Here’s Our Favorite Childhood TV Shows and Movies That Have Gotten Reboots
Nothing hits on your heartstrings quite like the shows and movies you grew up watching. In the past few years it seems like the majority of shows and movies that are being producing are reboots or spinoffs from fan favorites. There seems to be a lot of discourse on whether studios are doing their originals justice by bringing them back to life. Is it better to leave your favorite characters in the past or see them revisit the screen in a new story? Pop Culture Planet contributor Jordan Bohan breaks down all of the must watch reboots of your favorite childhood and teen shows.
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Are You Afraid of The Dark? was a Nickelodeon staple for 90s kids. The anthology series followed a group kids referred to as The Midnight Society. They gather around a campfire and the night’s storyteller begins to share his or her tale of the evening.
In the most recent reboot, each season takes on a new anthology story, with the members of The Midnight Society experiencing a scary adventure themselves. While Carnival of Doom is just okay, Curse of the Shadows and Ghost Island deliver real chills. With the perfect blend of nostalgia and scare, this series is a great watch, especially during the fall.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? is streaming on Paramount+.
The Baby-Sitters Club
The iconic The Baby-Sitters Club follows a group of middle school students who launch their own babysitting business. The book series by Ann M. Martin resulted in a one season 1990 TV show and a 1995 movie.
Netflix brought the entrepreneurial teens back in 2020 with a renewed passion for diversity in a show that lasted two seasons. This series will bring you right back to early girlhood and relive those precious memories of growing up.
The Baby-Sitters Club is streaming on Netflix.
Cobra Kai
The Karate Kid premiered back in 1984 exposing viewers to the world of martial arts — and it was a hit! The original film series consisted of four movies and a 2010 remake of the first movie. After so much success and tapping into a new fandom, Netflix announced a spinoff series titled Cobra Kai.
The comedy drama series follows Johnny Lawrence as he seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo. This in turn reignites his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso. The show does a great job of honoring the original series while modernizing the story to appeal to current audiences. It wrapped on filming its sixth and final season, with fans patiently awaiting its release.
Cobra Kai is streaming on Netflix.
Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl is one of the most popular teen dramas that premiered back in 2007 and has taken on a new generation of fans through streaming reruns. The series, based on the books by Cecily von Ziegesar, follows the lives of New York City’s elite teens through fashion, drama, and scandal.
Lasting six seasons, the series is responsible for launching the careers of Blake Lively and Penn Badgley. HBO Max launched a reboot of the series back in 2021, taking place at the same school, but with a new generation of students. The new series contains just as much drama with a new lens of social media and digital communications.
The reboot series was canceled after two seasons, but is available to stream on Max.
High School Musical
High School Musical was one of the most iconic film franchises for kids growing up in the 2000s. The first movie premiered back in 2006, with a third installment dropping in 2008 and a spinoff centered around Sharpay in 2011. The success of the series spawned a spinoff show titled High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
The Disney+ series was an instant hit, premiering back in 2019 and soaring in popularity in 2020. The show helped launch the musical careers of Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett. The series plays into the nostalgia of the original franchise, even bringing some OG cast members back, while paving a way for new fans. The series is a super meta and heartwarming and a must watch for musical fans, Disney Channel fanatics, and lovers of the original franchise.
All four seasons of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series are streaming on Disney+.
iCarly
iCarly was one of Nickelodeon’s most popular shows in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The series stars a pair of best friends who create an online show with their nerdy neighbor. The show gained traction for being fun, silly, and an overall good time.
It was rebooted in 2021 by Paramount+ and has run for 3 seasons so far. The new show follows the majority of the original cast through the messiness of growing through your twenties, navigating careers, children, and romance.
iCarly is streaming on Paramount+.
Pretty Little Liars
Premiering in 2010, Pretty Little Liars was on every teen girl’s watchlist. The mystery drama follows a group of high school students dealing with the aftermath when their best friend goes missing suddenly. With seven seasons of twisted secrets and schemes, the series was a hit.
After two failed spinoffs, the franchise saw success in 2022’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. The latest spinoff goes a dark, slasher route as it follows a group of high school girls investigating the tragic events of their mothers' past.
The series has wrapped filming on its second season but hasn’t confirmed its release date yet. Season one of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is streaming on Max.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a franchise that has spanned multiple mediums and generations including comics, television series, and movies. The newest rendition of these crime fighting turtles is an animated film featuring big names such as Seth Rogan, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Post Malone, John Cena, Paul Rudd, and more. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem brings a burst of creativity to the beloved nostalgic property.
The new film is playing in theaters.
Zoey 101
Paramount+ recently released the Zoey 101 reboot movie Zoey 102. The original movie follows the PCA alumni through their early 30s, giving fans a glimpse into their lives since graduating. Zoey is working for a reality show, trying to balance her career, maid of honor duties, and unsuccessful love life.
The gang reunites for Quinn and Logan’s high end wedding — and even includes a karaoke night ending with a Dirty Dancing style lift! This movie is the perfect mix of nostalgia and progression, meeting the original audience where they are now.
Zoey 102 is streaming on Paramount+.
What’s next? Well, there are reboots planned for TV adaptations of the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter franchises.
