The TV Revival: Why the Push?

Over the last few years, there has been this push to bring back beloved shows and set them in a current era. Some, like Twin Peaks, are held in high regard and fans will cherish that for a very long time. Then there's shows like Will & Grace, where they are a complete bomb and are berated for not being what they used to be. So why are networks wanting to bring back some of these older shows?

There's not really an answer that directly is the reason for a revival. I'll go with Nickelodeon for an example. They know they got older fans. Hence why they are making movies based on some of their 90s shows. With Hey Arnold, Rocko's Modern Life, and even Invader Zim getting their own films for television, they somewhat understand their origins of why they were loved 20, 25 years ago. While they may still go after the younger generation, there is still a soft spot for the older generation of 90s kids. There are ideas for what could be revived, so there's chances of not ruling out other shows like Rugrats and whatever live action stuff was on the channel.

Maybe a reason is to see how a certain set of characters are for a new era. One of the curious things is one of the newest revivals, Roseanne. When it first aired in 1988, it was a blue collar and stayed down to earth compared to The Cosby Show and Married... With Children. It was part of that era that pushed for a more realistic look at family, making certain sitcoms feel very fresh and unique. This one is an odd choice to revive, but who knows how people will react. It has the same cast and probably will tackle some issues and deliver on laughs. Some websites have praised that it stays true to what made it great 30 years ago. It's just a matter of how viewers will feel about it when it airs.

The same can be said for something like The X Files. It was one of Fox's biggest shows of the 90s, and has held onto a decent run of new episodes the last couple of years. I'd say part of it is fans wanting more. With all this conspiracy stuff and internet website theories, it's lightning in a bottle for anyone craving for more adventures of Mulder and Scully solving cases, whether or not the truth is out there. There will always be shows, short lived or long running, that will always have fans wanting new episodes.

Another possibility is people thinking something from back then worked, and trying something different with it for a new era. What I mean is a new set of characters and/or new ideas in a setting that was used years ago. It also applies to movies as well. Unfortunately, there's nothing that is coming to my mind.

I see this fad going on for another few years and then dwindling down. That doesn't mean revivals are going to stop completely. However, new content  will always keep interest for a longer set of years if loved by both critics and fans.