Revoke the Reboots: Spinoff shows ruin the originals

When HBO Max first announced their plans for a “Gossip Girl” reboot, I was disgusted. You may think I’m exaggerating, but this new cast of Walmart-version Upper East Siders intruding on the steps of the Met is insulting to the iconic originals.

Although the series doesn’t air until 2021, I can already say with confidence that I will not be watching. This isn’t just the case for the “Gossip Girl” remake, but all spinoff shows for that matter. Can you honestly say you’ve ever enjoyed a reboot? I know it’s a no for me.

Iconic shows like “Gossip Girl” and “Full House” should be left in their prime time and nostalgically re-watched every once in a while, not ruined with a failed attempt at bringing them back to life with a modern twist. Has anyone ever told you their favorite TV show is “That 80s Show”? Didn’t think so.

Honestly, I see these reboots coming from a place of laziness. TV companies want to profit off of a successful, but decades-old, show by coming out with a lukewarm retell of the same story. Even if the show’s finale left some loose ends and fans longing for closure, I don’t need some money-hungry company to come and stir things up with their additional weak plots just so they can make some extra cash.

If there’s going to be a reboot, the least directors could do is bring back the original cast. The attachment that grows with characters is what makes classic TV shows so personal and enjoyable. However this is highly unlikely, considering the majority of actors don’t want to be involved in a spinoff of their show. They’re leaving it in the past, so everyone else should to. When you try to reintroduce the same storyline with unfamiliar faces, it’s already set up to fail.

While a favorite show coming to a close is always a bittersweet feeling, you’re left to come up with endless possibilities for the future of the characters and story. Sure, maybe there’s some curiosity, and a part of you wants to see what happens, but I am almost always disappointed when the future is decided by someone else. Series have dramatic finale episodes for a reason, so leave them be.

In TV world, stories can technically go on forever, but that doesn’t mean they should. Dragging out a storyline with a knock-off cast will never live up to the original hype of the show, leaving die-hard fans disappointed. I’d much rather make up happy endings for my beloved characters than a revamped version deciding everything that’s almost always guaranteed to fall flat.