Many 1990s sitcoms have, over the years, been rumored to be receiving some sort of reboot or the other. Understandably, this continues to polarize fans of the original. After all, several reboots have failed to achieve commercial success, especially due to the difficulty in capturing the allure of the original. Regardless, some reboots have beaten the odds and become bonafide hits in their own right.
For example, Bel-Air, the dramatized reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has garnered a ton of fans. The newer, modern dynamics of the show and its characters has been a hit since it premiered. Still, not all reboots can achieve this type of success. However, if some 1990s sitcoms are given the treatment, these classics should be at the forefront of the wave.
In The House
LL Cool J stunned fans positively following his impressive comedic timing on In The House. The iconic rapper starred as the down-on-his-luck former football player Marion Hill. A reboot of this popular series could follow a brand new set of characters while retaining the highly interesting plot. Furthermore, there are several types of characters that could be introduced with the original premise. In The House moved between networks following its initial cancellation at NBC. By succeeding on UPN, it earned its spot among the most endearing 1990s sitcoms around.
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Smart Guy
Tahj Mowry revealed in 2021 that a Smart Guy reboot was in the works. It’s been two years since, and no further news has surfaced. However, fans continue to remain hopeful, especially in the wake of the news that Sister, Sister might not be rebooted as previously expected. A Smart Guy reboot could follow many plot points. Perhaps the former child prodigy T.J. is having difficulties adjusting to the idiosyncrasies of the world as an adult. Or maybe he has a child now who has followed in his intelligent footsteps. With so many avenues to follow, the 1990s sitcom should perform quite well today.
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The Jamie Foxx Show
Ever since The Jamie Foxx Show wrapped up in 2001, Jamie Foxx has become a household name. The Oscar-winner has continued to rack up acclaim and awards over the decades. Naturally, a reboot of the show would offer up more hilarious moments from the star. A fun premise could follow his character Jamie King, either as a washed-up musician, or a big-time artist. Either way, whatever journey he’s on, it’ll most likely be a hilarious affair.
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Living Single
Living Single is the quintessential sitcom. The beloved series was the blueprint for many other sitcoms, from the 1990s up until today. Living Single also paved the way for shows like Friends and Girlfriends to shine. In order not to tamper too much with the original, the best way for a Living Single reboot to succeed is to keep the original characters away from it. Unlike many other 1990s sitcoms, Living Single is a largely influential one, and a reboot with reimagined characters might throw off a lot of fans. It’s best if fresh characters are introduced, and a brand new set of six friends navigate their lives together in Brooklyn.
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The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros. remains one of the most beloved 1990s sitcoms to air on The WB. Following the antics of Shawn and Marlon Wayans as the Williams brothers, the show was met with critical acclaim throughout its tenure. The Wayans Bros. is definitely a sitcom that would benefit from a reboot. Besides the passing of John Witherspoon as Pops, Shawn and Marlon are the only characters to appear in every episode. Thus, a reboot could simply revive the characters, and follow their antics in the modern day. With the brothers having widely different on-screen personalities, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. Besides, the humor of the original series still holds up today.
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Sister, Sister
Sister, Sister was widely believed to have a reboot in the works by the end of the 2010s. The original 1990s sitcom, featuring twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, ran for six seasons from 1994 until 1999. The initial plan for the reboot was to follow the sisters navigating life as parents. Unfortunately, Tia Mowry left fans disheartened at the fact that a reboot would likely not happen. In a conversation with Bustle, she revealed that it’s been difficult securing the rights.
“To be honest with you, I hate to pop the balloon. Sister, Sister kind of looks dead right now,” she said. “There's a lot of hands in the pot, and just trying to clear these hands has been really, really difficult. So it's kind of gotten beyond our control." However, fans still remain hopeful that the rights will be cleared, and the Mowry sisters will return to the screen together.
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Moesha
Brandy was already a full-fledged R&B singer before Moesha aired. The sitcom debuted in 1996, becoming one of UPN’s most successful shows. Moesha followed the titular character’s journey through life, school, and love. A reboot of the beloved sitcom can go a number of different ways. Former child actor Raven-Symoné currently reprises her role in Raven’s Home, a reboot of That’s So Raven. Moesha could follow the same format, possibly with her character and Hakeem’s child as a teenager juggling life. After all, the original sitcom ends with a positive pregnancy test in Moesha’s dorm room. A cliffhanger like that would be a surefire way to segue into a new storyline and new characters.
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