5 GOATed TV Shows That Must Never Have a Reboot
These five shows are so iconic that their reboots would be doomed to fail no matter what — even apart from the fact that reboots in general are often terrible and pointless.
5. Friends (1994–2004)
Commonly considered to be the most iconic sitcom ever, Friends is still widely popular even two decades after its finale. Millions of people rewatch the show regularly, and the stars of Friends make a ton of money passively off of it. Friends was a huge commercial hit a quarter of a century ago and retains its status today.
While the sheer popularity of the original series might make it sound like it's asking for a reboot, there is simply no point in doing so. The premise of Friends — a group of young adults dealing with life and failing — is so common and basic that there’s no need to remake the show itself. Besides, its actors are all too iconic to recast.
4. Twin Peaks ( 1990–2017)
Some shows lose their context over time; some have a cast that can’t be replaced; some were too perfect to even attempt to remake. Twin Peaks should never be touched again for all those reasons, too, but most importantly, it’s a series that could never be rebooted without its original creator. David Lynch is Twin Peaks. That’s it.
There would be zero point in trying to mimic Lynch’s style and hoping no one would notice; and without that specific artistic vision, a reboot would never work. Twin Peaks exists as part of David Lynch, and anyone who would try to remake it would fail. Also, good luck finding another Kyle MacLachlan for your new Dale Cooper.
3. The Sopranos ( 1999–2007)
Almost a quarter of a century after its original release, The Sopranos is still deemed the best TV show to have ever existed. Would you dare to remake the best show in history and hope the idea would work out? We doubt it — but it’s not even the main reason. Today, there is simply no need for the new The Sopranos, and we all know it.
Back in the day, this show took an original twist on the mafia genre: instead of jumping to the middle of the 20th century to follow the iconic gangs, it brought action into the modern world to show the mafia struggle in the new reality. Not much has changed since then — except that the mafia is not even remotely as popular today.
2. Breaking Bad ( 2008–2013)
Breaking Bad is nowhere near as old as the previous shows we’ve mentioned, but it’s just as popular. A global cultural phenomenon, this series about a chemistry teacher turned ruthless drug lord took the world by storm, and many showrunners would love to repeat its success…but they’ll have to try with some other TV show.
The thing is, Breaking Bad was released into the world of memes and the Internet, and it became an integral part of its cultural code. Try recasting a single character, and you’re in for the most humiliating ride ever. There could only be one Walter White and Saul Goodman, and we already have them. We won’t have anyone else.
1. The Wire (2002–2008)
From the commercial point of view, rebooting The Wire makes no sense. Despite its wide critical acclaim, the show was not profitable to begin with — and there’s no reason to believe that its reboot will be. At least for this reason, we should be safe from questionable attempts at remaking The Wire. But there is another reason, too.
The Wire does not revolve around its characters or its setting. It doesn’t have many original ideas, either. This show simply took the concept of the society we live in, ripped out its darkest parts, and put together a brilliant backdrop for us to see this mess. There would be no point in remaking The Wire — only learning from it.