A common trend in the film industry has been the retelling of original stories, many of which aim to rekindle the attraction of older audiences with a title or story they’re bound to remember.
A lot of the time, this can bring a whole new market to the story, reintroducing original fans to the plot, while also adapting it to reach newer generations.
Some new TV shows have gained popularity with younger audiences without them knowing that their parents grew up watching a series by the same name. Frequently, some of the plot is adapted to transgress into the modern film industry, making it so that all generations can experience the story without constantly receiving a feeling of déjà vu.
‘Lost in Space’
The 2018-2021 Netflix retelling of the original 1965-1968 series did an incredible job of moving the story into the modern industry. The original series was sometimes comedic in tone and lightly dramatic, and the new adaptation is anything but. The story moves from a family navigating through space to an in-depth fight for survival with an alien robot that is anything but friendly. There is a hit of nostalgia from the use of, “Danger, Will Robinson” but the result of it coming from a humanoid but deadly form instead of the almost maid-like tin can original creates a strong eeriness of threat. The series is full of twists, betrayal, and secrets – with a few heart-felt family moments – and delivered a well-executed serious tone to the original show.
‘Girl Meets World’
Spawning from the original ’90’s sitcom ‘Boy Meets World’, the modern sequel comfortably creates a multi-generational story, the children and teenagers from the original series now being the adults and parents in the new series and offering a completely different life perspective to their characters. While there is a strong sense of déjà vu and nostalgia from the series, it satisfied the need of watchers to know what happens to their favourite characters after the original series ended. ‘Girl Meets World’ addresses what has become of all the main original characters while also introducing the new protagonists, Corey and Topanga’s children and their friends, who take the reins of the story in a new world. Renowned for delivering important life lessons to the audience, the show can now continue to deliver to new audiences.
‘Heartbreak High’
The original series aired from 1994-1999 as an Australian teen drama surrounding the lives of staff and students at Hartly High School. The new series has gained traction on Netflix with young adults, with many unaware that it had priorly existed. Full of teenage angst, the Australian comedy teen drama revisits Hartly High School and deals with the problems associated with modern teenage society, including the navigation of racial tensions, high school romances, and friendship tensions. The series dissects aspects of sexuality, individual expression, the complications of teenage friendships, and social out-casting.
‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’
Originating earliest from the Archie Comics and later from the TV series ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ airing from 1996-2003, ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ turns the teen flick into a dark supernatural horror series. Still delivering as a teen drama and coming of age story, the new series instead jumped on the current phase of supernatural horror, leaning heavily on the bloody and witchcraft aspects of the story. It goes to show, even as a witch you can’t escape the strife of the teenage experience.
‘Reacher’
Fans of the Lee Child book series based on Jack Reacher were left disappointed with the 2012 film starring Tom Cruise as he wasn’t able to do the silent ex-military character justice. In the 2022 Amazon Prime TV series adaptation, starring Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, fans and new watchers alike were left satisfied. The series follows Reacher, a drifter that has little more than a toothbrush at all times, as he investigates a local conspiracy after being falsely arrested for murder, and later reuniting with some of his old military team while investigating the disappearances of some of the members. Jack Reacher is a tall, broad and immovable force that you don’t want to reckon with.
‘Cobra Kai’
‘Cobra Kai’ is a martial arts comedy drama that acts as a sequel to ‘The Karate Kid’ films. While it’s not quite a remake, it follows the trend of taking on an original story and introducing it to a new audience. The show stars original ‘Karate Kid’ actors Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as Daniel and Johnny and reinforces the feud that we were exposed to in the ’80s. This time, however. Johnny takes on the underdog role as he decides to re-open the Cobra Kai karate dojo. The dojo attracts a ground of social outcasts who begin to prosper under the leadership of Johnny and Daniel vows to bring it down.
‘Wednesday’
‘The Addams Family’ is a well-known story and has received various retellings over the years. One notable retelling that has gained a lot of attraction, especially from younger audiences, is the 2022 Netflix Original ‘Wednesday’. The show, instead of showcasing the peculiar family, takes a single focus on the experience of Wednesday as she attends the school at which Gomez and Morticia Adams met, adapting the story into a coming-of-age tale. With a quirky aesthetic and a strong Tim Burton tone, this series gained a strong following, luring in audiences young and old back into the world of the Addams Family.
What is your favourite TV remake?
