TV series revivals: Living up to the hype

Netflix has brought back a variety of beloved shows, much to '90s kids' delight, but they have upped the ante in announcing the return of “Gilmore Girls” for four more 90-minute episodes. Rory, Lorelai, Luke and even Babette and Miss Patty are all back for one last visit to small-town Connecticut. Fans of Stars Hollow and its inhabitants cannot wait for the show to air, but in an era of TV revivals and reboots, the question remains as to whether any revival, even one as eagerly anticipated as “Gilmore Girls,” can ever live up to its hype.

The original show focused on the quick-witted mother-daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, following Rory from her first days at Chilton Preparatory School to her graduation from Yale University. Rory and Lorelai were not all the show had to offer though; the cast of supporting characters, from Lorelai’s estranged parents to weird-but-lovable town resident Kirk, was really what made the show special. While the series finale tied up many loose ends in the show, audiences still wondered what happened to their favorite girls. Would Rory make it as a reporter? Would Lorelai and Luke stay together this time? What happened to the other memorable residents of Stars Hollow?

Hopefully, the revival will answer all of these pressing questions. The show will also have to stand up to the series’ seven-season record for combining fast-talking humor with genuine emotional moments between the characters. With show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino back on board after departing before the last season of “Gilmore Girls,” there is hope that the show will defy expectations.

The past few years have featured an array of different reboots and revivals of 20th century shows, ranging from the Netflix-sponsored, limited continuation of “X-Files” to the Disney Channel sequel to “Boy Meets World.” While these types of shows usually do well enough, having already established a solid fan base of now much-older viewers, they rarely bring anything new to the table. The premiere of “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” raises the question of whether such reboots are worthwhile or if they are merely an attempt to cling to the TV shows of our childhoods.

Revivals are, in theory, an attempt to answer questions left over from original shows, or at least a way to show fans what their favorite characters are up to years in the future. Too often revivals end up as shells of their original versions. Hype from fans is in no small part the reason for this: fans expect a show to recapture the sentiment of the original series while answering every possible question viewers could have left over from the first run. If a reboot does not place older versions of favorite characters in the exact positions fans want them, the show is written off as not as good as the original. It is almost impossible to do something new with a revival without disappointing fans who expect only the best elements of the original series.

Adult life and the realities it brings with it is also something that revivals have to contend with. It was inspiring to follow Rory and her superhuman work ethic as she studied her way to one of the nation’s top universities, but fans were left able to imagine that Rory had achieved her dream of being a foreign correspondent. 2016 presents a much different view of the newspaper world, as print papers have begun to dwindle in favor of social media. Is there room for Rory Gilmore in this new world of online media? Or will her dreams (and those of her fans) be dashed in the reboot?

Revivals are a way for viewers to revisit their childhoods, but they also provide a much-needed dose of the more innocent past, where protagonists actually achieved their goals and characters were not killed off merely for shock value. The gritty feel of most popular shows today leave little room for sentimental shows like those of the past. While diversity is always a good thing, uplifting shows like “Gilmore Girls” are sorely missed. These shows provided a source of inspiration with characters viewers could look up to. After all, if Rory Gilmore could handle graduating college and pursuing her dream job, so can you.