Wednesday, November 5, 2014

STOP The Reboots!?

A couple weekends ago I was back in San Diego doing an overnight babysitting session for my favorite girlies.  Since we had a LOT of time I decided to share with them one of my favorite childhood movies:  The Care Bears 2.  I started with the second one because it is almost like a prequel to the first and because I like it better.

I was happily surprised when the danced along to the songs and asked to watch the first one!  These two movies from over 30 years ago still hold up today and can connect with a new generation!
via EW

When I heard from EW that another one of my childhood favorites, The Popples, would be getting the remake-over, I clicked right away over to the article and saw the new design.  I didn't like it.  The new Popples look nothing like their predecessors, the ones I fell in love with. Ok I just popped back over to look at the article to see if I was overreacting...NOPE...still don't like them!
Original Popples

Along with The Popples is another 80s reboot Rainbow Brite.  Though I was a fan of Rainbow Bright during my childhood, she wasn't as important to me as The Popples.  I've watched the trailer {on EW again} for her new show and I actually like the new her.  For one she still looks like her BRITE!
The Rainbow Brite reboot will come to subscription video-on-demand service Feeln November 6th.  The new Brite will star Emily Osment and Molly Ringwald.

Lastly, a few weeks ago we were informed that the U.S. will be AGAIN trying to make their own version of the popular indie British comedy The IT Crowd.  Now I will admit that I was very late jumping on The IT Crowd train {The Hunny will never let me live that down}.  But once I saw the series in it's entirety I thought how could this get any better?!  The US had a failed pilot in 2007 so why try again?

What do you think about all the reboots and remakes happening?  Should they stay or should they go now?  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  I cannot help but base this on a case by case basis.  My emotions get too much in the way!

9 comments:

B said...

Just. Stop. Please. LOL

Joie Fatale said...

I'm not sure about all reboots are bad...I mean, the US version of The Office is leaps and bounds better than the UK (If you omit one of the seasons...but there are 10 or so, so...).
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic is PHENOMENAL! And so fun!
But, by comparison, Rainbow Bright doesn't look as smart as MLP, and I haven't seen anything about Popples.
As for IT Crowd. I LOVE the UK one...and I'm not sure rebooting a reboot is too keen an idea.
BUT, maybe--like The Office--they will let it be it's own thing, and not force all the stories from the old show to be made in an "American Way" (in other words: original scripts will be key to success, even if the characters share similar traits).

Joie Fatale said...

(PS I too am NOT a fan of the Popple re-design...eee! creepy!)

Erini CS said...

I'm fine with reboots. One of the things you'll hear in writing classes/workshops is "there are only so many stories, everything is just a retelling." Honestly, if writers and creatives can find a new way to make something old accessible again? More power to them! And if they're not good, I just don't have to watch them. :)

Dahlia said...

While not exactly a reboot, I was annoyed when they started computer animating Thomas the Train and making their mouths move. I'd watch the show with my oldest, now 11, and the mouth not moving thing made it seem more like a storybook. Now, it's just plain weird and creepy.

I've seen three Supermans in my lifetime (so far) but the only one for me is Christopher Reeve (not counting George Reeves cuz that was TV).

Batman - Michael Keaton all the way.

Spiderman - Tobey McGuire.

And let's not talk about Being Human, okay? The US should have left that show alone.

But I liked both Offices. The US one went on for longer, of course, so there's less to compare, but that's a reboot I don't mind.

Okay, I see I've typed a ton of stuff here, so I think I need to wind it up.....:)

Usagi said...

I'm silently crying over here. I do NOT like the design of the Popples. They look creepy. Rainbow Brite looks cute but she reminds me too much of all the other generic cartoons currently on air. I'm not going to watch either show. I actually tried watching Girl meets World and I couldn't sit through the ep. It felt like the show was being dumb down for the kids.

Okay, if the IT Crowd reboot didn't work the first time, why would you do it a second time?? Why???

If anyone touches She-ra, I'm gonna ruin them.

Nerd Burger said...

I'm not going to lie... i am really excited for the Rainbow Brite reboot. Any Rainbow brite is great and the new design is adorable.

Jenn said...

I'm not familiar with The Popples, but man, that redesign is terrifying. I don't think all reboots/remakes are bad. The Office is a great example of that. In fact, I still haven't watched all of the UK series because I couldn't get into it. I'm willing to give a remake of The IT Crowd a chance. I think it could be fun.

Unknown said...

The problem with the first IT Crowd US version (which I don't really consider a reboot so much as a transfer/transplant) was that they cast Joel McHale (Jeff Winger on Community) as Roy... and Roy's character works best as this average, slightly cranky, romantically inept, slob-- and that's really not how McHale comes off AT ALL.
I'm not opposed to reboots and retellings. A lot of the changes made are reflective of new values whether it's social or visual, as well as whose skills can be put to work retelling things. I was never familiar with the popples or rainbow brite since I was a 90s baby. My Little Pony's reboot is AMAZING though.
I think just as with any non-reboot, it's all about making a good story. It's hard to find that footing between the new and legacy material.

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