TV’s Remake Craze

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?' 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' and 'The Osbournes' are all making a comeback to TV in the coming weeks ahead. Why the revival of 'older' TV shows?

As networks struggle to find the next breakout reality format, they're turning to familiar oldies.

Fox is reviving Jeff Foxworthy's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? while NBC will film a rebooted Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous pilot with Nick Cannon stepping in for Robin Leach. Further, The Osbournes is moving from MTV to VH1.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, when the big, new, purported 'sure things' don't work, producers and programmers look for what's safe, what's worked and what's known and trusted, Apparently, big swings and misses like [Fox's] Utopia and [ABC's] Rising Star make already nervous networks hungry for simple, predictable comfort programming.

One would assume that reboots are fear-based. In order to save their jobs, they're going back to the well tried and true shows. Personally, I'm fine with that. I loved all these shows in the past and probably will love them again.

Stock up on the popcorn.