Scaling new heights

Rebooting scripted series has become big business, but it remains a flawed science. Stephen Arnell questions why there is such an attraction to remakes and explores what makes a TV hit – or turns it into a flop

It’s not hard to work out the reasoning behind the ongoing stream of rebooted and revived scripted shows: name recognition and residual affection almost guarantee high initial sampling. While it’s unclear how many people actually remember the likes of Perry Mason (currently being rebooted by HBO) or sitcom Designing Women (ABC), the argument that reboots can cut through largely stands.

“Revivals have been going on for years on both sides of the Atlantic,” says David Walton, joint MD and creative director at Free@LastTV, producers of the hit comedy-detective series Agatha Raisin for US streamer Acorn and Sky One. He points to shows such as Endeavour, Prime Suspect and Hawaii Five 0 as “familiar brands that audiences can easily identify” in a sea of product.

Read more: https://tbivision.com/2020/07/07/scaling-new-heights/