Is the sitcom finally making a come back? The rise of sitcom sequels

[Henadic Theologian]

This is the come back I should have seen coming, but didn't. As folks burn out on Superhero moneys, and shows with dark themes, sitcoms that draw on happy memories of funny sitcoms seem to be making a come back. Humour and nostalgia seems to be a great combo.

Plus as budgets tighten in Hollywood, Sitcoms are hugely cheaper then SFX and star laden Superhero fair.

We've got How I Met Your Father (love it)

That 90's Show (Love it)

The upcoming Night Court (good feeling about it).

How long before we get a F.R.I.E.N.D.S Sequel series and a new Seinfield series?

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Well I don't think sitcoms are exactly a threat to the superhero throne. I think they mostly fill different entertainment niches. What sort of legs many of these revivals have I'm not so sure.

But I support the trend overall (which has been going on for a while, but seems like it's entering a new phase of ubiquity), if only because so many beloved sitcoms (and other shows) ended with unfinished business, either being abruptly cancelled, or just finishing at a point where the principals were tired and out of ideas. It's nice to live in a world where every show has a shot at coming back 20 years later or whatever even if not every deserving one does.

So far as classic multi-camera sitcom reboots go: Paramount+ announced they'd picked up the Frasier revival earlier this week.

 

[Tonguez]

Bring back Greatest American Hero and appeal to both audiences

 

[Aeson]

Bring back Greatest American Hero and appeal to both audiences

There was a plan for one. I think the pilot may have been filmed. I know the one that found the suit was to be a woman, but I can't remember the actress.

 

[Morrus]

Frasier is coming back too.

 

[Ryujin]

There was a plan for one. I think the pilot may have been filmed. I know the one that found the suit was to be a woman, but I can't remember the actress.

"Greatest American Heroine", 1986. It was terrible. I think that you can find it on Tubi, or one of the other free streaming services.

"The Greatest American Hero" The Greatest American Heroine (TV Episode 1986) - IMDb

The Greatest American Heroine: Directed by Tony Mordente. With William Katt, Robert Culp, Connie Sellecca, Mary Ellen Stuart. The aliens tell Ralph to find a suitable replacement for himself when his secret identity is revealed to the world. Much to Bill's disgust he selects a woman to be his...

www.imdb.com

 

[Richards]

There was a plan for one. I think the pilot may have been filmed. I know the one that found the suit was to be a woman, but I can't remember the actress.

The actress was Mary Ellen Stuart, and the pilot for "The Greatest American Heroine" was a bonus feature on the "Greatest American Hero" season three DVD set. As I recall, it was...not very good.

Johnathan

 

[Aeson]

The Greatest American Hero (TV Movie 2018) - IMDb

The Greatest American Hero: Directed by Christine Gernon. With Hannah Simone, Gia Sandhu, Humphrey Ker, George Wendt. An updated version of the classic 1980s TV show, this time with a female protagonist.

m.imdb.com

I was thinking of this one with Hannah Simone.

 

[Richards]

Wow - I hadn't even heard of that one. I may have to try to find it now. Thanks!

Johnathan

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Bring back Greatest American Hero and appeal to both audiences

Believe it or not,
A pilot was filmed.
For a reboot way back in 2018-
It wasn't picked up or it would be on your screen.
What were the execs thinking?
It was tried in 2018.

Which, to clarify the discussion, there was a 2018 pilot made, with a female lead, that did not get picked up to series, and there was also a tv movie made in the '80s that was planned to possibly launch the sequel series Greatest American Heroine which did not get made as a series but is a pilot that people have actually seen (and is evidently on the original show's DVD release). The 2018 version was, itself, the result of several years of development hell during which the proposed reboot went through several radical changes in creative team that could arguably be considered a separate attempt or two.