The Best Reboots (and Reunions) of 2020

Some call it recycling, others call it nostalgia, but there’s no question that reboots are a tried and true way of tapping back into an incredibly popular fan base. These shows had huge followings, which is a big part of the reason that they were on a network’s radar to revive in any form, whether it’s reunions, limited series or table reads. And one bright spot of this year was the popularity of Zoom meetups, which has served as an opportunity for actors to join together for table reads of some classic episodes. We’re all still talking about Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt’s chemistry in the table read of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

While some of these reboots were short-lived, viewers were still tuning in and loving the nostalgia. It’s no surprise that this trend is continuing into 2021, with dozens of remakes in the works. Soleil Moon Frye is already set to reprise her role as Punky Brewster on Peacock in 2021. But she can’t be an ‘80s kid any more—the 10-episode reboot focuses on Punky as a single mom. There have been rumors about the cast of Friends reuniting for a reboot for about as long as the show's been off the air, but it sounds like it may actually be happening. While the timing is still TBD, Dexter, Rugrats and Gossip Girl are just a few of the other names buzzing around for remakes. And we’re still keeping our fingers crossed for reboots of more of the ‘90s TGIF classics. Couldn’t we all use some Steve Urkel…or Stefan Urquelle…on Family Matters?