Yesterday, TVLine ran a story about the reboots and people’s reactions to them.  I must say, it was right on the money but I have a somewhat different take on the situation.  Here’s my take on the situation.

The game shows of ABC.  Sure, it’s a cheap way of making television shows and putting “programming” on the air.  Let’s admit it.  You only have to pay the hosts, maybe a few guests, and anyone who wins a prize.  Production values are low but America has moved beyond this concept.  What’s My Line and To Tell the Truth didn’t even seem to intrigue my parents and the episodes that I saw didn’t seem to have any “game” to them.  While I use to enjoy the Gong Show, it’s time has passed and the old standards either need to be revived with more energetic hosts or with a new concept to the show.  Of all the game shows ABC has rolled out, The Match Game is the best due to Alec Baldwin as host.  It misses the mark because no one personality is continually or has any star power like Richard Dawson and Brett Somers had. The best episodes of this were the Leah Reimini ones!  With ABC trying to buy the FOX network, I’m worried about what we may get.

While they called Riverdale a reboot, I call it a re-imaging because the Archie of my childhood was vastly different than Riverdale.  I’ve been studying the reboot that the  comic series has undergone and the television show is a reboot of even that.  Riverdale is intriguing even though I hardly recognize the Jughead character and Reggie is all but absent.  This new show seems to be a mix of Twin Peaks meets Dawson’s Creek and is intriguing enough for me to revisit.

Dynasty, which follows, on the other hand is ringing flat.  Blake has no charisma (even though I like the actor), Crystal is a dumb down character, and Fallon is too over the top.  I watch it occasionally but don’t want to get to heavily invested in it.  I dislike shows that bore and this one borders on it.

And since I have mentioned comic books, let’s deal with the superheroes side of things.  I have nothing against any of the CW’s shows but wish that the CBS network had shown more courage in keepint Supergirl on the home network.  And I readily admit that FOX’s Gotham is just too dark for me.

Instead both CBS and NBC are banking on their old standards of CSI and Law and Order.  Granted the originals were good shows but how many different versions are too many before we have nothing but repeating stories but on different shows with varied details to suit the locations!  Come on CBS and NBC.  You use to be more original than that.

In closing for this long overdue piece, let me add this.  It’s okay to do an update but why use the original plot devices.  We’re use to the old stars in the shows.  We can see the old shows on reruns on other networks.  The best “reboot” works when you take the premise and update it with a new cast, a new setting, a new year, and a new ship (Star Trek anyone).  Even Fuller House is working because it’s the original cast but aged appropriately.  I’m getting tired of repeats but if I have to chose the repeats, I will go with the originals every time.