10 TV Show Reboots That Will Never Happen But We’d Want To Watch Anyway

May 6, 2024, 11:40 p.m.

Movies

10 TV Show Reboots That Will Never Happen But We’d Want To Watch Anyway

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Summary Some TV shows seem destined to remain untouched forever, despite their potential for a successful reboot.

Potential reboots like Seinfeld and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace have garnered interest, but many iconic shows may never return.

A reboot of Rome or Flight of the Conchords would bring new life to old favorites, but they will probably never happen.

TV reboots are becoming more and more common, especially on streaming platforms, but some shows will never get their chance. There have been some surprising TV reboots in recent years, with Frasier, iCarly and That '70s Show among the series which have been rebooted in some way after many years of silence. This trend is set to continue in the near future, with even more shows coming back from the dead.

Despite the current obsession with reboots and remakes, there are some shows which look like they will remain untouched forever, even if they are more deserving than many of the reboots which get the green light. Some of these shows would be perfect candidates for a new season, but so much time has passed that there is very little hope remaining that they will ever come back, especially if the show's creators and actors are set against it.

Related 5 TV Show Reboots We Predict Will Happen Eventually Whether they've been teased or not, some TV shows are predicted to return to the screen for their long-awaited, highly anticipated reboot or revival.

10 Seinfeld (1989-1998)

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David have teased audiences about a reboot for years

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Jerry Seinfeld , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Jason Alexander , Michael Richards Release Date July 5, 1989 Seasons 9 Streaming Service(s) Netflix

Part of the appeal of Seinfeld was always the dissonance between the main characters and the older generation, so seeing Jerry and George at the same age that their parents were during the original show could be fun.

Seinfeld has already had a reunion of sorts, as the cast reunited with co-creator Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm. In the world of Curb, the cast reunite on the old set for one final episode, and David and Jerry Seinfeld also got back together for Curb's finale, in which they admitted that the controversial Seinfeld finale could have been better. Curb has probably ruined any potential Seinfeld reunion, and it seems as though neither Larry David nor Jerry Seinfeld are interested in bringing the show back.

A modern revival of Seinfeld would still generate a lot of buzz. It would be interesting to see if Jerry and George ever grew out of their immature habits, or if they were still sitting at Monk's complaining over their latest relationships. Part of the appeal of Seinfeld was always the dissonance between the main characters and the older generation. Seeing Jerry and George at the same age that their parents were during the original show could be fun, and the reboot could reveal how the characters fared after their year in prison.

Related 7 Ways Curb Your Enthusiasm's Finale Parallels Seinfeld's Last Episode From a cameo-studded trial to a first-episode callback, Curb Your Enthusiasm's series finale borrowed a lot from Seinfeld's notorious ending.

9 Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)

The horror comedy built a cult following in just one season

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Richard Ayoade , Matt Berry , Matthew Holness , Alice Lowe , Kim Noble , Julian Barratt , Stephen Merchant , Sarah Kants Release Date January 28, 2004 Seasons 1

Series creator Matthew Holness has recently released a couple of books under his old pseudonym as Garth Marenghi, the ham-fisted horror writer, and he has sold out live shows playing the character.

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace was woefully short-lived, but its one season built a fan base that has lasted for 20 years. The horror-spoofing comedy takes aim at pulp fiction from the 1980s, but it's also a brilliant satire of any badly-acted melodrama. Darkplace is an underrated British sitcom that deserved a lot more than a single season, but it has lived on in other forms since the show ended.

Series creator Matthew Holness has recently released a couple of books under his old pseudonym as Garth Marenghi, the ham-fisted horror writer, and he has sold out live shows playing the character. The 1980s pastiche might be a little obscure 20 years later, but it would be a treat for all fans of British comedy to see Holness back together with Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, and the other actors who made memorable cameo appearances, like Julian Barratt.

8 The Critic (1994-2001)

Jon Lovitz's sarcastic movie critic could take on modern Hollywood trends

Now would be a great time for The Critic to take on the glut of derivative superhero movies, uninspired remakes and cash-grab legacy sequels that have been clogging up movie theaters.

The Critic was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, two showrunners and writers from the Golden Age of The Simpsons. The character Jay Sherman even makes an appearance in The Simpsons season 6, episode 18, "A Star is Burns," but The Critic only lasted for two seasons. The series was revived in 2001 for a series of webisodes, but The Critic deserves a full reboot, because Hollywood has never needed Jay Sherman more.

The Critic uses movie parodies and impressions of Hollywood stars to satirize the absurdity of the movie industry. The business has only gotten more risible since the show's run, so now would be a great time for The Critic to take on the glut of derivative superhero movies, uninspired remakes and cash-grab legacy sequels that have been clogging up movie theaters. Unfortunately, reviving a short-lived niche sitcom from 30 years ago seems unlikely.

7 Rome (2005-2007)

The HBO drama has a lot more to explore

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Kevin McKidd , Ray Stevenson , Polly Walker Release Date August 28, 2005 Seasons 2

There's a lot more fascinating history to cover about the establishment of the Roman Empire, so a reboot would have plenty of material to explore.

Rome was a hugely ambitious TV show, and it helped establish the entire concept of prestige television. The historical drama was the most expensive show ever made at the time, but the investment paid off for HBO. Despite the critical success of Rome, the show only ran for two seasons. There's a lot more fascinating history to cover about the establishment of the Roman Empire, so a reboot would have plenty of material to explore.

Rome could even skip ahead to a different period in the history of Ancient Rome and still be just as interesting. This would mean that the show could feature an entirely new cast and a fresh story, but it would still have many of the same positives. No show has yet been able to succeed Game of Thrones. Rome isn't a fantasy, but its ancient warfare and political scheming mean that it would be a likely candidate.

6 Flight Of The Conchords (2007-2009)

New Zealand's fourth-biggest funk duo need a comeback

Cast Jemaine Clement , Bret McKenzie Release Date June 7, 2007 Seasons 2 Streaming Service(s) HBO Max

The band's newer material shows that they never lost their touch, and their worldwide cult following would be excited to see them pick up their assortment of esoteric instruments once more.

The HBO musical sitcom Flight of the Conchords is a fictionalized account of the daily lives of the real-life band of the same name, made up of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. As the New Zealand duo struggle to get their band noticed in New York City, they also struggle with pretty much everything else, including paying their rent on time and maintaining some semblance of a love life.

A Flight of the Conchords reboot has been teased many times since the show ended in 2009. The Kiwi folksters have since been on tour with a mix of new songs and old classics, and Clement stated that a movie was in the works in 2015, but that project seems to have fizzled out. The band's newer material shows that they never lost their touch, and their worldwide cult following would be excited to see them pick up their assortment of esoteric instruments once more.

5 Mindhunter (2017-2019)

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Jonathan Groff , Holt McCallany , Hannah Gross , Cotter Smith , Anna Torv , Stacey Roca , Cameron Britton , Michael Cerveris , Joe Tuttle , Lauren Glazier Release Date October 13, 2017 Seasons 2 Streaming Service(s) Netflix

A reboot without David Fincher wouldn't be the same, and he has moved on from that chapter in his career.

Mindhunter was a huge critical success during its first two seasons, but Netflix canceled the show over fears that it couldn't justify the show's big budget, especially since it was seen as having a limited appeal. Mindhunter follows the FBI in the 1970s as the Bureau established the Behavioral Science Unit, which went on to revolutionize the process of criminal profiling. It was a hit with fans of true crime and criminal psychology, but it didn't quite catch on with a broader audience.

Mindhunter's surprising cancelation allowed David Fincher to explore other projects, but fans of the show will forever be frustrated over the way season 2 ends. The show seemed set up for a thrilling season 3, with more serial killers and old enemies resurfacing, but a reboot without Fincher wouldn't be the same, and he has moved on from that chapter in his career.

Related 15 Best Shows Like Mindhunter The best shows like Mindhunter typically center on true crimes and murderers, and should intrigue fans of the David Fincher Netflix series.

4 Blackadder (1983-1989)

Season 5 could have jumped forward in time again

Although the sitcom covered almost 500 years in its four seasons, there is still a lot more room for a potential reboot to maneuver.

Each season of Blackadder takes place in a different historical period, with the actors playing variations on similar types of characters. The show starts in the Middle Ages, and it jumps forward each season until it reaches the trenches of the First World War. Although the sitcom covered almost 500 years in its four seasons, there is still a lot more room for a potential reboot to maneuver.

There were whispers for a while that season 5 was being developed, and that it would focus on London's East End gangs in the 1960s. Ever since the passing of Tony Robinson, who plays Baldrick, a reboot seems impossible. While it would still be a delight to see Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson and Stephen Fry back together in a new historical period, it wouldn't feel complete without Robinson. Any potential reboot would also risk sullying Blackadder's perfect ending.

3 Call My Agent (2015-2020)

The French comedy-drama was ready to go international

The show has remained popular on streaming services, and Sigourney Weaver's guest appearance opened it up to a whole new audience.

French comedy-drama Call My Agent has been adapted in seven different countries, but the original still reigns supreme. The show follows the power struggle at a prestigious talent agency after the company's founder and CEO passes away. Call My Agent is a treat for fans of French cinema, as each episode features a new guest star playing a fictionalized version of themselves. Isabelle Huppert, Jean Reno and Sigourney Weaver all played memorable roles.

The ending of Call My Agent seemed to set up a fifth season or a potential spinoff, as the agency went under and the agents scurried to find their own life rafts. The show has remained popular on streaming services, and Sigourney Weaver's guest appearance opened it up to a whole new audience. A reboot could catch up with Andréa to see if her American agency ever took off, and this would allow more international guest stars to enter into the fold.

2 Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

There are more mysteries waiting in the woods

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Jason Ritter , Kristen Schaal Release Date June 15, 2012 Seasons 2

As summer draws to a close and Mabel and Dipper's bus pulls away, it feels much more like a temporary goodbye.

Gravity Falls tells a brilliant self-contained story within its two seasons, ending with the unforgettable three-part "Weirdmageddon" finale. While this climax would be hard to top, there are still plenty more mysteries to explore in the town of Gravity Falls. As summer draws to a close and Mabel and Dipper's bus pulls away, it feels much more like a temporary goodbye.

Gravity Falls has some very dark episodes, considering that it's targeted towards children. The show could take inspiration from the Adventure Time spinoff Fionna and Cake, which is more mature than its predecessor. A Gravity Falls reboot could lean even further into its dark mysteries. Its original fans have grown up, so it could be rebooted as a more mature show. Series creator Alex Hirsch has resisted calls for a reboot for years, so it seems unlikely he'll reverse his decision.

1 House (2004-2012)

House could address its controversial finale

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Olivia Wilde , Jesse Spencer , Lisa Edelstein Release Date November 16, 2004 Seasons 8 Streaming Service(s) Peacock , HBO Max

Although there are 177 episodes, House has such an addicting premise that a reboot would still get plenty of attention.

The character of Dr. Gregory House initially took inspiration from Sherlock Holmes, but the mysteries he tries to solve are about undiagnosable diseases. House ran for eight seasons in total, which gave the show enough time to experiment with the format and push House and his team to their limits. Although there are 177 episodes, House has such an addicting premise that a reboot would still get plenty of attention.

Although it can also deliver heartbreaking tragedy, House provides a lot of laughs too, and this balance sets it apart from most other procedural dramas. Hugh Laurie started his career as a comedian, so he brings a lot of dry wit to his portrayal of House. The show's finale has been the topic of heated debates ever since it aired, so a reboot would give the show's creators a chance to follow up on House after he fakes his own death.