Some things are better left untouched! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for rebooted television shows that tanked horribly.
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00:00 Seriously? You actually came back?
00:03 Yes I did, and for more on this breaking story, let's go to me!
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for rebooted television shows
00:11 that tanked horribly.
00:12 But we are not going anywhere, no matter what!
00:15 Oh, you will.
00:16 We'll be excluding animated programs since they'll be their own list.
00:19 Number 10. Kojak
00:21 What, you lose your hair? You going to a couple of stakeouts? So you're Kojak?
00:24 Back in 1973, CBS launched a new police procedural called Kojak. Famed actor Telly
00:29 Savalas played the titular character for five seasons before the show was canceled in 1978.
00:39 Fans were delighted when two more Savalas-led TV movies were released in 1985 and 1987.
00:45 Additional small-screen films along with books have also continued Kojak's story.
00:48 In 2005, Ving Rhames starred in a short-lived TV reboot of the show set in modern times.
00:54 Unfortunately, despite Rhames' likability and reputation, the USA Network pulled the
00:58 plug after 10 episodes.
01:00 It's another example of how just because something was popular once doesn't mean it will be again.
01:05 Do no good killing me.
01:06 Wrong. Killing you is going to give me a lot of satisfaction.
01:10 Number 9. Bionic Woman
01:11 The Bionic Woman was a spin-off of the popular The Six Million Dollar Man.
01:15 What's your name?
01:18 Jamie Summers.
01:19 Both featured individuals who had been augmented with bionic implants to give them superhuman
01:23 abilities.
01:30 While the original show only lasted three seasons, NBC commissioned a reboot in 2007
01:35 featuring Michelle Ryan as Jamie Summers, previously portrayed by Lindsay Wagner.
01:39 The reboot stayed mostly true to the lead character's origins but failed to garner any
01:43 critical acclaim.
01:44 How did you do that?
01:45 Pilates.
01:46 The nail in the coffin was the 2007 writer's strike that halted production on the show.
01:52 Shortly after the strike ended, NBC announced the show's cancellation.
01:55 You only have one bionic arm.
01:58 You should really do something about that.
02:03 Number 8. Ironside
02:04 This isn't going to work.
02:05 She brought him in the leg.
02:06 She hit the hostage?
02:07 Did I stutter?
02:08 It'd be easy for audiences today to have no knowledge of who Robert T. Ironside was.
02:12 Miss Gordon, my name is Ironside.
02:16 I'm a police officer.
02:18 Originally played by the legendary Raymond Burr, Ironside was a police drama featuring
02:22 the titular character who uses a wheelchair.
02:25 Church number one was Father Miles' church until he was transferred.
02:28 He was a fixture there, had been for years.
02:32 Now let A represent Father Miles.
02:36 The show focused on Ironside's ability to solve crimes using his unique insight and
02:40 intelligence versus physical intimidation.
02:42 The show was revived in 2013 with Blair Underwood taking on the lead role.
02:45 I was thinking about running a marathon, see if she has a trainer.
02:48 They're the new bartenders for people who don't have time for a shrink.
02:51 Critics slammed it, citing it as being mundane and monotonous.
02:54 There was also a big backlash over casting a non-disabled actor in a disabled role.
02:58 I didn't know.
02:59 Sure you did.
03:00 She told me how you close your door.
03:02 Only four episodes made it to air of the nine that were made.
03:05 Number 7. Party of Five
03:07 Fox's Party of Five ran for six seasons and helped propel the careers of Matthew Fox,
03:11 Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf.
03:13 All I'm saying is, there's no way we're going to make the next $15,000 last four months
03:18 if all of us are writing checks.
03:19 And leasing Jeeps.
03:20 I like the Jeep.
03:21 Focusing on the lives of five siblings who lost their parents in an accident, audiences
03:25 watched this family grow and evolve over the show's six-year run.
03:28 So much for your lectures on responsibility, huh?
03:31 Is this why you wanted to control the accounts so you could blow it all yourself?
03:34 Hey, I was trying to do something good here.
03:36 This investment was for all of us.
03:38 When Freeform ordered a remake, the hope was to see this formula work again.
03:41 And it almost did.
03:43 Well, it did among critics, at least.
03:45 If they are sent away, their five children and their restaurant becomes the sole responsibility
03:51 of a 24-year-old.
03:52 The show garnered a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but even with such acclaim, it couldn't
03:57 seem to bring in the views.
03:58 Do you have a girlfriend, Bear?
04:00 A secret girlfriend?
04:02 A tiny little secret girlfriend?
04:04 That's mine.
04:05 Terrible ratings doomed it to oblivion after only one season.
04:09 Number 6. The Muppets
04:10 Seriously, who doesn't love The Muppets?
04:13 These lovable puppet characters have been entertaining audiences for decades.
04:16 You call yourself a doctor, Dr. Bob?
04:18 I'd never call myself a doctor.
04:20 They don't come when you call them anyway.
04:23 And thanks to Jason Segel's reboot of the film franchise in 2011, these fuzzy creatures
04:27 were back in the minds of viewers.
04:29 The new 2015 series was framed much like more modern comedies, using a single camera and
04:34 mockumentary-style filming featuring both the personal and professional lives of our
04:38 favorite Muppets.
04:39 I'm not happy with the janitor knowing what I throw away.
04:41 Can you have someone put a layer of generic trash over my private trash?
04:44 Unfortunately, the ratings soon began to slip, and the network changed showrunners in an
04:48 attempt to reboot the reboot.
04:49 By that time, the damage was done, and the show was canceled after a single season.
04:53 I like this, Kermit.
04:55 Come here, you decisive little frog, you, and tell Denise what you want.
04:59 Number 5. Melrose Place
05:01 Now here's yet another example of a studio going back to the well to see if they can
05:05 milk a property even more than they already have.
05:07 If I told you it was my mom's idea, would that mean anything?
05:10 Melrose Place was a successful Fox show that centered around the lives of young adults.
05:14 The stove is gas.
05:15 We'll just split the utilities.
05:16 Wait a second.
05:17 You mean I can't have any of your peanut butter, even if I have a craving?
05:20 Having produced more than 200 episodes, it shouldn't come as a surprise that someone
05:24 was going to want to try and bring it back.
05:25 Much like virtually every show on our list, the revival sparked huge interest at first,
05:30 but fell off a cliff quickly with terrible ratings.
05:32 Never trust a man who's sprayed tans.
05:34 Or a woman who has no loyalty for her co-worker.
05:36 Here you go.
05:37 Back up your office.
05:39 It seems the newer version couldn't quite replicate the attraction of the original.
05:42 Poor thing.
05:43 She's lived here, what, 30 seconds?
05:45 Number 4.
05:46 Heroes Reborn While this was held as a limited run event
05:49 series, audiences seemed to be confused about what exactly Heroes Reborn was trying to do.
05:53 I came here tonight because I thought maybe someone could give me a few tips.
05:58 Help me out a little.
05:59 You came to the wrong place, my friend.
06:02 It takes place a while after the original series' setting, and most of the cast is
06:05 filled with new faces.
06:06 It looks like both of you are going for a little ride.
06:08 No need, we'll take 'em both now.
06:14 Like the original show, it features a host of ordinary people gaining superpowers, and
06:18 also like the original show, it ended on a cliffhanger.
06:21 Although Heroes had a great first season, it suffered major setbacks due to the 2007
06:25 writers' strike, and limped along for two more seasons afterward, before its cancellation.
06:29 My name is Claire Bennett, and this is a temp number.
06:33 I guess I've kinda lost count.
06:37 The reboot's ending suffered the same open-ended fate, except this time, it was said to have
06:41 been on purpose.
06:42 They just did the right thing.
06:43 And now, they just wanna be left alone.
06:48 Number 3.
06:49 Knight Rider Turns out that even an upgraded Turbo Boost
06:52 couldn't launch this reboot into a success story.
06:54 I still can't believe you built another one.
06:57 What do you mean, another one?
06:58 The original Knight Rider came out in 1982 and was a huge hit with audiences.
07:02 Kid?
07:03 Yes?
07:04 Shut up.
07:05 It was your idea to play.
07:07 A somewhat frivolous pastime anyway when you could be briefing me on our mission instead.
07:11 Most of the credit can be given to the show's main character, Michael Knight, played by
07:14 David Hasselhoff.
07:15 A story about a guy and his talking car sounds ridiculous, but Hasselhoff's charm steered
07:19 the show in the right direction and made it a staple of the 80s.
07:22 Did my dad give you a name?
07:23 I am the Knight Industries 3000.
07:24 You may call me Kit.
07:25 Alright, Kit, so where are you taking me?
07:26 I'm going to the mountain roads, as they will provide the best environment in which
07:27 to elude the car following us.
07:28 The what?
07:29 So it may not come as a surprise that all the TV movies and revival attempts without
07:39 him have largely crashed and burned.
07:41 What once seemed cute and charming now comes off as cringeworthy cheese.
07:44 Fine, whatever.
07:45 Is this the part where you break my legs?
07:46 Number 2.
07:47 Charlie's Angels
07:48 Whoa, whoa.
07:49 Remember what Charlie said.
07:50 What?
07:51 These are just conversation starters.
07:52 The original Charlie's Angels is fondly remembered as an entertaining piece of television history
07:57 from the 1970s.
07:58 Morning, angels.
07:59 Good morning, Charlie.
08:00 Are we ready, Bosley?
08:01 It also spawned a small media franchise with multiple films, an animated television program,
08:07 and even a web series.
08:08 Given the attention it received on the back of the movie's success, a rebooted TV show
08:12 was inevitable.
08:13 Only four episodes aired on ABC in 2011 before the network pulled the plug due to horrible
08:18 ratings.
08:19 Of the mere eight episodes made, seven were released, with the final eighth one only being
08:22 made available much later.
08:24 I trust you're all enjoying my yacht.
08:27 It's amazing.
08:28 The only thing we're missing is the owner.
08:29 We were hoping you would drop in on the celebration, Charlie.
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08:49 1.
08:51 Charmed
08:52 We know this reboot lasted four seasons, which is not only pretty good for a TV series in
08:55 general but is the longest of any of the other entries on this list.
09:07 Weirdly though, it received quite the amount of backlash and fan hate, so we're surprised
09:10 it even made it through one season.
09:19 Although branded as a reboot, there was no acknowledgement of the original Charmed or
09:22 its cast in the newer stories.
09:24 It was essentially a brand new show that used similar elements from the original.
09:32 Former castmates Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs tore the reboot to pieces and called
09:36 out some of its anti-original sentiments.
09:39 Aside from attempts to pander to modern audiences, it really brought nothing new to the table,
09:43 sealing its fate in 2022.
09:50 Have you ever had your hopes and dreams about a new reboot crushed from a terrible retail
09:54 telling of a great story?
09:55 Let us know in the comments!
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