The past couple years have become a spectacle of nostalgia when it comes to entertainment, especially with television shows and movies. The forever-idolized ’90s favorites have resurfaced, creating reunion TV shows such as “Fuller House,” “Girl Meets World” and “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.”
There have also been live-action reboots of Disney films and the newly released “Power Rangers” film.
These shows and films bring joy to audiences everywhere and are bringing entertainment back to the screen … but are all of these remakes getting tiring?
With all of the reunions and reboots, I have been surprised at the lack of new content coming into our entertainment world. This is problematic to me.
As I have grown older, I have seen how much my generation still describes the ’90s as “the best” when it comes to entertainment and pop culture. While I do agree it is one of the best, remaking everything is not bringing any new innovations for the content that future generations will need.
Looking back at the older episodes and films we know and love from our generation, the gags, references and catchphrases would not be very funny to a newer audience just like the gags, references and catchphrases on newer shows and movies aimed for the newer generation aren’t usually that funny to us.
We have the tendency to trash new shows, saying they will never be like the ones that we had. This is because writers are catering to a different audience now.
Another thing that I think is important to recognize is that the disdain for new content is stopping this generation from having a claim like the ’90s kids do.
With everything popular becoming a reunion, I can’t help but ask what content is going to be associated with the new generation. This is because I still associate the reunions and reboots with our generation.
I have a feeling that these remakes will get boring for everyone eventually. There is even criticism now with people saying that the “tired jokes” are not cutting it anymore. I even get uncomfortable sometimes when something is said on a reboot and doesn’t get a laugh like it would have in the original.
It is really hard not to be excited about every remake that comes out, but I think as an audience, we need to be critical of the content we are supporting because it can lead to a monotony of entertainment that will lead to no promising success stories.
Now don’t get me wrong: I am not saying not to support reunions or reboots. They are my guilty pleasure as much anyone else’s. I even spent my birthday in 2016 binge-watching the premier season of “Fuller House.” What I am saying is to support new content just as much as you supports ’90s pop culture.
If we keep up production of new content and ideas, then it will keep the cycle of the innovation of the entertainment industry going for generations to come.
Julie Ainsley
jmaninley@vwc.edu
(Photo: Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle)
