ABC are allegedly trying to coax J.J Abrams into resurrecting his spy-action series Alias, a mere 4 years after it was axed. The proposed new show wouldn't be a continuation/sequel, but a reimagining of the concept (ditching the mythology and focusing on standalone missions.) It doesn't sound like a good idea, to me, but it's interesting that a defunct TV show stands a chance of being reborn in this way...
Revivals/remakes happen all the time in movies (there was only 5 years between Hulk and The Incredible Hulk do-over, remember), but are less common in TV -- although '80s hits Knight Rider and V came back after a few decades last year, and the upcoming Nikita is a remake of La Femme Nikita TV series from 1997 (which in turn was based on the 1990 French movie Nikita.)
Maybe this is the start of a trend for US networks: to gladly eat humble pie and revive old shows that, in hindsight, were obviously of great quality, ahead of their time, and have since proven themselves popular enough on DVD to attempt a resurrection?
If so, which old TV shows would you love to see back on the air -- not as a sequel or continuation of the original series, but as a ground-up remake with a new cast and crew? Ideally, something that's only been dead 5 years or so.
Or is it best to leave shows alone if there's no guarantee the original actors/writers will come back with it? Firefly's return would be greeted with excitement by its fans, but what if it was without Nathan Fillion and Joss Whedon?
Are there any shows you loved that flopped when released but would fit into today's TV landscape easier and be more successful? Might Judd Apatow's reputation, post-Knocked Up, have ensured his defunct TV series Freaks & Geeks would have a better chance of success? The network would probably be more patient with it, at the very least.
Let me know your thoughts, if you have any.
