We all remember some of our favorite TV sitcoms from the 90s - "Boy Meets World," "Full House," "Martin," etc. These shows successfully reached diverse demographics and gave their viewers comedic relief. From Jesse's beautiful hair, Martin and Gina's relationship, and Will's effortless style, 90s sitcoms embodied the essence of that decade. We all love 90s sitcoms for a variety of reasons, but we seriously need to leave our favorite 90s shows in the 90s.
First, we can't fully reboot a widely-acclaimed television show with some of the original characters absent. For example, a "Martin" reboot just would not bring the same emotions as Tommy Ford; the actor who portrayed Tommy, sadly passed away in 2016. Think about it. Imagine a "Fresh Prince" reboot without Uncle Phil.
Secondly, these sitcoms became successful, partially because of the context of the time they were in. These actors and actresses were casted during a time when they were young and popular. "Fresh Prince" actor Will Smith was fresh, energetic, and fashionable, which is a huge attribution to the show's success. But now, Will Smith is happily married with two young adult children. He gives motivational speeches on Instagram now. (These are SO amazing by the way; I highly encourage everyone reading this follow him). It would not be the same without 20-something-year-old Will Smith, instead of 50-year-old dad Will Smith.
Thirdly, we need to encourage the production of original content in the 2010s. Not taking the chance to gamble on contemporary ideas is lazy. We have many great television shows now. Here's the reality, not many shows today are sitcoms with a laughing track in the background, which is the format for many comedy shows in the 90s. Its just not what millenials want to hear or see these days. With amazing shows like "Broad City" and "Master of None," it's going to be extremely hard to compete with cheesy punchlines and a laugh track. Honestly.
Instead of rebooting, lets challenge our nostalgia by creating fresh, new content that caters to a broad audience. There are plenty of ideas floating around that could be worth a pilot episode. We, millenials, are sick of the 90s revivals. Let's be real, it's hard to catch our attention, and when its caught, its hard to keep. We are captivated by unique ideas that are like nothing we've ever seen before. We love our 90s shows, but its safe to say, we'd like for them to stay 90s shows.