There is a common philosophical saying that, in short, reads “there is a time for everything.” For the most part this can be considered true. Everything in life has cycles, a time to end and a time to begin. The context is clearly meant to assess life at a much deeper level. However, the same basic principal can be applied to the TV shows we watch everyday .

In recent years, as trends have begun to make their way back around and become popular with the school age generation, a revival of TV shows this age group and their parents grew up on has become common. The support these shows are just now receiving has resulted in many networks choosing to bring the shows back. The following is a list of just a few shows that are coming back into their time in one way or another.

1. Teen Titans

Teen Titans was popular among 90’s babies and early 2000’s kids old enough to understand the show. Initially released in 2003, Teen Titans was a story of five teenagers, each having either special powers, training, or enhancements, who formed a coalition dedicated to saving their world one mission at a time. Led by trained assassin and former sidekick to Batman, Robin, the DC Comic characters fought the younger generation of villains that began to emerge. 

The cartoon lasted five seasons on Cartoon Network but was often criticized as being too serious for kids. The recent love for the show combined with this past criticism inspired Cartoon Network to release another version titled, “Teen Titans GO!” that is meant to be more humorous and less action-packed. Negative reviews from original watchers of the 2003 version caused Cartoon Network to revive the original show, starting back up on season six.

“I hate the newer version because they turned Robin into a really weak character when in reality he was raised by his mom and grandpa to be an assassin. The original had a healthy mix of jokes and seriousness but the new one is all games and I don’t watch it because of that,”said Yusuf Muhammad, junior at Lake Ridge.

2. Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World was popular among a similar audience. The show originally aired in 1993 on ABC Family. It consisted of seven seasons that followed a young boy, Cory, his best-friend Shawn, and love interest Topanga, from sixth grade all the way to its season finale in their college years. The coming-of-age story depicted in the show deals with a host of issues such as love, friendship, single-parent households and more. 

The original show was not brought back. However, it did receive a sequel titled “Girl Meets World,” which follows Cory and Topanga’s daughter Riley and her best-friend Maya as they begin high school and go through similar experiences to Riley’s parents as well as the challenges associated with growing up in a time where technology can not be escaped.

”I loved both shows but I love the newer one more because I can identify with Riley. She’s a girl living now going through a lot of the same things I am. I have to say it’s better because it’s more interactive. It is better because I’ve actually cried a lot watching it and the other one just didn’t touch me that way,” said Alexandra Martin, senior at Lake Ridge.

3. American Idol

American Idol is a show meant to showcase competing talents as well as their background stories. Self-described as a “singing competition and reality” show, American Idol originally came out on FOX in 2002. The show features a host of people who aspire to be artists. They then follow the artists success and performances as they move on in the competition. American Idol has launched the careers of famous singers like Jordan Sparks, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and more. However, the show has recently a moved to a new network, ABC, and this major change combined with newer judges has caused it to receive new levels of low ratings.

“The show means a lot to me because it gives people a chance to get out there with their talent and express themselves,” said Brandon Gentry, junior at Lake Ridge. “ I don’t like the new one because now that it’s owned by ABC and the judges are nicer almost every singer makes it and has an emotional backstory. It feels less sincere.”

4. One Day At A Time

Not many students have known this show form the late 1900s but do happen to be familiar with the reboot. The 1975-1984 version of One Day At A Time was similar to the show Full House, in that it followed a divorced mother raising two girls on her own. She balances a career and a family as well as time to heal from her broken marriage.

Last year in 2017, Netflix purchased the show from CBS and rebooted it with a new cast under one of its original executive producers, Norman Lear. This time the show follows Cuban-American, Penelope, a single Army veteran raising a son and daughter on her own with the occasional help of her mother and building manager.

“I remember watching it when I was young, it was a really upbeat, feel-good, positive message at the end type show. Both shows have had two of my favorite actors and I’ve spent a lot of time binge-watching the new one. They’ve done a good job of recreating the story while still staying true to its basics,” said Choir teacher Philip Glenn.

5. Full House 

Full House, also owned by and aired on ABC in 1987, ran 8 seasons before coming to a timely end. It followed the life of a man, Danny, and his two best-friends who move in to help him raise his three daughters after Danny’s wife passed away. When it comes down to it, the show addresses the hardships of being a single father raising girls as well as what its like being a girl without a mother all while maintaining that situationally comedic flare.

Rather than continue the show many years later, they gave it the “Girl Meets World” treatment, a sequel titled Fuller House. This Netflix produced show follows one of Danny’s daughters, D.J., a recently widowed mom. While watching the show you see her raising three sons with her best friend and sister back in the same house as the original show.

”I enjoy both shows a lot. I watched Full House a lot when I was younger so to grow up to have a Netflix account and be able to watch the story continue is special to me. The story is full of references to the old show and modern issues while still remaining funny,” said Lake Ridge Junior, Kenedi Lunkin.

With all these new shows coming out, it is fun for students and staff alike to see the similarities and difference. While the original shows were entraining, the audience can watch the shows they grew up with deal with today’s problems.