By Luz Lancheros, MWN
Hollywood and streaming sometimes run out of ideas. That’s why there are so many remakes or sequels made with a formula that can be exploited to infinity. There’s also a more creative approach: take the story that was a cultural phenomenon decades before, transform it for these times or give it a different tint.
But what has happened to the series that dared to do this? Metro finds out.
And Just Like That
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60% critics approval rating and 30% average audience score
Many ‘Sex and the City’ fans definitely missed Samantha. She was the one who brought the “sex” to the city and the other three pale without her. Many did not agree with Big’s death, nor with the fact that Miranda is no longer the strong and independent character and is now a lesbian out of nowhere with Che Diaz (who has earned the hatred of many fans for showing her as a stereotypical person). And that she is a “Karen” who always makes a fool of herself. They also didn’t forgive her for leaving Steve when the drama of the first movie was based on his infidelity.
Carrie is still the same bad friend and Charlotte, though no one wants to believe it, is the one who continues to get the laughs and sympathy as she deals with her daughter Rose’s gender change and Lily’s teenage dramas. Cynthia Nixon has had to defend Miranda’s behavior and Kim Cattrall (Samantha) liked a tweet where the series was described as “vulgar.” For many fans, the previous series also broke taboos. In this one, although it explores themes of sexuality at 50, it leaves a very bad taste in the mouth and dissatisfaction.
Cowboy Bebop
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 47% critics approval rating, 59% average audience score
This reboot was received so badly that Netflix announced that there will be no second season: although it reached 74 million hours of streaming since its premiere, interest to the series dropped by 59 percent, when a better reception was expected. The reboot starring John Cho changed so much in the story that many viewers never forgave what they did with Spike and company: Julia and Faye completely changed their personalities. It also didn’t help that despite having Yoko Kanno’s music, the series never reflected the melancholy, elegance and craftsmanship that the anime showed when depicting this dystopian story.
Cobra Kai
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95% critics approval rating and 91% average audience score
The series has been so successful that it already reached the fourth season. Johnny Lawrence’s redemption and how he comes to redefine his relationship with Daniel LaRusso is the driving force behind a series in which the archetypes left over from the first ‘80s movie are rethought and there are also immense nods to nostalgia that have enchanted its viewers.
Saved by The Bell
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76% critics approval rating and 56% average audience score.
While Zach Morris is already governor of California and has a failed state policy that affects his old school, the inclusion of the original actors with the new cast doesn’t end up fascinating an audience that was angered by Selena Gomez’s kidney jokes and performances. However, it was a delight for critics to watch the original cast face age-appropriate dramas in the place where they lived some great moments of their lives.
Gossip Girl
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 37% critics approval rating and 65% average audience score.
Critics believe it is a pale reflection of the original. This is due to the fact that the “woke” is shoehorned in and that while the protagonists of the original had no excuse when it came to doing bad things to each other, here the moralizing comes in at the drop of a hat. In addition, the identity of the “Gossip Girl” is already known since episode one and it is more about making a social experiment with the students, who this time are more diverse.
Dexter: New Blood
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77% critics approval rating and 76% average audience score.
Fans and critics alike are delighted by the new ending, as the previous one left huge dissatisfaction. They finally gave closure to Dexter Morgan’s story and his moral dilemmas with new characters that made sense in this plot.
