Classics are still the most popular genre all around the globe. Well, who doesn’t like a classic? It was the golden era, always denoted by the phrase- ‘those were the days’. It was as Charles Dickens said in his novel- A Tale of Two Cities;
‘It was the best of times… It was the worst of times…’
And it is a fantasy of many to live a life equivalent to those times. It is a recurring theme in many cultural aspects, be it art, literature, television, songs or architecture. The era might be gone, but its soul is still very much alive!
There’s a growing trend right now to revive classic TV shows and bring back the old cast for another run. Full House, 24, The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Heroes, and Gilmore Girls represent only a handful of shows that have already returned or whose comebacks have recently been announced—whether it will be appearing on networks, cable, or streaming services like Netflix. These days, Bollywood has seen numerous old songs revived for their rhythms and impromptu. What drives this is the trend.
In a recent study by Northeastern University, it was revealed that one of the reasons these TV series’ are being remade is that there’s a built-in audience. These are shows with loyal and devoted fan bases. Imagine enjoying your weekend, in a comfy pair of pyjamas and scrolling through random channels or videos on Netflix or YouTube. Suddenly, you come across that familiar scene or dialogue or tune and all the old memories rush back to you- the age when you had to first compulsorily finish your homework before you could get to watch it. And those days when you and your friends used to squeeze on the old rickety couch, slurping homemade drinks and eyes glued on the black and white television screen. Feeling nostalgic, already? (Exchange of smirks) Nostalgia is why there’s a built-in audience and that returns to why a lot of these shows are being brought back. A lot of the critics say that you can’t go back and that the pleasures of these shows are also about a certain context of viewing. For many people, these shows evoke their childhood or another memorable time in their lives. For example, watching Twin Peaks or The Gilmore Girls was a family ritual in many households. However, the repeat episodes can’t bring that experience back, so it will probably be disappointing. And yet, we can’t resist it. We’ll go back and watch.
Shraddha Patil