Originally considered guaranteed rating winners, reincarnated shows like 90210, V, Melrose Place and Hawaii Five-0 should be now be rated EP... for Epic Fail, that is.
Other possible warnings to include at the beginning of said programs might be:
-This Show Contains Warped Nostalgic Scenes Some Viewers May Find Disturbing.
-This Program Contains Partial Storylines.
-Viewer Discretion Advised. (Actually, there's no pun required here).
Like hooking up with an ex, tv remakes seem a good idea at the time, but tend to end in disaster.
On the surface, the pitch is solid. A show that will appeal to devotees of the original (wave to that ready made fan base), while also drawing in younger audiences, thanks to a jazzy conceptual update.
Win/win, right?
Um, sure. That is, only if you don't think the idea through properly? While the concept seems sound, cracks are there for anyone to see if they bother to glance underneath the glossily produced surface.
Let me break it down for you (with an axe, or something).
Firstly, you're playing the nostalagia card. This is a notoriously fickle part of the cultural psyche to try and tap into. Affection for an old tv show is linked to memories from that period, not to mention the way the show was lit/filmed/edited/written, all aspects which are now (naturally) hopelessly out of date.
Replacing them with new fangled options is non-negotiable, and ultimately crippling. Unfortunately, said production values were an integral part of the nostalgia. By changing the way a show is shot and edited, you effect the feel... and old fans, they want to connect, are expecting to re-connect, to that feeling again.
Set and costume design, are, of course, other elements that have a similar impact on the viewing experience.
Prime example? Seeing the Peach Pit all modernised and cold in the new 90210 sent a chill down my spine. The Peach Pit had a kind of rustic charm in the original Beverley Hills 90210. Besides which, the set design allowed for characters to interact in a cosy way (a little like the couch in Friends, or the booth in Seinfeld).
This was completely lost in the open design of the new version. Worse, it was repelling, as if a memory was being sullied, rather than celebrated.
Likewise, the first V was creepy, and quite fantastic for the period. The new V lacks the best of the old V... gone are the red uniforms and the original Star Wars-inspired special effects. Instead, we have subtle greys and a lot of CGI.
Added to which, there's the complication of modern technology completely reshaping the storyline. Worse, it creates massive plotholes; the basic freedom fighter premise of V can't quite hold up under the deluge of complex surveillance modern audiences are capable of conceptualising.
Creating general storylines for any of these shows also constitutes a problem. Today's versions are comparatively grittier; blunter, even. They need to be, to survive in the current market. I'm not arguing this is better or worse, only that it's different to the tone of the original material. So, yet another core element of ye olde efforte bites the dust.
Piece by piece, you've taken away the main identifying factors of the original program. Sure, you've offered replacement material, none of which is NOSTALGIC- that was your drawcard for this portion of the audience, remember?
At this point, the only real thing connecting fans of the original series to the new show is a base premise- and that's about it. By now, the old school crew, to put it bluntly, are quite pissed off.
Now wave goodbye to ninety percent of the nostalgia market.
Likewise, over in the other camp, new fans are becoming quickly alienated. Why? Because simply put, the series isn't that good. Our modern innovators are hog-tied not just by network input and advertising requirements (like any other show) but also by bloody annoying flashes of nostalgia they're forced to inject wherever they can.
These clumsy moments hamper the show's development, especially for new audiences, who couldn't care less about the past incarnation. Desperate nods to the original series go over their head. Instead, they're left with the impression the show is a bit clumsy, that it stumbles in some sense, and their interest quickly wanes.
Now wave goodbye to a major chunk of the new, younger audience.
Obviously, this doesn't leave a lot of viewers for the show to try and hold. In the hopes of slowing the audience exodus, program creators must define the new 'feel' of the show asap. Unfortunately, this process is marred by the fact they're still forced to juggle the afore-mentioned conflicting elements.
The blunt truth is, rather than helping a program garner ratings, the loaded history of a reincarnated show enfeebles the latest manifestation's ability to maintain the interest of those who were originally drawn in, for whatever reason.
Melrose Place has already been put down. The best performer of the new breed is Hawaii Five-0, but I wouldn't say the show is a sparkling success by any stretch of the imagination. V is near death, and 90210 merely staggers along because it screens on the CW network, which has much lower audience expectations than most American networks.
It might be time to just let the old shows go, and embrace new concepts.
Now there's an idea.
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