It once seemed like revivals and reboots and remakes were only prevalent in the movie business. But these past few years have seen a huge explosion in TV reboots, to the point that just about every network is airing a revived show or scrambling through their back catalog to find something to bring back. Many of these shows happen to have done very well at the Emmys during their original runs, including Will & Grace, Roseanne and American Idol. Now the question is will Emmy voters keep showering love on these shows all these years later? Will voters want to reward this new trend of reboots or lean more towards originality?
So which reboots could do well at the Emmys this summer? Here are my thoughts on the eight shows that could have a presence.
Will & Grace
Of all the reboots on the air right now, I expect Will & Grace to be the biggest factor at the 2018 Emmys. The NBC sitcom was a major success at the Emmys in its original run, winning Best Comedy Series in 2000 in addition to acting wins for all four stars — Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally. Having watched this new reboot it’s as if the show’s writers haven’t missed a beat, expertly adapting to a new era of gay acceptance while also zeroing in on the show’s hilarious, self-centered foursome. I expect Hayes and Mullally to get back into their respective supporting categories rather easily, along with McCormack given the relatively weak Comedy Actor field. Debra Messing will be the toughest, but Julia Louis-Dreyfus being out of contention could open things up for her. Best Comedy Series has two open slots, with both Veep and Master of None being out, so Will & Grace could get back in there.
Roseanne
Roseanne, the other major sitcom to return this television season, is a decidedly bigger question mark. For one, the show was never nominated for Best Comedy Series even when it was the no. 1 show on television and earning Emmys for stars Roseanne Barr and Laurie Metcalf. But on a grander scale, Emmy voters are on the liberal side of the political arena and the conservative movement has really embraced the show, starting at the top with Donald Trump. Roseanne herself has proven to be a controversial figure, freely spouting hateful conspiracy theories on her Twitter account. There’s next to no chance Roseanne will be nominated for Best Comedy Actress, but it’s possible her popular co-stars like John Goodman and recent Oscar nominee Laurie Metcalf will be nominated. As far as Best Comedy Series, I don’t expect Roseanne to get in now if it couldn’t in its original run, but if reviews are strong in coming episodes there is a slight possibility.
One Day at a Time
I know the rebooted One Day at a Time technically premiered in the previous Emmy cycle, where it earned a measly one nomination for Best Multi-Camera Picture Editing, but I think it could do much better this time around with its second season. Reviews have been great for the series, which, like Roseanne, tackles working class and social issues but told from the perspective of a Cuban-American family. There was a huge (successful) push by critics and fans to get the show a third season on Netflix, and the praise for star Justina Machado and national treasure Rita Moreno continues to grow. I think Moreno could get into Supporting Actress based on her legendary status and classic supporting type of performance. Machado will have a tougher time in a crowded field, but she delivers such a nuanced performance as a single mom Army veteran. The original series won two Emmys, for Directing and Comedy Supporting Actor for Pat Harrington.
Queer Eye
The original Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was a big hit with both critics and audiences. The reality series earned an Emmy in 2004 for Best Reality Program in addition to three other nominations. The 2018 Netflix reboot, which features an all-new cast, has had a great reception overall, with its positive message becoming a welcome change from the grim series that now make up much of TV. I could easily see the new Queer Eye getting another series nomination, in the relatively new Structured Reality Program category.
American Idol
What to make of American Idol? The original series earned an astonishing 67 nominations in various categories over its first 15 seasons, winning eight in addition to the special Governor’s Award. The show earned nine consecutive nominations from 2003-11, but never won. The Voice went on to win four of the next five years. Considering Emmy voters dropped the show a few years before it ended, it seems a little unlikely that they’ll pick it back up with ABC’s reboot. Especially with accused sexual harasser Ryan Seacrest as the host.
Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery is another big question mark. While it has not earned the reviews to warrant nominations in the top categories, it should do relatively well in the Creative Arts categories, where past Star Trek iterations like The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise have had a presence. It being on CBS All Access will not help considering how new that streaming service is compared to its competitors, but it has already showed up at guild awards for costumes and visual effects, so it probably won’t be a total goose egg.
The Tick
The 1994 version of The Tick earned a handful of Daytime Emmy nominations while the 2001 live action version earned zero. Now we’re back with a third iteration (second in live action), but on Amazon Prime. Amazon has done relatively well at the Emmys in recent years, with shows like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle and Mozart in the Jungle. I definitely don’t see it as a contender in main categories like Transparent, but it’s easy to imagine it doing as well as High Castle or Mozart considering how much of a technical wonder it is.
Twin Peaks: The Return
The biggest mystery of them all. The Emmys famously fell head over heels for Twin Peaks after its first season, showering it with 14 nominations including Best Drama Series. Then, after its divisive second season it dropped down to just four nominations. Now, over 25 years later, Twin Peaks has returned with an even more divisive revival, delving into everything that make Twin Peaks dark and disturbing while forsaking most of the quirky campiness. The Return will be competing as a limited series, which greatly helps it in a weaker year for the genre, so I am currently predicting the series, Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern and director David Lynch to get nominations. It could also just be a tech player, earning a nomination in sound mixing or editing. Or it could get nothing at all. Much like Twin Peaks itself, there is a shroud of mystery around its Emmy chances, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.