Apple TV+ is an upcoming subscription video on-demand service provided by Apple Inc. Since we’re on the cusp of Apple TV+’s launch, we can’t help but look at all they have in store for audiences and potential subscribers. Right now, the service has original programming starring the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell, Jason Momoa, Oprah Winfrey, and Reese Witherspoon.
But something worth paying attention to as well is Apple TV+’s inclusion of some youth-oriented programming. Coming soon is a Ghostwriter reboot and a new Charlie Brown series called Snoopy in Space. Now, if Apple TV+ is looking to benefit from the demand for nostalgic revivals, then they should look to reboot these ten other classic shows for kids.
Care Bears
The Care Bears are from an eponymous franchise that began in 1981 as a line of stuffed toys. Then came a television special, a series, and three films. These cuddly, empathetic embodiers of all that is good and kind were the perfect role models in parents’ eyes. They might have been a bit too saccharine, but these days, who says that’s a bad trait?
There already was a reboot at Boomerang called Care Bears: Unlock the Magic as well as the short-lived Netflix series, Care Bears and Cousins. What Apple TV+ could do is a series that is more like the first two 1980s films. They should also include the often ignored Care Bear Cousins.
The Real Ghostbusters
Like other successful live-action films in the 1980s and early 1990s, the 1984 horror comedy Ghostbusters was spun off into an animated series called The Real Ghostbusters. The “real” was added for legal reasons we won’t go into. This long-running cartoon lasted a good seven seasons before it was sent to the containment system. There was an underrated 1997 sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters, that easily could be rebooted today, too. Both series dealt with a crack team of paranormal investigators who captures naughty spirits and ghouls. Apple TV+ would be wise to cash in on the upcoming Ghostbusters film directed by Jason Reitman.
Eerie, Indiana
A teen named Marshall Teller is uprooted from his comfortable life in New Jersey and moved to the small town of Eerie, Indiana. The population is barely 16,000, and something’s not quite right about this place.
When supernatural occurrences then plague Marshall’s life, he and his new friend Simon swoop in to solve the mystery. This short-lived NBC property was unique among its peers because it was self-aware and never shied of being plain weird. Although we already got a sequel series, Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension in 1998, a new and kookier reboot would be keen.
Breaker High
We don’t have enough shows about people on a boat these days. Not since Fantasy Island has there been one as fun as the Canadian teen show Breaker High. Sure, it was juvenile and could have paid more attention to all the international locales the ship docked at, but hey, it was a unique show for teenagers. Oh, and did we mention it had a young Ryan Gosling? With a bigger budget, someone like Apple TV+ could definitely make a new version of Breaker High that actually looks like it’s set on a cruise liner as opposed to a studio set.
Big Wolf on Campus
If you have never heard of Big Wolf on Campus, don’t feel too badly. This Canadian supernatural comedy has managed to escape the influx of nostalgia today. In the series, a teenage boy is turned into a werewolf. As he deals with his furry new life, he and his pals fight things that go bump in the night. Not the most novel idea as it follows a similar path as the seminal teen horror show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But Big Wolf was goofy, low-budget entertainment with a cheeky sense of humor to boot.
Archie’s Weird Mysteries
When the plot of Riverdale was first announced, many Archie fans undoubtedly thought of this little-known yet beloved cartoon. The series was a product of DiC Entertainment, who is known for producing 1980s staples like Care Bears, Inspector Gadget, and The Real Ghostbusters.
In the series, Archie and his friends Betty, Jughead, and Veronica all investigate spooky going-ons in their home of Riverdale. Sounds familiar, but unlike the CW incarnation, this cartoon dealt directly with the supernatural. It was at times ambitious in its plot, but its simplistic art left viewers unimpressed. A reboot could surely fix that, though.
Garfield and Friends
Living in a world without a viable Garfield series is not fair for those who hate Mondays. Yes, there is the upcoming sequel to The Garfield Show called Garfield Originals, but we were thinking of something more long-form. The best incarnation of Jim Davies’ comic strip about a cat who loves lasagna is still Garfield and Friends. This series ran for seven seasons with over one hundred episodes. Every episode included a U.S. Acres segment, which was based on another of Davies’ strips.
Animorphs
The most shocking thing about Animorphs is the fact that there has yet to be a remake of this beloved children’s sci-fi show. The series aired between 1998 and 1999 on Nickelodeon, and it was based on the books of the same name. In Animorphs, a group of kids has the ability to transform into any animal they want. Using their gifts, they then battle aliens who threaten to take over Earth.
Animorphs is a franchise that escapes obscurity even with only one adaptation to date. And Apple TV+ could surely improve upon the original show with better special effects and more stimulating stories. As for the announced movie, that’s been in the works for almost five years.
Godzilla (1978)
It would be tricky to do considering the legalities of the Godzilla series, but a period cartoon modeled after the relatively short-lived Hanna-Barbera adaptation could be fun for kaijū enthusiasts. Seeing Godzilla battle new and classic foes — such as Gigan, King Ghidorah, Megalon, Mothra, Rodan, and the Smog Monster — would be exciting to see in a high quality animated series. In the 1978 Hanna-Barbera show, a captain and his shipmates travel the open seas. As they encounter various monsters around the world, they summon Godzilla for help from the ocean’s bottom. With the press of a remote control button, he emerges from the ocean in an instant.
The Secret World of Alex Mack
After coming in contact with a chemical from the local plant her parents work at, Alex Mack develops superhuman abilities: she can move things with her mind, turn herself into a puddle of liquid, and shoot static electricity from her fingers. She also glows when she blushes. For four seasons, The Secret World of Alex Mack was a fan-favorite for SNICK fans. How would Apple TV+ conduct a reboot, though? In this day and age, it would not be surprising if they went down a darker and more mature route.
