Viewers find comfort in the familiar. Fans form emotional connections to favorite characters, and revisiting their stories can feel so rewarding. That is why studios continue to bank on nostalgia: Audiences are drawn back to what they already know.
Related:Night Court and 9 Other Upcoming Reboot Shows We Can’t Wait For
While well-executed and original ideas push the industry forward, reboots, remakes and sequels continue to draw ratings. Already in 2023, NBC’sNight Courtrevival has set recordsfor the network. Target demographics are looking towards the past, while cable and streaming both supply some surprising trips down memory lane.
1Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix)
First announced in 2018, Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderis the long-anticipated live action remake of the classic Nicktoon. The highly-celebrated animated adventure followed Aang, the reincarnation of the Avatar, an ancient spirit of light and peace in human form. The reluctant young hero will once again save the world, this time in a total of eight hour-long episodes.
While Aang was originally voiced byZach Tyler Elsen, this reboot will instead featureGordon Cormierembodying the role. This new, live action show initially involved the series' original creators,Michael Dante DiMartinoandBryan Konietzko. However, the pair Filming for season onewrapped in June, and the show is expected to debut sometime this summer.
2Clone High (HBO Max)
WhenClone Highdebuted way back in 2002, the series launched the careers of its creators,Phil LordandChris Miller. After a thirteen-episode first season, the pair became animation superstars, directing such titles asCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,The LEGO Movie, and producingSpider-Man: Into the Spiderverse.
Related:‘Friends’ and 9 Iconic Comedy Shows That Should Not Get a Reboot
Twenty years after the adult animated sci-fi sitcom’s sleeper success on the MTV Network, a two-season revival was ordered by HBO Max. Earlier last year, Lord and Millerannounced via Twitterthat the reboot would premier in 2023.
3Teen Wolf (Paramount+)
Teen Wolf, as a franchise, dates all the way back to the 1980s. Back then, firstMichael J. Foxand thenJason Batemanstarred as the titular lycanthropic teenager. Flash forward to 2011 and the concept was revisited and turned into a supernatural drama series on MTV. Now, a full decade later,thatseries is being continued as a movie on Paramount+.
Teen Wolf: The Moviewill be released on August 07, 2025, and it will feature some of the cast as their old characters. Returning actors includeTyler Posey,Crystal Reed,Tyler HoechlinandHolland Roden.
4That ’90s Show (Netflix)
Hello, Wisconsin! It’s time to take a trip down memory lane and back down the Foreman family basement. Set fifteen years after the events ofThat ’70s Show, this sequel series sees a whole new bunch of teen characters as the next generation of friends in Point Place.
That ’90s Showfeatures tons of its predecessor’s lauded cast returning as guest stars.Topher Grace,Ashton Kutcher, andMila Kunisall appear in recurring roles, whileKurtwood SmithandDebra Jo Ruppare featured in the series' main cast.
5Frasier (Paramount+)
Kelsey Grammerwill belly up to the table for more tossed salad and scrambled eggs, if theFrasierreboot keeps its theme song. The new show will be a sequel to the successful spin-off which ran from 1993-2004. Paramount+ greenlit the upcoming series for exclusive debut, hoping to recapture on the original’s acclaim.
Related:Why ‘House M.D.’ Should Never Get a Reboot
Unlike many nostalgic retreads that cash-in on familiar faces, the Frasier of 2023 won’t see more from many of Grammer’s former costars.David Hyde Pearce, in particular, has chosen not to return, with other actors declining similarly. Instead, the new show will focus on Frasier Crane and his son, played byJack Cultmore-Scott
6Night Court (NBC)
Night Courtmight not immediately seem like a series destined for a sequel, but so far, critics and audiences alike have received the reboot favorably.John Larroquettereturns as prosecutor Daniel Fielding, a role that won him four consecutive Primetime Emmys in the 1980s.
Original series starHarry Andersonpassed away in 2018 before having the chance to revive his iconic Judge Harry Stone. Instead,Melissa Rauch, the executive producer of the sequel series, will star as Stone’s daughter Abby.
Related:10 TV Shows From the ’80s That Are Worthy Of A Reboot or Remake
7Party Down (Starz)
Perpetually included on lists of the most underrated TV comedies of all time,Party Down, is a Starz original which began airing on the network in 2009 before being canceled in 2010. Audiences to this day decry the decision to cancel the show, but the show was losing its starsAdam ScottandJane LynchtoParks and RecreationandGlee, respectively.
Party Downalso featured actorsKen Marino,Lizzie CaplanandMartin Starras a catering company in Los Angeles. The original show featured its characters trapped in a dead-end job, unfulfilled by how unattainable their aspirations felt. Surely the themes will still resonate a full decade after the first two seasons.
Keep Reading:10 Exciting Movie Remakes & Sequels to Check Out in 2023
