We contemplated starting this discussion by saying that we’re living in an era of remakes, reboots, and remasters. And while that opening statement would be factually correct the remakes, reboots, and remasters aren’t exclusive to early-or mid-2020s. In fact, the whole past century was filled with remakes and remasters. For example, the iconic 1983 Scarface is actually a remake of the same-name film from 1932, and releases such as 1932’s The Mummy, 1933’s King Kong, and 1936’s Flash Gordon all received their own remakes and reboots.
And now, it’s time for ’90s television shows to get their well-won comebacks. You might’ve heard that Frasier, one of the most beloved and acclaimed ’90s sitcoms, made a comeback with the new revival series on Paramount+. And yes, you’ve read that right; Frasier is back! This goes as far as saying two things: the power of nostalgia can’t be underestimated, as it provides comfort in revisiting the familiar, and it’s time for the 2020s to take a trip back to the 1980s and 1990s, scrunchies, Deloreans, and all — after all the 1980s and 1990s are considered the golden age of television.
The ’90s produced some of the most iconic and beloved shows that are still favored by modern audiences. Shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and Frasier made the ’90s audience laugh, cry, and relate to their respective characters and their personal struggles while also shaping the culture of the early 2000s by influencing our tastes in comedy, fashion, and music. Unfortunately, they also ended their runs and faded into nostalgia, which, as stated before, is a powerful thing. The original Frasier might’ve belonged to a different era and simpler times, but its comedy was timeless.
Frasier‘s return to television with a new revival series is big news for the fans of the series who have been wondering what happened to the eponymous character and his family after the series ended in 2004. Kelsey Grammer confirmed that he’ll reprise his role as a snooty but lovable Dr. Frasier Crane in the new revival series, which will follow him as he moves to a new city and tries to reconnect with his son Frederick. But this isn’t just big news for the fans of Frasier. This is also huge news for the fans of ’90s television.
If Frasier can make a comeback after 17 years, then what’s stopping other shows from the ’90s from making their own? We could end up having a ’90s TV show comeback renaissance that brings back the characters and stories from the golden era of television, allowing us to relive the magic and the laughter they brought us. And why should we be limited to reboots or remakes? The new Frasier is basically a revival series and a continuation of the previously established narrative that picks up where the original left off or continues the story years later.
1998’s That ’70s Show was a massive hit with audiences, and the successor/sequel series titled That ’90s Show, which debuted on Netflix on January 2023, was a massive success that warranted another season. The show centered on Leia Foreman, the teenage daughter of Eric Foreman and Donna Pinciotti, as she spends the summer of 1995 at her grandparent’s house, bonding with other teenagers in the very same basement that her parents used to hang out in.
The excitement over the Frasier revival and the success of sequels such as That ’90s Show indicate that the nostalgia is real and that there’s obviously an appetite for releases that still respect the source material but also honor the legacies of their respective originals. It’s really not that hard to imagine the remakes, reboots, or revivals of shows such as 1989’s Coach, 1991’s Home Improvement, or 1996’s 3rd Rock from the Sun.
These are only some examples of television shows from the end of the 20th century that many believe deserve a comeback, and there are many others that we could mention as well. These include The Nanny, Murphy Brown, Mad About You, Boy Meets World, Roseanne, and Cheers. However, there’s also the other side of this coin; the magic of the shows mentioned above was actually the product of their time, which poses a significant challenge for the writers and showrunners.
While it’s easy for us to discuss the possibilities and criticize results, the heavy lifting associated with reviving a three-decades-old series and making it likable to modern audiences ultimately falls onto writers and producers. And theirs isn’t an easy task, as they have to strike a balance between preserving the spirit of the original while also modernizing the narrative in a way that reflects contemporary topics and sensibilities.
The Frasier revival could be the catalyst for the ’90s TV show comeback renaissance that would bring many of the classics back and allow us to reconnect with our past and share our favorite shows, characters, and stories with younger generations.