Virtually every reboot of long-departed show has simply tried to recapture magic of original, and that fails every time. Only possible way to do this well is to interrogate what show was and how time has changed that, and how time has changed characters and their relationships to each other.
And only revival show that has even attempted to do that, that me aware of, is season three of Star Trek Picard, which me was dreading as cloying fan service and ended up pleasantly surprising me. (Not that it not have fair amount of nostalgia, but it was far more interested in how these characters and their relationship to Jean-Luc Picard has changed, which made whole... wait for it... enterprise worthwhile.)
i mean, the new episodes of Party Down were pretty great overall.
also, it didn't get any coverage anywhere, but the (sadly, now-canceled) reboot/reimagining of Beverly Hills 90210 (BH 90210, the meta-comedy that aired on Hulu) was a great example of using nostalgic IP to create something new and exciting.
100% agreed on Party Down – that one somehow nailed the same tone as the original run while also reflecting on the passage of time and integrating new cast members, all quite seamlessly.
If you are including shows that follow the same characters years later, Twin Peaks was also good and there were a couple all time great episodes in season 11 or the second reboot season of X-Files. Also the second season of the Comeback was very good.
I have several issues with this show, most of them pointed out in this review, but despite it all I’m just glad Scudworth still hits. not enough of him as mentioned, but man he’s the one element they recaptured perfectly.
I thought the rest of the material was fine, but even if it was flat out bad I’d still keep coming back for him.
I watched the original Clone High a week before starting the Rebuild, so it's interesting to see them essentially back to back and without nostalgia. So far I'm not entirely convinced by the new show's attempts to address actual issues along with the absurd comedy; perhaps inevitably, the old clones' fish-out-of-water reactions feel much better observed than the writers' grasp of the new zeitgeist they've thawed to. Like, "rigid social structures set by beauty and popularity are increasingly upended by pushes for inclusivity" is an idea a lot of TV writers seem to take as a given, but it doesn't actually reflect reality or even the reality of social media (or, idk... Hollywood), where beauty and popularity are as desirable as ever. The girls' plotline didn't work for me as well as the Abe and JFK's, where it felt much more plausible that JFK's himbo confidence would carry him where Abe's sensitive loser thing wouldn't (plus JFK's "I like boobies!" being read as sex positivity is just a great bit).
But to be honest that's a molehill, not a mountain (and mostly a first episode issue). The jokes mostly land and the animation is a surprisingly charming update on the original art style. I was sure I recognised Candide's voice from the old series but didn't put it together that she was 2002's Cleopatra (and honestly didn't notice that Cleo's actress had changed).
When Bloody Mary joined the sleepover, I laughed and laughed and laughed. I hope you're right about her just popping up randomly throughout the show, I'd love that.
Silly question given how short the original run is; but, if you haven't seen the original Clone High can/should you start with the rebootquel series or is it too early to tell. Doctor Who (2005-Present) is a great example of creating a clean entry point for newbies while also rewarding long-time viewers.
Whereas you don't need to watch the original to understand this season, you need to watch the original because it's one of the best single-season television shows in the history of the medium
I just rewatched the original and I would highly recommend watching it first because while you may, I guess, understand or follow these first two new episodes, it's clearly engaging with the past text in a meta fashion, so you'll appreciate what they're doing more if you have the context.
Virtually every reboot of long-departed show has simply tried to recapture magic of original, and that fails every time. Only possible way to do this well is to interrogate what show was and how time has changed that, and how time has changed characters and their relationships to each other.
And only revival show that has even attempted to do that, that me aware of, is season three of Star Trek Picard, which me was dreading as cloying fan service and ended up pleasantly surprising me. (Not that it not have fair amount of nostalgia, but it was far more interested in how these characters and their relationship to Jean-Luc Picard has changed, which made whole... wait for it... enterprise worthwhile.)
i mean, the new episodes of Party Down were pretty great overall.
also, it didn't get any coverage anywhere, but the (sadly, now-canceled) reboot/reimagining of Beverly Hills 90210 (BH 90210, the meta-comedy that aired on Hulu) was a great example of using nostalgic IP to create something new and exciting.
100% agreed on Party Down – that one somehow nailed the same tone as the original run while also reflecting on the passage of time and integrating new cast members, all quite seamlessly.
The Saved By The Bell Reboot arguably did this as well.
If you are including shows that follow the same characters years later, Twin Peaks was also good and there were a couple all time great episodes in season 11 or the second reboot season of X-Files. Also the second season of the Comeback was very good.
I have several issues with this show, most of them pointed out in this review, but despite it all I’m just glad Scudworth still hits. not enough of him as mentioned, but man he’s the one element they recaptured perfectly.
I thought the rest of the material was fine, but even if it was flat out bad I’d still keep coming back for him.
I watched the original Clone High a week before starting the Rebuild, so it's interesting to see them essentially back to back and without nostalgia. So far I'm not entirely convinced by the new show's attempts to address actual issues along with the absurd comedy; perhaps inevitably, the old clones' fish-out-of-water reactions feel much better observed than the writers' grasp of the new zeitgeist they've thawed to. Like, "rigid social structures set by beauty and popularity are increasingly upended by pushes for inclusivity" is an idea a lot of TV writers seem to take as a given, but it doesn't actually reflect reality or even the reality of social media (or, idk... Hollywood), where beauty and popularity are as desirable as ever. The girls' plotline didn't work for me as well as the Abe and JFK's, where it felt much more plausible that JFK's himbo confidence would carry him where Abe's sensitive loser thing wouldn't (plus JFK's "I like boobies!" being read as sex positivity is just a great bit).
But to be honest that's a molehill, not a mountain (and mostly a first episode issue). The jokes mostly land and the animation is a surprisingly charming update on the original art style. I was sure I recognised Candide's voice from the old series but didn't put it together that she was 2002's Cleopatra (and honestly didn't notice that Cleo's actress had changed).
Omg I thought of Seth Cohen too
When Bloody Mary joined the sleepover, I laughed and laughed and laughed. I hope you're right about her just popping up randomly throughout the show, I'd love that.
Silly question given how short the original run is; but, if you haven't seen the original Clone High can/should you start with the rebootquel series or is it too early to tell. Doctor Who (2005-Present) is a great example of creating a clean entry point for newbies while also rewarding long-time viewers.
It’s a clean enough entry point but if you’re interested just watch the original first, yes.
Whereas you don't need to watch the original to understand this season, you need to watch the original because it's one of the best single-season television shows in the history of the medium
I just rewatched the original and I would highly recommend watching it first because while you may, I guess, understand or follow these first two new episodes, it's clearly engaging with the past text in a meta fashion, so you'll appreciate what they're doing more if you have the context.
Wait, they cancelled Venture Bros while rebooting *this*?
Movie is still coming out.