30 TV Show Revivals, Graded: Which Have Been the Best (and Worst) of All?
Why settle for reruns when you can watch brand new episodes of your favorite old shows?
We’ve seen a massive wave of TV series revivals over the past couple of decades, with the casts of many beloved sitcoms and dramas from the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s reuniting for one more season — or, in some cases, several more seasons. But of course, not all of these reunions worked out the way we might have hoped. Some did prove they were worth bringing back by fully living up to the original… and some had us wishing they had just quit while they were ahead and not tarnished their legacy.
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What follows is not a ranking, but an assessment of 30 of the buzziest live-action revivals and sequel series, with each assigned a grade based on how well they recaptured the magic of their predecessors.
Read on for our potentially hot takes, then leave a comment and let us know which revivals you’ve liked (and disliked) the most.
24: Live Another Day
Live Another Day was like a highlight reel for a 24 season twice its length. The truncated 12-episode order made for a tighter story that was bolstered by dynamite performances from series newbies Yvonne Strahovski (as London-based CIA agent Kate Morgan) and Michelle Fairley (as drone-happy terrorist Margot Al-Harazi). Thanks to the dramatic and complicated reunion between Jack Bauer and Chloe O’Brian — plus, the season’s gut-punch of an ending! — 24 delivered one last thrill ride that sated its fans and harked back to CTU’s glory days. — Matt Webb Mitovich
90210
Though an endless parade of changing showrunners prevented this CW gem from building and maintaining the momentum it deserved, we still consider it a worthy successor to the original Beverly Hills, 90210 — a sexy, soapy good time that gave us characters worth falling for. Will we ever forgive the revival for breaking up Donna and David? Probably not. But no show is perfect. — Andy Swift
And Just Like That…
Max’s Sex and the City revival comes with a new title and a conspicuous hole in its cast, with Kim Cattrall only managing a brief cameo as SATC’s Samantha Jones. The new series tries to make up for its past sins, too, by adding more diversity to the cast, but only a few of the new additions fit in well, with others (like Sara Ramirez’s highly divisive Che Diaz) getting jettisoned. It’s fun to see Carrie and company back on the streets of Manhattan, and there are glimmers here of the old SATC magic, but it’s a far cry from the glory days. — Dave Nemetz
Arrested Development
We still worship at the altar of this dysfunctional family comedy’s original Fox run, and we’d even defend the first Netflix season… to a point. But it did get a little unwieldy, with the cast rarely sharing scenes together, and then Season 5 turned out to be an aggressively unfunny train wreck, threatening to make us forget what we ever enjoyed about the Bluths. Sorry, but they blue it. — D.N.
The Comeback
HBO’s stinging showbiz satire was built for an encore (it’s right there in the title!), and Lisa Kudrow was once again incredible as fading sitcom star Valerie Cherish, who was forced to relive her traumatic experience working with Paulie G. in a gritty prestige drama. The belated sophomore run’s barbs were just as sharp as the original season, and Mickey’s failing health added a touching emotional layer amid all the laughs. This is the rare revival that proved it had plenty of juice left… and yes, we’d happily take another season right now, thank you. — D.N.
The Conners
Roseanne Barr’s conservative politics loomed large in the first (and only) Roseanne revival season, which seemed out of character for Roseanne Conner. Once the rest of the family had time to grieve Barr’s alter ego, The Conners morphed into something that more resembled the original series, with less focus on politics and more stories driven by working-class family drama, which now spans four generations. Yes, this particular revival has been plagued by continuity errors, but it’s been an absolute joy having Dan, Jackie et al. on our screens again. — Ryan Schwartz
Criminal Minds: Evolution
TVLine championed (with a “B+” review) Paramount+’s November 2022 revival of the long-running CBS crime drama, for going “deeper and darker” with the BAU agents we know so well. Season 2, though, was too much more of the same (loathsome UnSub Elias Voit and all), spent less time at home with agents, and at times dared you to see what was occurring during moody, underlit scenes. — M.W.M.
CSI: Vegas
At first a healthy serving of member berries (with CSI vets Jorja Fox and William Petersen leading its cast, succeeded by Marg Helgenberger), this procedural by its third season had very much found its own voice and place in the larger franchise. Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Mandeep Dhillon, Ariana Guerra and Lex Medlin gave us new characters we were vested in, and whose absence we now lament. — M.W.M.
Dallas
A delicious concoction of old grudges and new blood, this criminally short-lived TNT drama was the perfect vehicle to introduce a new generation of viewers to life at Southfork Ranch. Though Josh Henderson often stole the show as J.R. Ewing’s unscrupulous son, the show’s ensemble was loaded with compelling performers. Need we remind you of Judith Light as a coked-out crime boss? “Mama like,” indeed. — A.S.
Dexter: New Blood
If you found the last couple seasons of Dexter disappointing, you’re not alone, but consider its 2021 sequel series a franchise mea culpa. Not only did it give everyone’s favorite serial killer a new location filled with fresh acquaintances, friends and enemies, but it also delivered a killer ending that we – Dexter included – all deserved. If you opted out at the time but remain curious, check out New Blood before the upcoming prequel (Dexter: Original Sin) and new revival (Dexter: Resurrection) hit. — Nick Caruso
Frasier
No, the new Frasier on Paramount+ doesn’t hit the supremely witty highs of the original, and the void left by the absence of David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane is a gaping one. (Jack Cutmore-Scott doesn’t quite work as Frasier’s son Freddy, either.) But this revival got better as its freshman season went along — Nicholas Lyndhurst is a certified gem as Frasier’s professor pal Alan — and Kelsey Grammer is as sharp as ever as the titular shrink. — D.N.
Fuller House
From its cheesy humor to that ludicrously tiny living room couch, Netflix’s Full House update fully recaptured the magic of the original series — even if it wasn’t able to recapture Mary-Kate and/or Ashley Olsen to come back as Michelle. Sure, the show relied way too heavily on nostalgia (half of the jokes were just, “Hey, remember when that thing happened 20 years ago?”), but the chemistry between cast members new and old was strong enough to keep fans tuning in for five seasons. — A.S.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Yes, we understand the complaints — about Rory, mostly — but we still cozied up to A Year in the Life like an oversized mug of coffee on a brisk fall day. The writing had lost none of its zing, Lauren Graham and Kelly Bishop gave series-best performances… and in a topsy-turvy world, it was just so comforting to walk the idyllic streets of Stars Hollow again. Even if it only existed to give us more Paris Geller, it was easily worth it. — D.N.
Girl Meets World
The Powers That Be attempted to appease nostalgics with the occasional appearance by Shawn, Eric and Mr. Feeny. Unfortunately, the writing, even for the OGs, was geared towards a much younger audience, not Boy Meets World fans. Worst of all was Cory’s transformation into a poor man’s Mr. Feeny. It was frankly embarrassing watching him relinquish control of his classroom week after week. As a result, the weekly life lessons rang hollow. — R.S.
Heroes Reborn
As fun as it was to get reacquainted with characters like Noah Bennet, Hiro Nakamura and Mohinder Suresh, their appearances weren’t enough to recapture the initial magic of NBC’s original series. The stakes felt especially high for this revival, too: After a strong first season, Heroes began to lose its way narratively and take itself too seriously, and Heroes Reborn presented a chance for redemption and closure. Instead, the revival couldn’t seem to get out of its own way, resulting in a web of convoluted storylines that failed to engage us emotionally. — Rebecca Iannucci
iCarly
When iCarly’s titular vlogger signed back on after nine years, we weren’t confident that she and her squad could recapture the extremely specific zany energy that made hits out of so many mid-’00s Nickelodeon shows. However, we’re happy to report that we were wrong — Carly and her friends transitioned seamlessly into the 2020s, giving just enough of that familiar wackiness while also getting us invested in their lives. Maybe that’s why the show’s unceremonious cancellation after three seasons came as such a crushing blow. — A.S.
Law & Order
With vets Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson reprising their roles as DA Jack McCoy and Det. Kevin Bernard, respectively, we were already sold on Law & Order’s return after more than a decade off the air. But clunky writing and a revolving door of great cast members have made the show a lackluster affair thus far. Still, we’re hopeful that after so much change — and the recent addition of ER alum Maura Tierney — the revival can finally settle in and start delivering on its potential. — Keisha Hatchett
Leverage: Redemption
The con was back on, missing nary a beat, when nearly the entire gang from TNT’s five-season caper drama got back together for Freevee’s July 2021 revival. Is Timothy Hutton’s dearly departed Nate missed? A bit. But it’s been a joy to see Gina Bellman’s Sophie lead Eliot, Parker and sometimes Alec in the delivering of payback, while also teaching newbies Harry (Noah Ayle) and Breanna (Aleysa Shannon) a sting or two. — M.W.M.
Mad About You
Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt’s NBC sitcom was always just kind of OK, so it’s fitting that the Spectrum revival season was more of the same: a comforting, middle-of-the-road throwback to a simpler era. The attempts to update married yuppies Paul and Jamie Buchman to modern times were admittedly clunky, but Reiser and Hunt were still in fine form — and with a show like this, that’s enough, right? — D.N.
Murphy Brown
Bringing back Candice Bergen’s politically charged CBS sitcom sounded like a good idea, but it ended up feeling hopelessly retro and stale: a George H.W. Bush comedy in a Donald Trump era. It was nice seeing the FYI gang together again, and Jake McDorman was actually pretty good as Murphy’s now-adult son Avery, but the jabs at Trump fell flat, and it played more like a wheezy reunion tour than a vitally current update. — D.N.
Night Court
In its defense, NBC’s fresh take on the ’80s courtroom comedy does boast a vintage performance from John Larroquette, who still knows how to hit a punchline as grumpy attorney Dan Fielding. But the new version — with Big Bang Theory alum Melissa Rauch starring as judge Abby Stone, the daughter of original judge Harry Stone — suffers from a fatal lack of laughs, with the canned laugh track straining at times to sell the jokes. It’s also seen a fair amount of cast turnover already… but hey, so did the original! Adding the great Wendie Malick to the cast is a positive sign, but for now, our verdict remains: thumbs down. — D.N.
Party Down
We basked in the comedic excellence of Season 3 (which reunited almost all of the original Party Down crew), as Adam Scott’s Henry once again donned that signature pink bow tie. Jennifer Garner and Zo? Chao were fantastic additions to the team, and look no further than “KSGY-95 Prizewinner’s Luau” (aka, the one where they all consume psilocybin mushrooms on the job) for one of the series’ best installments. And that finale cameo? Chef’s kiss! — N.C.
Prison Break
Eight years in the proverbial making, this nine-episode revival from Spring 2017 proved to be very much worth the wait. It reunited a flurry of familiar faces (from the expected to the Kellerman), introduced a meaningful newbie or two (whoa, Whip is whose son?!), reasonably accounted for Michael’s “death” and, perhaps best of all, packed the fun twists (the hand tattoo mask!) we expect from this crafty crew. — M.W.M.
Raven’s Home
The That’s So Raven follow-up got off to a strong start, thanks largely to Raven-Symoné and Anneliese van der Pol’s enduring chemistry, as well as inspired casting among the younger characters. But the final two seasons, which relocated the show to San Francisco and dropped all but two original cast members, failed to maintain the quality fans had come to expect, taking much of the wind out of its sails. — A.S.
Saved by the Bell
Creator Tracey Wigfield’s improbably smart and righteously meta sequel series deserved more than just two seasons. Nevertheless, it’s totally worth a watch. Unlike, say, Girl Meets World, this teen sitcom redux catered to both fans of the original and a new generation of younger viewers. Come for the OG Bayside gang, stay for the equally terrific young ensemble, which includes breakout star Josie Totah as mean girl Lexi. — R.S.
That ’90s Show
After an initial round of cameos from legacy cast members like Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Netflix’s That ’70s Show follow-up turned its attention to a new generation of basement dwellers, including Eric and Donna’s daughter Leia, and Kelso and Jackie’s son Jay. Now in Season 2, the young ensemble is finally hitting its stride — Ashley Aufderheide (Gwen), Max Donovan (Nate) and Reyn Doi (Ozzie) are true standouts — and Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp remain as stellar as ever as franchise anchors Red and Kitty. — R.S.
Twin Peaks: The Return
Maybe you can go home again…? Yes, we named this 18-part continuation one of the Worst Shows of 2017 — because at first blush it felt like a letdown compared to the emotionally grounded and wholly suspenseful 1990-91 ABC series. But with time comes an appreciation that, well, David Lynch is gonna David Lynch, and that what is ultimately a meditation on trauma will not be tied up with a bow but a harrowing scream. We still bemoan the chunks of time wasted with Dougie and greatly missed the in-love-with-itself, quirky tone of the original pop culture phenomenon, but we do relish the time spent with the oddball characters we know and love… to puzzle over. — M.W.M.
Veronica Mars
Yes, the Hulu revival’s ending was extremely upsetting, and Marshmallows everywhere were justified in feeling scorched. But before that, we loved getting tossed back into Veronica’s neo-noir world, made even more poignant this time around by our worries about Keith’s tenuous health. Not every revival on this list warrants another season, but we’d yell a hearty “Go Pirates!” if the tiny blonde one were given another chance to do her thing. — Kimberly Roots
Will & Grace
When the NBC hit-com was given a new lease on life more than a decade after its first finale, we were so delighted by its initial episodes, we could scarcely contain our glee; we even gave the revival an “A.” But, as with the series’ original run, the quality of the material declined — a lot. By the time the show wrapped again after three seasons, we were as glad to be done with it as we imagined Debra Messing and Megan Mullally were. — Charlie Mason
The X-Files
After the second, extremely lackluster X-Files feature film, the fandom was clamoring for some real closure with Mulder and Scully. But although the two-season Fox revival had moments of brilliance — “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster,” “The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat” and “Rm9sbG93ZXJz,” among them — it also retconned a crucial aspect of the series’ central mythology in the ickiest of ways. Not even the joy that David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson brought to settling back into Mr. and Mrs. Spooky could save it. — K.R.
Actors Who Didn’t Return for Revivals
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