Lately it seems as if there are no original ideas anymore on TV, and by “TV,” I mean Netflix. Cast revivals and spinoffs leave me with the empty feeling I get when I eat an off-brand bowl of cereal — it just isn’t the same as the original.
Is it too much to enjoy what we already have? Revived shows and movies like “Fuller House,” “Girl Meets World,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Hey Arnold” and “High School Musical 4” should cease to exist.
Nostalgic things should stay nostalgic — like the Tamagotchi pets we used to love and care for so well.
Also it’s crucial to remember these were shows we used to watch as kids in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Not only are these weird revivals oddly out-of-date, but they also lose their humor because we are no longer the target audience.
Specifically regarding “Fuller House,” something the entire world seemed to erupt at the thought of watching, it unfortunately fell short of its objectives.
The cast is older and regrettably less good-looking, except the never-aging John Stamos. Not only do they look a little off, but also, through the years of harsh adulthood in the cold hard world, the old cast seems to have lost that classic, unbridled humor they once carried.
The new episodes are chock-full of cringe-worthy puns and are not worth all of the hype surrounding the new revival.
Why can’t we stick to binge-watching reruns or TV marathons? They’re like high school reunions. We love going back five years later to see all of our classmates, but it’s not like we actually want to go back to high school.
That would be tragic.
Throwback Thursday works because it’s a throwback. The Tanner daughters aren’t supposed to be grown adult women with jobs, families and real-life problems. They’re supposed to be little semi- cherubic girls who eat a cookie when they’re not allowed to or try to skip gym class when they’re on their period.
The great thing about these shows is they’re stuck in time, serving as digital treasure boxes of sorts.
Why would we try to find someone less attractive and less talented to recreate the infallible legacy that Troy Bolton left with the East High Wildcats? We already know it’s impossible. Triple threats aren’t easy to come by, and when they are found, they most certainly don’t look like Zac Efron.
There is no reason to recreate the great entertainment that our generation knows and loves so well. These shows exist, and we should enjoy them for what they are — classic representations of our coming-of-age characters.
Now that we are of age, let’s act like it and stop being greedy for more.
jlkarl@indiana.edu
@jkarl26
