Living in the Past

It seems as if every time I go onto social media now, there is some sort of reboot of an old show in the works or being released. Just think about Lizzie McGuire, Fuller House, Girl Meets World, and now most recently, Friends (and this list goes on and on and on). Oh, and don’t even get me started about all of the reboots going on with the Star Wars franchise and their Lego recreations. Nearly every time that I go on Facebook, I can almost guarantee that I will see something about an old TV show or movie being recreated, it’s constant. I don’t think we will ever really outgrow our past because it seems as if we are always reliving it. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about many of these reboots, however it seems that we are constantly in an era of nostalgia and we can’t move on from shows that were good in their own time.

Netflix & Split Up

I think this all has to do with the creation of so many new streaming platforms in the coming years. Netflix used to have a monopoly over the streaming industry (I remember back when you had to get the DVD’s sent to you in the mail, back in the ancient times). Then it seemed as if all of a sudden, every TV network either had its own platform or was in the process of creating it’s own streaming service separate from Netflix. Now Disney, Peacock (NBC), Apple TV+, and Discovery, just to name a couple.

Netflix has had to play a lot of catch up, but luckily for them the service continues to stay popular because of its new content, including shows such as Stranger Things, You, and Cheer, just to name a few. Netflix has a disadvantage because their content is so new that they don’t have the ability to revive old shows for the modern day, but they make up in their new content for what they lack in terms of nostalgic content. They did have some classic shows and their reboots available in it’s library, however most of these shows are being pulled into their parent company’s new streaming services.

The Past Defines Us

Beyond old TV shows coming back to life, there are also plenty of old movies being recreated as well. With the launch of Disney+, we are seeing many movies being recreated for the new Disney streaming service in order to bring in more potential customers. Movies such as The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and Lady and the Tramp are just a few of the recreated movies that have come out within the past few years that are a modern take on Disney classics. Disney seems to be leading the pack when it comes to reboots, they know that they’re a great way to earn money because people respond well to them.

I mean heck, we even see old music coming back. Think about all of those reunion tours with My Chemical Romance, The Jonas Brothers, The Spice Girls, Hootie & the Blowfish, etc. It’s pretty smart on their part though. When these people get old and realize they’re running out of an income, they know going on a reunion tour is a great way to put money in their pockets. It’s only for a year or so, might as well? Concert tickets + merch sales + music streams = profit.

These people know what they’re doing. They know the relationships their audience has with their product. Just imagine if One Direction were to ever go on a reunion tour… the madness.

Play It Safe

It seems with all of these reboots, Hollywood is really just trying to play it safe. They know that people have responded well to these particular shows and movies in the past, so why not just feed into that energy and get extra income? Movies cost a loooot of money to create, so when you have an original motion picture with a brand new concept, it’s risky business because you have no idea how your audience is going to react to it.

Hollywood has been unoriginal for a long time, however. Many of the movies that we see are based on books, and I mean a lot. Some of the most successful franchises based off of books would include Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, and etc. People love to see their favorite books come to life, and usually leave disappointed, but still go back to watch the sequels anyway. People are too invested with titles they are already familiar with and have a connection to, whereas you have to fight for people’s attention for a movie or show that is new.

Also, I think that Hollywood is really tapping into the younger generation’s interests. Those of us who are around the ages of 18-30 or so are old enough to have seen TV shows and movies come and go, and some of them we remember as being a fond memory of our childhoods. We are seeing many of those shows and movies that we grew up with come back to life with a twist, better technology and production. Companies know they are guaranteed to grab our money when they create nostalgia for us. And that’s really what it all comes down to: money. It’s safe, it’s easy, and it’s a sure way of making an income; why even bother creating anything new at this point?

For now, you can catch me watching Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again with no shame, but I am holding onto my nostalgia of a childhood full of Mamma Mia.