Genre television seems to be truly thriving on television screens nowadays. There are fantasy, horror, adventure, and science fiction series aplenty to choose from. Studios are always looking to reinvigorate or relaunch one of their IPs in a new way.
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Over the past few years, there have been reboots and sequels to several television shows, from primetime soaps likeDallasto series reboots likeV, Magnum, P.I., andBattlestar Galactica. The ’70s and ’80s still have a wealth of material that could be reworked for a reboot or continuation.
‘Tales of the Gold Monkey’ — High-Flying Pulp Adventure
Coming on the tales of the success ofRaiders of the Lost Ark,which is getting a new 4K release,Tales of the Gold Monkeywas set in the South Pacific. It followed Jake Cutter (Stephen Collins), his one-eyed dog Jake and his plane, the Goose, as they took on the Nazis and the Japanese just before the launch of World War II. Using a remote island outpost as his home, he’d leave the bar/hotel combo of Louie’s in search of adventure. It all feels in the vein of Indiana Jones and the action serials of yesteryear.
The series was canceled after one season, not because it was unsuccessful, but because it was so expensive to produce. A ’30s and ’40s era pulp-style adventure aimed at modern audiences combining treasure hunting, fisticuffs, and menacing baddies would be a great ride.
‘Otherworld’ — Science Fiction as Adventure and Commentary
Sometimes a series has a great idea but doesn’t execute it properly.Otherworld, which lasted only eight episodes before it was canceled, was definitely one of those. It used science fiction to tell stories about society, but it was just a little too campy and incompletely realized to get away with it.
A family exploring the Great Pyramid triggers a gateway that sends them to a parallel world. Hunted and pursued by the villainous Kroll (Jonathan Banks), the series could never quite come down on a look, style, or internal consistency. Parallel worlds are always a lot of fun and let the story hold up a mirror to the viewer showing things in a new way. The use of ancient Egyptian myth as a launching point into something more is a very cool concept.Stargateanyone?
‘The Greatest American Hero’ — Believe It or Not…
With the wealth ofsuperhero television shows available on streamers like Netflix, this seems like the perfect time to rebootThe Greatest American Heroand its iconic theme song. The original series pairedWilliam Katt’shigh school teacher, Ralph, with FBI agent Bill, played byRobert Culp, after aliens gift Ralph a super-suit in the desert. Being a superhero and balancing that with his personal and professional life offered up a lot of humor and gave a very unique, for the time, take on superheroes and their place in society.
A new look could offer commentary on today’s situations and personify the responsibilities of the average person, education, and the shared desire to work towards something better. Also learning how to land properly.
‘Voyagers!’ — Family Friendly Time Travel
Voyagers!featured Omni, a time travel device that resembled a pocket watch. It would blink red when history is going awry and needs a push to get back on track. Voyager (and previous pirate) Phineas Bogg (Jon-Erik Hexum) and his young companion swooped up from the ’80s, Jeffrey Jones (Meeno Peluce), wander through history, encountering historical personages and situations.
It’s a science fiction adventure series that’s as informative as it is entertaining.Voyagers!got a full season of twenty episodes before they were left to travel the highways of byways of time alone. IfQuantum Leapjust got rebooted, perhapsVoyagers!could be resurrected as a competing alternative (and they can travel much farther in time than their Leap counterparts) as long as the budget and production can stand up to the demands of time.
‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century’ — Far Flung Future Adventure
Running for two seasons,Buck Rogers in the 25th Centuryupdated the classic serial for the late 70s and early 80s television. While the first season was camp and pulpy, the second season went right off the rails when the showrunners changed everything that made the first season appeal to viewers.
Gil Gerardas Buck andErin Grayas Wilma Deering were a great combination though neither character was given enough to do. The reality of the 25th century was never fleshed out as much as it could have been.George Clooneyhas been talking about rebooting the IPfor a while, and a fresh, less campy take on the series could be what it needs, as long as Twiki and those starfighters come along for the ride.
‘The Powers of Matthew Star’ — Alien Teen Angst
An alien with powers. In highschool. That was the idea ofThe Powers of Matthew Star. Sure it’s been done, but the idea of being an outsider in high school, unable to relate to classmates, adults, and teachers, is an eternal theme. Throw in the dehumanizing tech of modern social media, and you’ve got the potential for an insightful look at being a teenager.
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In the original series, which ran for one season, Matthew, played byPeter Barton, and his guardian, Walt (Louis Gossett Jr.), deal with high school and working with the government. They use him and his powers when they need them. Not quiteRoswell,original or reboot, but not far off either.
‘Benji, Zax & The Alien Prince’ — Family Friendly Sci-Fi With a Dog
Benji, Zax & The Alien Princeran for thirteen episodes and saw a young alien prince, Yubi (Christopher Burton), escaping the tyrant who killed his parents by fleeing to Earth with his robot, Zax. They then meet the lovable, scruffy dog Benji and have a series of adventures even as the evil ruler Zanu (Ken Miller) sets off in pursuit.
Who doesn’t love Benji? Taking a family-friendly approach to science fiction could allow parents to talk about important things with kids in new ways. If the series eschewed some of its silliness and created a solid throughline for characters and stories, this series could be delightful and insightful.
