On the ninth day of Perezmas, pop culture gave to us… nine nibbles of nostalgia!
We all love a throwback, and 2019 brought us the airings and announcements of nine classic TV shows and movies. From beloved drama series to witchy movies, and even a reality show — there’s reboots, remakes, and continuations aplenty that left no shortage of nostalgic moments for us to revel in.
Related: 10 Celebrities Lost Too Soon
So let’s take a peek at some of the best vintage turned new offerings in the last 365 days!
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The Hills: New Beginnings
Nine years after we said goodbye to The Hills, MTV gave us a refreshed sequel with The Hills: New Beginnings. Starring returning cast members: Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Stephanie Pratt, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, Jason Wahler, Frankie Delgado, and Brody Jenner, plus a few new faces: Brandon Thomas Lee, Mischa Barton, Kaitlynn Carter, Jennifer Delgado, and Ashley Wahler, the series focuses on the present lives and businesses of the stars, with (of course) a splash of drama.
While chatting with Vogue ahead of the series premiere, the leading ladies looked back on how real the reality show we loved was. Port explained:
“Way at the beginning it was very much like, we’re going to put you in real scenarios and not really tell you what’s going on, which is how I think they were able to get everybody to be themselves at first. Then you get to a certain point where things get boring, so the writers and producers had to start thinking about how to spice things up and make certain things more dramatic.”
Miz Barton, whose iconic series The O.C. was the original inspo for Laguna Beach (which later spun into The Hills) revealed how she felt about joining the cast of reality regulars:
“I kind of feel like, in a weird way, I was on The Hills, even though I’d never seen it. My whole life was publicized in a fake way and everything about me was made up while I was on The O.C., which ran simultaneously with The Hills. I remember Nicole Richie was really into them and she would pull me over into a parking lot and be like ‘they’re filming The Hills in there, we have to go see!’ They were the O.G. reality T.V. stars.”
The Hills: New Beginnings will be back for a season 2 next year!
BH90210
Fans of the classic teen drama Beverly Hills: 90210 were transported back to West Beverly High (sorta) for the meta summer series, BH90210. Unlike a straight reboot, seven of the eight OG cast members (Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, Gabrielle Carteris, Jason Priestley, Ian Ziering, and Brian Austin Green) play heightened versions of themselves who reunite at a fan convention, where high jinks ensued as they begin to develop the idea of a rebooted show.
As many will recall, Luke Perry sadly passed away in March after suffering a stroke. Though he had never signed onto the project, Miz Spelling shared how the Riverdale star was supportive of the concept:
“Luke was on speakerphone for the first meeting. He was so supportive, and really proud that we were putting it together. He was like, ‘Don’t lose your vision,’ ‘stick to your guns.’ Basically he told us to do what we set out to do and not change our minds.”
Even though the “reboot” topped summer charts as the most-watched summer series on FOX, it has not been renewed for a second season. But all hope is not lost! IRL bestiez Garth and Spelling have hinted to fans something else could be in the works to keep the nostalgia coming. Stay tuned!!
Veronica Mars
Twelve years after the series finale and five after the film, Marshmallows were reunited in 2019 with Kristen Bell as the titular character in Veronica Mars. Though the original series aired on UPN/The CW, the revived fourth season premiered on Hulu with eight episodes. Bell reflected on being able to “play this character that I personally love so much” to Good Morning America:
“Veronica Mars … has this balance of being tough and vulnerable, which everyone feels. But you never really know which part to play.”
She added:
“Rob calls her a superhero without a cape, which is really a great way to describe her. And Veronica’s superpower is that she does not care what anyone else thinks about her. She cares what she thinks about her, which I think is a really healthy way to live.”
Several of Neptune’s residents (Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring) returned for the new season, which was centered around crime during Spring Break, but we also got a few new stars (J. K. Simmons, Patton Oswalt), added into the mix.
Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
The long-running horror anthology series Are You Afraid Of The Dark? returned after 19 years as a miniseries in October 2019. The three-part limited series aired on Nickelodeon starring a fresh cast in the Midnight Society telling the terrifying fireside tale of the Carnival of Doom which comes to life. Executive producer Matt Kaplan shared (below) with USA Today:
“There’s a lot of scary stuff out there. So, that wasn’t going to separate us. I think that if we leaned into the Midnight Society, which is one of the things everyone remembers from the original, I felt like we all were going to (be in) a good position, especially since we found such an amazing cast.”
Previously, a film adaptation had been in the works, and the new series was supposed to lead into the movie, but it never got off the ground due to “behind-the-scene changes.”
Punky Brewster
Ever wondered what happened to Punky Brewster? Get ready to find out in 2020! Soleil Moon Frye is reprising the role which made her a 80s pop culture icon for a continuation of the series on NBC‘s streaming service, Peacock.
Per Deadline, the sitcom will focus on Punky as a single mother of three attempting to get her life together when she meets a girl who reminds her of her younger self. Also returning to the series is Cherie Johnson as Punky’s BFF of the same name whose lifelong friendship with Brewster inspired her to become a social worker and help orphaned children.
New to the series is Freddie Prinze Jr., who will portray Brewster’s ex-husband Travis. His character is a musician who frequently travels but still manages to parent his kids, and have sparks with his ex! We’re definitely intrigued…
Lizzie McGuire
Hey now, hey now! One of the most exciting announcements to come out of August’s D23 Expo was that Hilary Duff will be reprising her titular role of Lizzie McGuire for a new series on Disney+. While on stage, the 31-year-old explained to the crowd more of what we can expect from the upcoming reboot:
“She’s working as an apprentice to a fancy New York City decorator. She has her dream guy, who owns a cool SoHo restaurant. She has her dream apartment in Brooklyn. And she’s getting ready to celebrate her 30th birthday.”
Hilz added:
“It’s so great to be home. The good news is, just like me and everybody who loved Lizzie and has grown up with her, Lizzie’s also grown up. She’s older, she’s wiser, she has a much bigger shoe budget, which is super exciting. She has her dream job. She has kind of the perfect life right now.”
So, what about her family and friends? Luckily, a lot of them are coming back, too! As of writing, Adam Lamberg, Jake Thomas, Hallie Todd, and Robert Carradine have all signed onto the project, though there’s no word on whether or not Lalaine will return as Miranda.
Saved By The Bell
26 years after saying goodbye to the cast of Saved By The Bell, Bayside High fans got “so excited” by the news of a revival series in the works. Set to air on NBC‘s forthcoming streaming service, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mario Lopez have signed on to reprise their roles, though it is currently unclear which of the other cast members will be returning.
Though Mark-Paul Gosselaar has yet to join the project, his beloved character Zack Morris is mentioned in the official logline as the governor of California:
“When California governor Zack Morris gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the highest performing schools in the state — including Bayside High. The influx of new students gives the over privileged Bayside kids a much needed and hilarious dose of reality.”
The Craft
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Can you tell that the 90s are totally back?! The Craft, AKA the 1996 cult classic about a group of four outcast El Lay teens (Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True) who turn to witchcraft, is set to return as a remake with a fresh cast! Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, and Zoey Luna will lead the cast of the movie. David Duchovny has also signed on for an unknown role.
Previously, a straight-to-DVD sequel had been in the works but was met with negative reactions by fans, and was later scrapped. Plans also later fell through for a theatrical sequel, so we’re interested to see if a remake can give us the same magic.
Hocus Pocus
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A sequel of the classic 1993 film starring Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy is in the works for Disney+! Very little details are currently known about the plot and cast of the new film, but it has been rumored that Jen D’Angelo, who is set to write the script, has been in talks with the Sanderson sisters portrayers to bring them back to life once more.
Which reboot did you like the most? And which are you looking forward to watching next? Sound OFF (below) in the comments with your take!!
[Image via Shannen Doherty/Instagram & Adriana M. Barraza/Joseph Marzullo/WENN.]
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