The end of a beloved television series can often feel like the end of an era for fans. We miss our favorite shows when they wrap, and we often pine for their return — and occasionally, we actually get our wish (especially since Hollywood loves a proven asset). For instance, the hit '90s shows Saved by the Bell, Full House, and 90210 all got the reboot treatment in recent years. While none of them are quite as good as the originals, the nostalgia factor totally draws us in. But now, with the explosive success of streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max, there's even more opportunity to bring back characters we've had to say goodbye to.
But streamers aren't just resurrecting shows from the past. These days, they're also picking up series with decent followings that have for one reason or another been canceled by their networks and cable channels. For many, that means that when a show ends, all hope is not lost. And in an even different plot twist, a number of popular movies are also being recreated — only, this time in an episodic format for TV.
Right now, there are more than a dozen reboots in the works for 2021, with some arriving just in time for summer viewing. Here's a list of the most anticipated reboots headed to TV screens soon. Get your popcorn ready!
'Jodie'
Comedy Central is picking up where MTV left off with a Daria reboot that will actually be titled Jodie. Black-ish's Tracee Ellis Ross will voice Daria's friend, Jodie, the show's main character, who has now graduated from college and is starting her first job at a tech company.
'Gossip Girl'
Although there will be an entirely new cast portraying a present-day group of young, wealthy New York teens, Kristen Bell will return as the snarky-voiced narrator of the new Gossip Girl. The show, which is of course about privileged high schoolers and all of the drama surrounding them, will air on HBO Max starting in July 2021.
'Battlestar Galactica'
A reboot of the sci-fi fave Battlestar Galactica is expected to land on NBC's streaming service, Peacock, in mid to late 2021. The series is being helmed by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, and it will feature an entirely new storyline based on the mythology introduced by the original.
'Beavis and Butt-Head'
As crazy as it may seem, Comedy Central is also reviving MTV's animated series Beavis and Butt-Head, which was a 1990s cartoon about two teenage slackers who honestly looked and acted a lot more like 30-somethings. The show's original creator, Mike Judge, is steering the project, and new episodes are anticipated in the third quarter of 2021.
'Ren & Stimpy'
Obviously set on taking advantage of the current '90s nostalgia trend, Comedy Central is also remaking the Nickelodeon animated series Ren & Stimpy, but for an adult audience. There have apparently been some production delays, but it's believed the series will come out late in 2021. Happy, happy, joy, joy.
'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Streaming service Paramount+ recently formed what it's calling Avatar Studios, which is intended to use the Avatar concept to create a number of different animated series. One at the forefront is Avatar: The Last Airbender, though it's unclear whether it will be a movie or a series and when it will be released.
'Sex and the City'
It seems HBO is determined to keep making money off of this once highly successful show (which also spawned two feature films). Sex and the City will come to HBO Max with 10 new episodes — picking up the story as the ladies embark on their fabulous 50s — only this iteration will be without Kim Cattrall's character, Samantha. The series, called And Just Like That, reportedly started filming in May 2021 and will premiere some time later in the year.
'Pretty Little Liars'
Riverdale producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is bringing yet another iteration of Pretty Little Liars to TV. This one will be called Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and it will air on HBO Max. The new series will be a reimagining of the original and feature an entirely new cast, but it appears the format will be the same. A release date is not yet set, but it's definitely happening.
'Behind the Music'
The classic MTV docuseries Behind the Music will make a triumphant return to TV later in 2021. This time, the show will air on Paramount+ and so far, episodes covering the back stories and careers of popular musicians including Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Ricky Martin, and Huey Lewis have been announced.
'Cowboy Bebop'
Netflix recently wrapped production on a live-action remake of the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop, and it's expected to come out some time in the second half of 2021. The action is centered around a bounty hunter and his crew, who jet around the solar system taking whatever jobs they can.
'Criminal Minds'
The long-running CBS crime procedural Criminal Minds was canceled after its 15th season but shortly after, it was announced that it would be picked back up by Paramount+ with a slightly new format. Instead of each episode focusing on a different case, the entire 10-episode season will follow a single investigation. A release date is not yet set.
'Dexter'
The popular Showtime series Dexter, which starred Michael C. Hall and ran for eight seasons between 2006 and 2013, will return for a 10-episode limited series that will pick up the story a decade later. Presumably, the reboot will address many of the issues fans had with the series' lackluster final season.
'Doogie Howser, M.D.'
A reboot of the beloved series that made actor Neil Patrick Harris a major pop culture figure, Doogie Howser, M.D., is in the works at Disney+. This time around, the show, called Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., will undergo a gender swap and feature a young female lead, played by actress Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as a teenage physician. A specific premiere date hasn't been announced yet, but it is still scheduled for 2021.
'iCarly'
The popular Nickelodeon series iCarly will be returning to TV on June 17, 2021. Although the series reboot will not feature actress Jeanette McCurdy, Miranda Cosgrove will reprise her role. All 10 episodes will be available on Paramount+ on the same day, and they will pick up 10 years after the original series ended.
'The Fairly OddParents'
Paramount+ is also responsible for The Fairly OddParents reboot that is set to start filming in June 2021. The new series will actually be a live-action take on the original, which of course was about a boy named Timmy and his fairy godparents, who have the ability to make all of his wishes come true.
'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'
In 2020, a mock YouTube trailer of a reimagined version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air went viral and shortly after, Will Smith and filmmaker Morgan Cooper decided to actually tackle the project for real. Peacock eventually picked up the series, ordering two seasons. Expected to debut later in 2021, the show will swap its original comedy slant for a drama format.
'Rugrats'
On May 27, 2021, a reboot of the classic Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats will land on Paramount+, and all of the old cast — including Tommy Pickles and his cousins Angelica and Chuckie — will return to entertain another generation of kids with their toddler antics and big adventures.
'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies'
Although an exact premiere date has not yet been announced, Paramount+ is still slated to release Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies later this year. The series will act as a prequel to the iconic original 1978 film, which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The show will reportedly be an hour-long musical comedy.
'MacGruber'
Peacock is set to release an eight-episode reboot of MacGruber, starring and written by Will Forte. The series is a spoof of the TV classic MacGyver (which also got the reboot treatment several years back), based on the Saturday Night Live sketch about MacGruber, "America's ultimate hero."
