“A long time ago, we used to be friends…”
If you’re of a certain age (ie ancient) and a fan of US TV teen drama, you’ll be familiar with Veronica Mars.
Teenage girl in high school (played by Kristen Bell) moonlights as a private investigator solving the murder of her best friend in a wealthy California community. It was snarky, smart, and quickly gathered a reputation for having a central character who was strong, independent, funny – and female. Hurrah.
The show ran from 2004 to 2007 and then became one of those shows that people in their 30s remember fondly, and wishing they still made them like that. I think we have a point, and not just rose-tinted glasses. I don’t think anyone is going to be wistfully remembering Hollyoaks in the year 2023.
But this week brought AWESOME news. The actors and writers of Veronica Mars have teamed up to launch a kickstarter project where they invite regular people to chip in money, and if they raise $2m, they’ll make a movie of Veronica Mars. How amazing is that? And they reached more than 50% of their target in just one day, showing how loved that show was. After 36 hours, they’re currently $0.5m over their budget *excited face*
I say, why stop at Veronica Mars, though?
There are loads of TV shows I’d pay good money to see revived on the big screen. Like…
Party of Five. Oh, how I loved Charlie, and his tormented, wood-loving ways, and Julia, with her succession of beautiful boyfriends and awesome hair. Did Julia end up with Griffin – although that might be problematic, I’ve a feeling the actor who played him keeps ending up in jail at the moment due to domestic disputes. Ah well, maybe that one’s best left as a beautiful memory.
Felicity. Oh, I adored Felicity and the not-at-all-cliched story of a girl who moves to New York and has to choose between two incredibly handsome men. On the upside, this show was made by JJ Abrams, who is basically a God who can do no wrong in my book. Also – both men from this show have aged incredibly well. Scott Speedman could easily take a break from hanging out with vampires, and I think Scott Foley could easily take a break from Scrubs and Grey’s Anatomy. Although we’d have to agree to forget about the original, stupid, four-episode finale to the show.
My So-Called Life. If ever there was a TV show that ended too soon, it’s MSCL. I would pay awesome amounts of money to see what happened to Angela Chase, the only teenage girl on TV who reminded me of an ACTUAL teenage girl, complete with moods, and insecurities, and random irritation with that fact that the universe had saddled her with parents and siblings. The only unfortunate issue would be Jared Leto – unspeakably beautiful at 18, less so at 35. It’s tricky because you wouldn’t want Angela to end up with Brian, would you?
Gilmore Girls: This show about a single Mum and her daughter was one of my all-time favourites well before I was a single Mum to a daughter. It’s a witty, pop-culture packed show set in a dreamy New England small town, featuring an incredibly smart, wise-cracking Lorelei Gilmore, raising her daughter. And it includes lines like: “Always carry a book, you never know when you might need it.” What’s not to love?
Do you agree with my choices? What TV shows would you resurrect and bring back to the big screen?
Totally agree with Gilmore Girls, was gutted when it ended.
I would love them to make a spin off of My So Called Life, maybe where Angela is a Mum of a teen daughter. Would be interesting. 🙂
Ugh! No way! I so don’t want to see a middle aged Angela! OK maybe I do but she’d have to be cool and hip and you just no she’d be more Sylvia Plath than hipster mom!
I think grown up Angela would be fun. Maybe a Mum of a teen would be a step too far, though – she’d have to have aged a LOT. Possibly I’m in denial about how old I am.
MSCL definitely, but I think Jared Leto is even more gorgeous now than he was then.
Really? He looks like he takes too many hard drugs, to me.
Wow, you watched a lot of American…stuff.
I think the remake of Battlestar Galatica was pretty good, so I’d like to see some more Babylon 5. That’s about it for American shows though, although if they ever wanted to do another series of Dark Skies or Firefly I’d be happy.
Over here I’d like another series of the IT Crowd, we’ve had new Red Dwarf, there’s some new Blackadder in the pipeline, so I’m pretty much catered for.
Ha- thanks for the tact 🙂
I’m with you on the IT Crowd.
Friday Night Lights. Deadwood.
Oh, Deadwood was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?
I would happily put lots of money towards a Gilmore Girls film if it meant we get to see Rory and Jess end up in a happily ever after type situation. Still a sore point for me as to how that relationship panned out.
Oh yes, although I was a sucker for Jess.
I have nothing to add- I LOVED all of the shows you listed except for Felicity I only liked it a lot. My So Called Life was AWESOME! Veronica Mars kicked ass and Lorelie! Lorelie! How I loved Lorelie! Remember Northern Exposure? I don’t know if it fits your brief but I’d totally want to know what they’re all up to! OK I lied- I did have something to add.
Northern Exposure – oh, I loved at the beginning, less so a bit later.
I love your choices, as you know I’m a huge Gilmore Girls fan and would do anything to get it back. I’ve been watching it a lot since being off on Mat leave and baby girl loves the theme tune. I even bought the Coffee at Luke’s book recently. I love Veronica Mars and Party of 5 was a must as a teenager. I also love Charmed wish it would come back.
I’ve never watched Charmed – I must add it to my iTunes download queue.
loved Charmed but they were impossibly beautiful and glam
I only just found Veronica Mars a year or so ago, when E4 was showing it from start to finish. It’s still brilliant, and hasn’t aged at all.
I’d love to seem ore Gilmore Girls and Firefly (though Firefly did at least get its own movie). I think I’d also be tempted by a Due South film, but maybe that’s just me.
I agree – both Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls age exceptionally well. LOVED Due South, especially in the early days.
I would bring back American Gothic. Does anyone remember that about the sheriff who was actually the devil in a deep south American town. It sounds weird which it was but it was also Brilliant.
Ooh, interesting choice!
I know I’m an old lady but does anyone remember Sledge Hammer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFh09hF6qlA ? I used to love this show – brilliant comedy, a sassy sidekick and boy did I have a crush on David Rasche….
Oh, I remember watching that in bed, sneakily, when I was far too young to be watching it 🙂
Yay! Me too with the sound down! It was 1986 and 10.35pm was way too late for a primary school pupil 😀
Buffy. Friends. ER. Or what used to be Thursday night tv when I lived in Reading, accompanied by a Sainsbury’s Quattro Formaggi pizza.
Oh, Buffy – but only if Angel came back, mind.
Defo more 24, Buffy, Charmed and ER (it’s our duty to introduce more actors like George Clooney surely?!).
Still, there are some great new programmes like The Following to get to grips with.
Haven’t seen Charmed yet, but I’d love to consign 24 to history, honestly – after S1 it sort of died a slow death for me 🙂
Interesting blog entry. I have recently got into watching Highlander on the Horror Channel. Never watched it when it was actually made in the 1990s – not even sure if it was shown in the UK – but love it. It is great teatime viewing. The acting isn’t always great but that is part of the charm. Also watched Firefly for the first time last year and think it’s such a shame that it got axed after the first series – you’ve only just got into it and into the characters and you are expecting more. Dark Angel is another one which we’ve also enjoyed watching on there and it only lasted for two series.
It’s not a TV show, but I wish they’d make another film along the lines of Master and Commander which Russell Crowe was in. There are plenty of seafaring books by Patrick O’Brien but I gather the film didn’t do that well at the box office in the US which is why they didn’t make a sequel. Shame. Am sure there are plenty of other ones too.
What great suggestions, although must admit the Master & Commander thing wasn’t quite my cup of tea.
Great post!!!
OMG I loved party of five!!!
I would love to see Gilmore Girls bought back and I was a big lover or Dawsons Creek!! I miss ER but I liked the original cast, went a bit down hill for me when the old cast started leaving.
Pacey Witter, long may he live…
For me, it will always be friends. Best. show. ever.
Friends *is* amazing but what’s nice is I felt it was quite complete when it finished – perhaps a prequel instead?
I loved Veronica Mars. Gilmore Girls for sure. Dawsons Creek too. I would definitely like more Firefly.
I am currently losing chucks of time to Gossip Girl which I have just discovered on Netflix.
Is ‘Chucks of time’ an actual unit of time, then?