with his life and his family. He is married to Peggy (Katey Sagal), a ditzy housewife, and has two children: Kelly (Christina Applegate), the older daughter who is promiscuous and ditzy, and Bud (David Faustino), the younger son who is wisecracking and mischievous.

Throughout the show, the family got into various comedic misadventures, including Al's struggles to make ends meet and his attempts to get ahead in life, Peggy's attempts to improve her life and be more sophisticated, and Kelly's popular, and oftentimes promiscuous and Bud's attempts to navigate their own lives as young adults.

Most of the leads from this show have gone on to have huge success and Ed O'Neill and Katey Sagal are still as comedically sharp as ever. Where as with other reboots, you have a chance to show a character has evolved or grown from when we last left them, with this show I think the humor would come from finding Al still selling women's shoes and Peggy still just as inept at finding "culture". For the kids however, the new age of technology and cultural openness has provided them a wealth of success and opportunity. I'd love to see that Kelly is now a social media star while Bud actually found his calling in the legalized marijuana business (I mean, with a name like Bud this one writes itself). I can see the same level of white trash that made the Bundy's so endearing but with a current social message as well.

The Golden Girls

Before you tell me I've fully lost my mind and also remind me that Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia have all gone to the Miami condo in the sky, bear with me on this one. This is less about a full reboot of the original characters and more about 4 brand-new funny women becoming roommates in Miami, FL.

What if Blanche's daughter has now retired to Miami and moved into her mother's old home? We could add in Dorothy's daughter and one of Rose's too if you want to really go for broke but if not, we just need one and then 3 roommates. My thunder is stolen a bit here by films like 80 For Brady and shows like Hot In Cleveland, but what about a combo of Lily Tomlin, Wendie Malick, Jennifer Coolidge, and then Dolly Parton as Blanche's daughter (remember, we are dreaming here)? Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, and Betty White were such perfect casting that we may never come close again, but shouldn't we at least try?

Reboots Are Here To Stay

There's a reason reboots will never go away. Whether they are good or bad, we as humans like familiarity. Nostalgia makes us feel good. That's why even outside of reboots, you are seeing classic characters appearing in more and more commercials. This year's Super Bowl will see appearances by Derek Zoolander, Cher from Clueless, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad, and even 90s iconic female singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan. We can all agree that not everything needs a reboot (Friends and Seinfeld should never be touched again) and that some reboots will disappoint us (I'm looking at you The Odd Couple) but that we will all probably watch them at least once.

Eager To Learn More?

Want to learn more about reboots and the power of nostalgia in Hollywood?

Want to stay in the know with all things pop culture? Look no further than our Hot in Hollywood newsletter! Each week, we compile a list of the most talked-about moments in the entertainment industry, all for you to enjoy!