Why nostalgia is ruining television one classic at a time

tv set

To Lauren Thurner

April 22, 2023 | 12:13 PM

Nostalgia is officially out of control.

two franchises, “Twilight” And just because “Harry Potter” gets a TV adaptation doesn’t mean it traveled back in time 10 years ago.

This is still 2023.

TV reboot culture was rampant for a while. ‘Magnum PI’, ‘True Lies’, ‘Fantasy Island’, ‘Hawaii Five 0’, ‘Queer Eye’, ‘Cobra Kai’.

This month alone gave us the upcoming small-screen adaptations of “Dead Ringers” and “Fatal Attraction,” each with an A-list star (Rachel Weisz and Joshua Jackson, respectively).

but at least Them The story lay dormant for two decades (or more) before being revived.

But when you look back to the early 2000s with “Twilight” and “Harry Potter,” Hollywood went too far with “Why do I miss you when you’re not gone?” . vein.

Let’s face it: Not enough time has passed since the first round of the spotlight for either franchise.

The last “Potter” movie was released in 2011, and the last “Twilight” movie was released a year later in 2012.

Even Gen Z was around that time.

Both franchises are still loved by audiences, warts and all.

“Twilight” can be ridiculed at will, but half the fun of “Twilight” is whether the movie played straight or The infamous vampire baseball scene Intentionally hilarious.

Additionally, all the trinkets that accompany the film are visible, including Robert Pattinson. seem to hate His role in them was all of the ‘had to be there’ kind of stuff.

There’s no question that ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Twilight’ were the zeitgeist at the timeBut are they the zeitgeist of today?

Well, fans don’t think so.

“The oldest Twilight movies aren’t old enough to drive, but people want to know their legacy??” One enraged fan murmured.

another said, “What Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart did in the Twilight Saga, I’m sorry but I can’t replicate!”

another the audience mocked“It’s kind of a pity to start over… Harry Potter and Twilight.”

he is right I’m so sorry.

“Harry Potter” and “Twilight” looked novel when they hit theaters.

But since then, there have been countless “Witch School” shows (“Wednesday,” “Legacy”) and countless vampire shows (“True Blood,” “What We Do In The Shadows.”).

As for “Twilight,” the first few episodes of “The Vampire Diaries” essentially told the same story, but the show pivoted in a bolder and more twisted direction than “Twilight.” bottom.

So when they emerge in today’s media landscape, these two once-fresh franchises seem dulled and stale by the sands of time and trends.

“What We Do in the Shadows” has already crafted a riff that mocks “Twilight’s” infamous vampire baseball. own vampire kickball sequence, and it was funny.

Every character or plotline in these franchises has been mined for a punchline in the last decade.

And that doesn’t even mention parts that haven’t aged well.

The “Potter” plotline where everyone ridicules Hermione for trying to free someone who was essentially a slave (House Elf)?

The plot of ‘Twilight’ where Jacob falls in love with a baby? Wow!

There are plenty of other popular books that haven’t been adapted for the show…yet.

You don’t have to do this.

At least these shows can cover different regions.

“House of the Dragon” gave us “Game of Thrones” sooner than most of us would like. But that’s a different story for new characters.

Both “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” can take pages out of that playbook. “Twilight” could do a show that is Carlyle Cullen’s origin story, and “Harry Potter” could do a “Marauder” series about the generation of Harry’s parents.

Instead, it opts for lazy retries.

If you’re going to put on a nostalgia show, at least use your imagination.

Both “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” were singular pop culture moments of the 2000s.

But Hollywood seems to have no concept of that phenomenon known as “lightning in a bottle.”

The harder it is for them to try to get it back, the more futile it is and the more stupid they look.