18 votes

You get to reboot any TV show, and give it a twist. What gets made?

You're the omnipotent power in charge of TV. You get to reboot any show you want, and you can make any changes you want.

What shows do you remake?

48 comments

  1. [9]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [5]
      unknown user
      Link Parent
      The Newsroom is one of the best TV shows I've seen.

      The Newsroom is one of the best TV shows I've seen.

      6 votes
      1. [3]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. [2]
          unknown user
          Link Parent
          The topic says "reboot". I'm perfectly cool with rebooting it with the same staff and the same set of characters, adjusted for (current − 1 year) events.

          The topic says "reboot". I'm perfectly cool with rebooting it with the same staff and the same set of characters, adjusted for (current − 1 year) events.

          3 votes
          1. [2]
            Comment deleted by author
            Link Parent
            1. unknown user
              Link Parent
              I mean "current" as in "present as we speak", not "present at the time of making of the TV series".

              I mean "current" as in "present as we speak", not "present at the time of making of the TV series".

      2. [2]
        TheJorro
        Link Parent
        It started strong but then by the time of "But why did she cut her hair?!" I couldn't take it as anything but an accidental comedy.

        It started strong but then by the time of "But why did she cut her hair?!" I couldn't take it as anything but an accidental comedy.

        1. unknown user
          Link Parent
          First season, as I recall? It got better after the first season – or so they say. I liked all of it.

          First season, as I recall?

          It got better after the first season – or so they say. I liked all of it.

    2. [3]
      moocow1452
      Link Parent
      We already had Game of Thrones and nobody liked how that ended.

      The West Wing with current politics.

      We already had Game of Thrones and nobody liked how that ended.

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. moocow1452
          Link Parent
          I'm being facetious, but the show involves a bunch of people from rich families vying for a position of ultimate power, to either reclaim the glory days or rebuild in a new image, fighting over...

          I'm being facetious, but the show involves a bunch of people from rich families vying for a position of ultimate power, to either reclaim the glory days or rebuild in a new image, fighting over how to best "fix" society while forces of nature and death circle the wagons to end us all.

          End of Series Spoilers Also, after a populist messiah runs roughshod over the populace, the best thing that the previous nobles could think to do was put a wantless symbol in power that only desires the preservation of the state and don't tell me that's not going to backfire.
          3 votes
        2. TheJorro
          Link Parent
          After the show departed from the books, there's a big shift in terms of the political ambitions and even priorities from many characters, and seem to reflect more current day politics. Tyrion's...

          After the show departed from the books, there's a big shift in terms of the political ambitions and even priorities from many characters, and seem to reflect more current day politics. Tyrion's the most commonly understood canary in this coalmine, as he shifted from "nevermind the plebs, we have to win" to "but think of all the Innocents!"

  2. [4]
    Adys
    Link
    DON'T GIVE ME SUCH POWER YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN. Oh god you're fulfilling my fantasies right now. First of all, the Stargate franchise is getting rebooted. I'm giving it some serious...

    You're the omnipotent power in charge of TV. You get to reboot any show you want, and you can make any changes you want.

    DON'T GIVE ME SUCH POWER YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN.

    Oh god you're fulfilling my fantasies right now.

    First of all, the Stargate franchise is getting rebooted. I'm giving it some serious dough this time around. It's getting Game of Thrones level of budget.

    I think Stargate had a lot of excellent ideas, but the payoff was rare. Most of the exciting stuff came from this idea that our current technology evolves into alien technology, and we gradually incorporate those discoveries into our world.

    The political parts of stargate were also interesting, but only put in there to be infuriating and build up an earthbound villain. So, that was ass, it's going to go and be replaced with the approach that The Boys took to politicizing/bureaucraticizing fantasy.

    I also want to see more than just "SG-1" or whatever. The Atlantis spinoff was a good example of what you can do by looking at other teams; but they got around the whole "paying too many actors" thing by cutting Atlantis off of earth. Whatever, it works, but … again, not enough payoff. I think these things are purely down to money.

    There's no "twist", it's just getting more budget, better quality/more consistent writing, and more variety looks at the world. Also, it's starting back up to the discovery of the stargate; the Ori were a terrible idea and I want to redo the whole Goa'uld thing with … uh, less absurdities.


    Ok, what's next? Speaking of SG-1, I can't wait until MacGyver gets into the public domain, we'll probably see lots of takes on it like we did with Sherlock. Anyway, both My Name is Earl and Dexter are going to roll a couple (or several…) seasons back and are getting a new ending.

    They both got severely shafted. My Name is Earl did not get a proper ending; it will. It was also getting weird towards the end, lost what made it good. Dexter got that times 1000; it's restarting from the end of Season 3. It's criminally bad what happened to these shows, and I can't in good conscience let this sit.


    Shit, I have to go. Uh, rebooting futurama (no particular reason, I just want to be in the list of people who rebooted futurama). I'm also hiring Alex Hirsch and letting him do whatever he wants. Maybe I'll ask him to reboot Arrested Development, he can probably do something good with it. I'm going to also do a French version of "The Office", and a completely fresh take on Alphas that's less boy-bandish. Oh, and same with Lie to Me with less theatrics.

    And Babylon 5. And Buffy.

    And Firefly. Definitely Firefly.

    I HAVE TO GO

    13 votes
    1. [3]
      Omnicrola
      Link Parent
      Firefly maybe, I'd be too afraid to touch that one. B5 though, is my absolute top favorite scifi series. Rebooting it with a larger budget would be amazing, just from a set design standpoint. And...

      Firefly maybe, I'd be too afraid to touch that one.

      B5 though, is my absolute top favorite scifi series. Rebooting it with a larger budget would be amazing, just from a set design standpoint. And casting Londo/G'kar correctly would be absolute priority.

      In fact, since I'm an omnipotent power, I would potentially split the show. For each of the main characters, I would create a miniseries of 3-8 episodes establishing their charter.

      • Delenn, during the first contact with Earth and the start of the E-M war
      • Sheridan during the middle of the war
      • Ivonova doing Russian things
      • Sinclair at the end of the war (but not revealing why it ended)
      • Londo being shat on as a low level politician
      • G'kar fighting the Centari as a resistance fighter/terrorist

      Then the first season of B5 can drive straight into the deep plot instead of the mishmash of filler episodes and character establishment.

      I also relish the idea of more deeply diving into the telepath war after the shadow war.

      4 votes
      1. Adys
        Link Parent
        Your Babylon 5 and my Stargate should do a glorious crossover.

        Your Babylon 5 and my Stargate should do a glorious crossover.

        4 votes
  3. [2]
    Thrabalen
    Link
    Daria. The show's name: "The Morgandorfers" Daria is now an adult, and a mother. (She has an ex that she still gets along with, but he's not central to the show.) She's a successful adult in a...

    Daria. The show's name: "The Morgandorfers"

    Daria is now an adult, and a mother. (She has an ex that she still gets along with, but he's not central to the show.) She's a successful adult in a media field (managing editor for something progressive.) Her main source of stress comes from her interaction with her teenage daughter. Her bright, chirpy, popular daughter.

    Quinn, too, is a divorced mother (her ex's name begins with J is all we ever find out) to a pair of twin boys. Quinn has matured, abhors who she used to be, but is very good friends with Stacy, since she gained more confidence once she left the Fashion Club. She and Daria are much closer than they were in their teen years.

    Helen is a widow. Jake had a heart attack from the immense stress he placed himself under. Helen is a grandmother and a partner at her law firm. She does her best to help her family, but still has her habits (she dotes on Daria's daughter and supports her popular girl ways, which annoys both Quinn and Daria.)

    The show is about three generations of a family with very strong women, and the different ways in which they view the world. (And, of course, Daria's biting cynicism and her trying to deal with a daughter that's essentially teenage Quinn.)

    6 votes
    1. Akir
      Link Parent
      They already made this in a live action context. It was called "The Connors" and Daria was renamed Darlene. :P

      They already made this in a live action context. It was called "The Connors" and Daria was renamed Darlene. :P

  4. [4]
    unknown user
    Link
    That's a tough one. On one hand, I want to feed the high-quality TV by rebooting shows that'd received major critical praise, while also keeping their quality high and maintaining the same level...

    That's a tough one.

    On one hand, I want to feed the high-quality TV by rebooting shows that'd received major critical praise, while also keeping their quality high and maintaining the same level of what it was that got it famous.

    Breaking Bad comes to mind, with reimagined characters and the setting. Have it set in Russia, but still involving American characters in the main roles: as in, "Walter White somehow ends up in Russia, teaching advanced chemistry classes in universities". Explore Russian realities through the lens of the people who know the country and can weave the BrBa narrative into the present state of the country.

    On the other hand, I have my own selfish desires for shows that I feel were unjustly cut, despite being entertaining and thoughtful.

    The two I'd have to choose between would be Limitless and Intelligence.

    Limitless, in itself, was somewhat of a reboot to the film's gritty, dramatic narrative: Brian, the main character of the series, is compassionate, creative, and goofy. The twist... I wanna see an NZT user who's intelligent even without the drug – yet, unlike Eddie Morra, also full of compassion and caring.

    Intelligence is the sort of TV I would watch in geeky glee for hours on end. (And, as a matter of fact, I did. It's in my "Saved" directory, for guaranteed rewatching later.) It had creative exploration of the chip-in-the-brain technology, interesting characters with great potential for growth, and unique plots. It has had a strong, moral male lead, which, in a world full of dramatic moral-grey-area leads, I found refreshing and exciting.

    The twist... I have no idea. Perhaps, in the vein of the always-online-chip, explore the idea that things are really interconnected in this world – which should be made interesting, rather than simply another iteration of the idea, with the presence of a zero-latency information acquisition about damn near every digital record.

    Or, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, where the twist is no creative meddling past season 3. Seriously, just keep it where was.

    EDIT: character's name

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      DanBC
      Link Parent
      This is what made me ask the question. I was enjoying the first season of Jerico, and then it got cut. It got a second season which was not great. And there was Space, Above and Beyond which was...

      I have my own selfish desires for shows that I feel were unjustly cut, despite being entertaining and thoughtful.

      This is what made me ask the question.

      I was enjoying the first season of Jerico, and then it got cut. It got a second season which was not great. And there was Space, Above and Beyond which was potentially a really good sf show, but got cut after one season.

      2 votes
      1. unknown user
        Link Parent
        I wish there was a way to promote or support the development of such series more effectively for an individual fan, or for a fan collective. Chuck fans rallied for its continuation for each of the...

        I wish there was a way to promote or support the development of such series more effectively for an individual fan, or for a fan collective.

        Chuck fans rallied for its continuation for each of the three last seasons, if I recall correctly. I think there was also some crowdfunding involved?

        (Which reminds me: the reboot of Chuck, but with higher visual fidelity and a little more in-depth writing, even if some technobabble is required.)

        Daredevil fans are still crying the cry of renewal, even though it's unlikely to be made again within the next few years.

        (Which reminds me as well: Daredevil, period. No changes. Luke Cage, too. Just continue with what the writers had in mind: they had some good ideas.)

        1 vote
    2. Eylrid
      Link Parent
      They made a Colombian version called Metástasis. From what I could see it was a beat for beat remake, just transplanted to another country; though I didn't watch much of it, as I'd already seen...

      Breaking Bad comes to mind, with reimagined characters and the setting. Have it set in Russia, but still involving American characters in the main roles: as in, "Walter White somehow ends up in Russia, teaching advanced chemistry classes in universities". Explore Russian realities through the lens of the people who know the country and can weave the BrBa narrative into the present state of the country.

      They made a Colombian version called Metástasis. From what I could see it was a beat for beat remake, just transplanted to another country; though I didn't watch much of it, as I'd already seen that story.

      1 vote
  5. [4]
    moocow1452
    Link
    Avatar: The Last Airbender in a Cyberpunk Era. Have the Avatar be a kid in the Federated Earth Territories who keeps their status under wraps due to not wanting to put his loved ones in danger,...

    Avatar: The Last Airbender in a Cyberpunk Era. Have the Avatar be a kid in the Federated Earth Territories who keeps their status under wraps due to not wanting to put his loved ones in danger, since all sorts of political and powerful factions want the backing and blessing of the Avatar to "save the world" from everybody else.

    I want to see how bending interacts with newer technology, how spirits would be treated in a world where they could be comotified and exploited, and if you really want to get spicy, have an incarnation of Vaatu as well as one for Ravva, as Korra absorbed both of them and I like the idea of them having to work with/against each other in a world that has outgrown them.

    5 votes
    1. [3]
      unknown user
      Link Parent
      Digital spirits? Third, young world of bitcode and personas? Databending?

      Digital spirits? Third, young world of bitcode and personas? Databending?

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        moocow1452
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        That's just being a sysadmin. :P But a digitzed Spirit World or a new Digital World would be interesting to explore, maybe with sufficiently advanced Androids capable of bending the classical...

        Databending?

        That's just being a sysadmin. :P

        But a digitzed Spirit World or a new Digital World would be interesting to explore, maybe with sufficiently advanced Androids capable of bending the classical elements. Lots of room for weird world stuff to crop up.

        EDIT: Also on theme is reverse engineering Root Tech or Spiritual incorporation to give anyone the ability bend maybe even all four elements, if that is good or bad, comotified power, and what have you.

        3 votes
        1. unknown user
          Link Parent
          You may be looking for "commodify" – as in, turn into a commodity; make a consumer product. On the other end of the cyberpunk spectrum is the idea that while not everyone could ever be given the...

          comotified

          You may be looking for "commodify" – as in, turn into a commodity; make a consumer product.

          On the other end of the cyberpunk spectrum is the idea that while not everyone could ever be given the ability to bend the elements, there may be some hellish drug that gives you this ability for an hour – then makes you feel like there are needles wiggling their way into every single organ in your body.

          3 votes
  6. [5]
    Sunward
    Link
    Sliders. I love the premise, and I loved it when it originally aired, but I don't think it's aged very well; it's definitely a product of its time. I think if it were made (or remade) today, it...

    Sliders. I love the premise, and I loved it when it originally aired, but I don't think it's aged very well; it's definitely a product of its time. I think if it were made (or remade) today, it could get away with being a bit more cerebral, its alternate worlds could be less caricatured, and story arcs could take as long as they need instead of having to be resolved in a single episode (or occasionally two-parter) because it's better for ratings. Oh, and hopefully whatever network (or streaming service) that aired the reboot wouldn't show the episodes out of order.

    5 votes
    1. [4]
      DanBC
      Link Parent
      I loved Sliders!!

      I loved Sliders!!

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        Adys
        Link Parent
        Man, I was going to say Sliders as well the other day. I 100% agree with @Sunward's analysis. There's a solid premise but it has aged horribly badly. I couldn't even finish it.

        Man, I was going to say Sliders as well the other day. I 100% agree with @Sunward's analysis. There's a solid premise but it has aged horribly badly. I couldn't even finish it.

        3 votes
        1. cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Similarly, IMO Quantum Leap also had a great premise too, but the old show is just too much a product of its time to be enjoyable these days. Interestingly enough though, just the other day it was...

          Similarly, IMO Quantum Leap also had a great premise too, but the old show is just too much a product of its time to be enjoyable these days. Interestingly enough though, just the other day it was revealed that a reboot of it is supposedly being considered:
          https://www.slashfilm.com/exclusive-nbcs-peacock-considering-quantum-leap-revival-as-millennials-drive-saved-by-the-bell-and-punky-brewster-returns-tca-2020/

          3 votes
        2. moocow1452
          Link Parent
          I just disown anything past the first two seasons when they started rotating characters and it became Movie of the Week. Done well, it's a lot like Doctor Who, but done poorly... I'd rather watch...

          I just disown anything past the first two seasons when they started rotating characters and it became Movie of the Week. Done well, it's a lot like Doctor Who, but done poorly... I'd rather watch Doctor Who.

          2 votes
  7. [5]
    insegnamante
    Link
    Burn Notice. The finale was just horrible. Even if the reboot was just something that fixed the finale I'd be happy. Psych, set in San Francisco, with Monk. One season, with episodes from both...

    Burn Notice. The finale was just horrible. Even if the reboot was just something that fixed the finale I'd be happy.

    Psych, set in San Francisco, with Monk. One season, with episodes from both characters' points of view. Would probably be absolutely hilarious.

    A modern MacGyver would be awesome.

    5 votes
    1. [4]
      unknown user
      Link Parent
      Somewhere between Scorpion and Mythbusters, while still pure entertainment.

      A modern MacGyver would be awesome.

      Somewhere between Scorpion and Mythbusters, while still pure entertainment.

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        insegnamante
        Link Parent
        I haven't watched Scorpion, but I'll trust you on that one. Mythbusters will always be a love, so I'm with you on that.

        I haven't watched Scorpion, but I'll trust you on that one. Mythbusters will always be a love, so I'm with you on that.

        2 votes
        1. [2]
          Eylrid
          Link Parent
          I would be all over a show with Adam Savage playing a MacGyver character.

          I would be all over a show with Adam Savage playing a MacGyver character.

          2 votes
          1. insegnamante
            Link Parent
            It would be a spy comedy. Like Johnny English or Get Smart. I'd watch that. I'd watch that over and over.

            It would be a spy comedy. Like Johnny English or Get Smart. I'd watch that. I'd watch that over and over.

            1 vote
  8. NaraVara
    Link
    Reboot, except instead of a kids show about processes working inside a computer it's a drama about a community of processes inside a phone living under an oppressive Stasi style surveillance...

    Reboot, except instead of a kids show about processes working inside a computer it's a drama about a community of processes inside a phone living under an oppressive Stasi style surveillance state. Think "The Lives of Others," but in your phone.

    5 votes
  9. Death
    Link
    Spaced but it's set in a chatroom and the show is more or less one giant extended visual metaphor for the members' interactions. With the occasional real life segment.

    Spaced but it's set in a chatroom and the show is more or less one giant extended visual metaphor for the members' interactions. With the occasional real life segment.

    4 votes
  10. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. DanBC
      Link Parent
      That would be a good thread. You could start it?

      I'd use my powers to create original content instead

      That would be a good thread. You could start it?

      2 votes
  11. mat
    (edited )
    Link
    Absolutely Sapphire and Steel only.. well.. nothing different. Keep it just as weird. I'd also like to reboot The Avengers. The proper Avengers, not those tight-pants-wearing Marvel wannabes. I'm...

    Absolutely Sapphire and Steel only.. well.. nothing different. Keep it just as weird.

    I'd also like to reboot The Avengers. The proper Avengers, not those tight-pants-wearing Marvel wannabes. I'm aware it has already been rebooted at least twice, but the film was awful (although the late 70s series wasn't bad)

    3 votes
  12. [2]
    StellarTabi
    Link
    Sponge Bob, but grimdark and gangster Gossip Girl, but fix the big reveal ending (you'd have to redo the whole thing though lol) Death Note, just one more season anything plz, a dynamic where the...

    Sponge Bob, but grimdark and gangster

    Gossip Girl, but fix the big reveal ending (you'd have to redo the whole thing though lol)

    Death Note, just one more season anything plz, a dynamic where the FBI or a government entity has the notebook would be cool.

    Game of Thrones - Jon Snow should at least do one thing that is awesome and coherent story telling after he spoiler comes back to life. And the last 2 seasons have to be replaced.

    The Grinch - a sequel that doesn't involve Christmas. Maybe he scams the nazis in WWII or finds his true origins.

    2 votes
    1. jprich
      Link Parent
      GoT - I'd say wipe seasons 6 through 8 just to be safe. There are pieces of 6 that are okay but best to cut off the whole arm to save the rest.

      GoT - I'd say wipe seasons 6 through 8 just to be safe. There are pieces of 6 that are okay but best to cut off the whole arm to save the rest.

      1 vote
  13. Diet_Coke
    Link
    Game of Thrones - closer to the books and the spirit of the books. The show dropped so much of the lore, picked up hints of a story arc and then forgot about them. I'd keep Lady Stoneheart, do...

    Game of Thrones - closer to the books and the spirit of the books. The show dropped so much of the lore, picked up hints of a story arc and then forgot about them. I'd keep Lady Stoneheart, do something with the Horn of Jorgund or whatever it was called, and give the Night King a good backstory. Probably extend the series by two seasons to give the events of Season 8 some meaning. Kill more main characters off.

    2 votes
  14. DanBC
    Link
    Doogie Howser MD, but this time she's a girl[1] and it's not a 30 minute sitcom but a 50 minute comedy drama.

    Doogie Howser MD, but this time she's a girl[1] and it's not a 30 minute sitcom but a 50 minute comedy drama.

    2 votes
  15. [3]
    tomf
    Link
    There is only one series that should have a reboot, and it is RUBICON. Rubicon had a somewhat tidy ending, but there was so much more that could be done with the overall premise. If you haven't...

    There is only one series that should have a reboot, and it is RUBICON.

    Rubicon had a somewhat tidy ending, but there was so much more that could be done with the overall premise. If you haven't watched this slow-burn, do it up! It's definitely worth it.

    Nothing with the initial story needs to be changed, it simply needs to be expanded on.

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      DanBC
      Link Parent
      Rubicon is so surprising because it was around the same time as Homeland, and Homeland got all the attention but Rubicon is just better.

      Rubicon is so surprising because it was around the same time as Homeland, and Homeland got all the attention but Rubicon is just better.

      2 votes
      1. tomf
        Link Parent
        It doesn't make any sense. This was prime Mad Men / Breaking Bad time for AMC, too.

        It doesn't make any sense. This was prime Mad Men / Breaking Bad time for AMC, too.

        2 votes
  16. [4]
    mrbig
    Link
    Seinfeld. Kramer becomes an Instagram celeb, Elaine is a feminist, George and Jerry hate and love the new Superman movies and everyone has crazy Tinder adventures. Tales from the Crypt, with more...
    • Seinfeld. Kramer becomes an Instagram celeb, Elaine is a feminist, George and Jerry hate and love the new Superman movies and everyone has crazy Tinder adventures.

    • Tales from the Crypt, with more strong female and LGBT characters. Let the men be the "damsel in distress" for a change. Horror and gore in 26 minutes episodes (that's important: with the exception of Black Mirror, anthology shows should have short episodes. Long episodes are killing the new Twilight Zone).

    • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but it takes place in the NSA and the mole/antagonist (but not necessarily villain) is based on Edward Snowden. Otherwise, the same style and rhythm.

    • Futurama. No changes. Just let those guys keep telling their awesome stories.

    1 vote
    1. [3]
      elcuello
      Link Parent
      There's probably 20 seasons of material on RedditWritesSeindfeld so it practically writes itself.

      Seinfeld. Kramer becomes an Instagram celeb, Elaine is a feminist, George and Jerry hate and love the new Superman movies and everyone has crazy Tinder adventures.

      There's probably 20 seasons of material on RedditWritesSeindfeld so it practically writes itself.

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        mrbig
        Link Parent
        They read some of those to Larry David, and he said they were extremely unfunny and would never work. Maybe he's wrong, but at least he's (seemingly) honest!

        They read some of those to Larry David, and he said they were extremely unfunny and would never work.

        Maybe he's wrong, but at least he's (seemingly) honest!

        2 votes
        1. elcuello
          Link Parent
          Really? Interesting. I guess he's got the experience with this kind of writing so maybe it's harder than you think.

          Really? Interesting. I guess he's got the experience with this kind of writing so maybe it's harder than you think.

          1 vote
  17. porridge-progress
    Link
    I don't know about adding a twist but I'd love to see what they had planned for Afterworld.

    I don't know about adding a twist but I'd love to see what they had planned for Afterworld.

    1 vote