What old TV Shows need to have a "Reunion" Show?

[Winston Bongo]

Even more shocking is no one has mentioned Twin Peaks yet.

I'd also love to see an Adventures of Brisco County Jr. reunion movie. Co-creator Carlton Cuse will be finishing up Lost soon, so he'll have some free time. It would be a hoot to see what Brisco and Bowler were doing circa 1900 (IIRC, the series was set in the 1880s).

[Jim's Son]

There was one "Man from U.N.C.L.E." reunion movie back in 1983 that wasn't as good as it could have been (despite the appearance of the great Anthony Zerbe) because Robert Vaughn and David McCallum weren't on screen together very often. Perhaps they could try again.

The series "Vegas" ended with a lot of loose plot threads.

[audit1]

With the death of Pernell Roberts , any chance of a Bonanza reunion goes out the window.

[StGermain]

I'd like to know what happened to everyone on Hill Street Blues. And going with the cop theme, a serious (instead of slapstick) followup to Starsky and Hutch would be great.

And whatever happened to the Fresh Prince kid?

StG

[Shakes]

Originally Posted by audit1

With the death of Pernell Roberts , any chance of a Bonanza reunion goes out the window.

They did TWO reunions, they're called: "Deadwood" and "Tombstone"


(rim shot)

[zamboniracer]

Originally Posted by BMada

I would like to see Drew Carey Show reunion.

I'll second this. I hear Mr. Wick has done pretty well for himself.

[MitzeKatze]

Originally Posted by BMada

I would like to see Drew Carey Show reunion.

A little off the topic, but I'd like to see a Drew Carey reunion but with combining the characters with what the actors went on to do, so Drew would have quit his job and become a game show host, Kate is now married and divorced from a doctor at Sacred Heart, Lewis is married to Judith (from Two and a Half Men) while Mr. Wick has become a comedian, MiMi has become a cop (from her appearances on My Name is Earl) and Oswald is now renown for teaching martial arts (Rex Kwan Do- Napoleon Dynamite).

I think they could get a whole new series out of a reunion of this sort explaining how each character got there etc. and it could start and end with all of them sitting in Drew's living room drinking Buzz beer and reminiscing about old times.

[BMalion]

Originally Posted by Abby_Emma_Sasha

...
China Beach- Most of the cast have regular gigs on TV and this was another "can't miss" show that I loved.

Wow! I was an extra in the pilot. I've never heard anyone mention that show.

I'll show up at a bar for a reunion.

[Sarabellum1976]

Gilmore Girls. There was talk of a TV movie to tie the loose ends together a bit better than the hasty finale, but alas, this has not happened.

[Sampiro]

Originally Posted by Susanann

Northern Exposure.

Seconded. And Palin should definitely be in the plot. I wouldn't mind seeing it brought back as a series- they don't really need Fleischman and O'Connell so long as they have the same sets and maybe Hollin/Shelley/Maurice for continuity.


I read somewhere there's talk of a "reality" update of LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY starring Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall as themselves sharing an apartment somewhere (Milwaukee?). I'm guessing that one's not going to come to fruition either.

I honestly think a M*A*S*H reunion could work. Just set it at a MASH reunion, ca. 1985 in a hotel somewhere. Most of the cast is still alive. The reunion could be set in Missouri so that the 4077 vets could see Colonel Potter on his own turf- last time I saw Harry Morgan on an interview (a couple of years ago admittedly) he seemed feeble but alert in his 90s.

[Sampiro]

Originally Posted by TWDuke

I'd be interested in seeing a Happy Days reunion where Chuck comes home.

Regarding Gilligan's Island, we all know there was a reunion movie with a couple of sequels, right?

There's also a surprisingly good movie about GILLIGAN'S ISLAND starring Denver (a couple of years before he died), Wells and Johnson as themselves and actors as all of the castaways in flashbacks. It's called SURVIVING GILLIGAN'S ISLAND and is totally worth Netflixing if you're into "old timey" TV at all; it deals with such things as the censors and Mary Ann's bellybutton, problems with Tina Louise (who they all seem to still detest), private lives of the cast members, etc.. The breakout character is Natalie Schafer who seems like she'd have been a blast to know, and who in flashbacks actually has a poignant scene (one that explains her lack of a sex life in spite of a very healthy interest in the topic, so much so that she would ask Dawn Wells all about her sex life). Also has lots of trivia, such as the fact the pilot was being shot when JFK was assassinated.

The movie was successful enough that they did a similar format movie for THREE'S COMPANY, though I didn't see that one. I'd love to see one about ONE DAY AT A TIME because that one seems to have been a zoo, or- the obvious- one about STAR TREK, which I'm surprised hasn't been done.

[Sampiro]

THE BRADY BRIDES GO THROUGH MENOPAUSE might be interesting. They already treated the boys midlife crisis in the Chris Knight/Adrienne Curry show.

[Morbo]

Would love to see Quantum Leap. Start with him still leaping, but new technology offers him a chance to make it home. 2 hours of same type of humor and plot, but with a proper ending.

[BMada]

Originally Posted by MitzeKatze

A little off the topic, but I'd like to see a Drew Carey reunion but with combining the characters with what the actors went on to do, so Drew would have quit his job and become a game show host, Kate is now married and divorced from a doctor at Sacred Heart, Lewis is married to Judith (from Two and a Half Men) while Mr. Wick has become a comedian, MiMi has become a cop (from her appearances on My Name is Earl) and Oswald is now renown for teaching martial arts (Rex Kwan Do- Napoleon Dynamite).

I think they could get a whole new series out of a reunion of this sort explaining how each character got there etc. and it could start and end with all of them sitting in Drew's living room drinking Buzz beer and reminiscing about old times.

not to mention Cynthia Watros as Kellie who was on Lost, Kate Walsh as Drew's girlfriend Nicki who leads Private Practice , Ian Gomez as the creepy coworker on Cougartown, and Kaitlin Olson from the Neverending Store era who's on It's always Sunny in Philadelphia.

[Surly Chick]

I'd love to see a Partridge Family reunion show. I envisage Danny Bonaduce living in the basement, Susan Dey having three illegitimate kids all by different fathers, the younger girl being a crack addict, etc. The possibilities are endless...

[BrandonR]

Mr. Show.

[Sampiro]

Originally Posted by Surly Chick

I'd love to see a Partridge Family reunion show. I envisage Danny Bonaduce living in the basement, Susan Dey having three illegitimate kids all by different fathers, the younger girl being a crack addict, etc. The possibilities are endless...

There really was talk of it a few years back. It was to serve as a pilot for David Cassidy who would be the new Shirley, the dad of a pop sensation. Cassidy was on board, but it never went anywhere (which may be redundant, though I think he's big in Vegas). I've wondered if any of the people who pitched it were responsible for Hannah Montana.

[Sampiro]

A show that screwed the pooch too much to get any more reunions is THE WALTONS. They had some high rated reunion movies, but then the timeline got hopelessly out of whack. One involved the JFK assassination, and in that one the Walton grandkids from the series were still kids in the movie (played by different actors) and Elizabeth (the youngest daughter) was a college student even though by 1963 the oldest grandchildren (who were born before Pearl Harbor- was an important plot point in the series in fact) would have been young adults and Elizabeth would have been almost 40 (the character, not the actress). The Baldwin Sisters, the eldest of whom was old enough to remember when the Civil War ended (this was mentioned in the series) were still alive and driving around in 1963- conceivable but not likely as they'd both have been centenarians or very close to it.

While this was bad enough, the next Waltons movie took place in 1970, by which time Olivia (Michael Learned) was beginning a new career as a teacher even though if you follow the timeline of the original series she would have been past mandatory retirement age, and the grandkids born in the late 30s/early 40s were teenagers in 1970. Worst of all is the family gathers to celebrate John and Olivia's 40th anniversary, meaning that at least 6 of the kids were bastards since the TV series began at some point in the 1930s and most of them were born before 1930. Grandma Walton and both Baldwin sisters were still alive even though they'd have all been well over 100 by this point (again, possible but not that likely, especially considering Grandma had been a speechless invalid for 35 years or so [Ellen Corby's stroke, written into the show, occurred in the 1930s on the show).

A similar timespace corruption was Eight is Enough, when the family gathered several years after the series ended to celebrate their father's 50th birthday. This would have made Dick Van Patten, who was 60 when the movie was filmed, about 13 when his oldest child on the series (Grant Goodeve) was born.

[Push You Down]

Originally Posted by Sarabellum1976

Gilmore Girls. There was talk of a TV movie to tie the loose ends together a bit better than the hasty finale, but alas, this has not happened.

Lauren Grahm has said she's not interested in returning to the role.

Meh, just as well. I'd only be interested in Luke and Lane and Zach's band.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

Originally Posted by Cicero

I think Gilligans Island except only three are left alive- The Professor, Ginger and Mary- Anne.

I'm so ashamed. You can probably guess where my mind went with this....

[Harvey The Heavy]

A proper Adam-12 reunion would have been cool about 20 years ago, instead of that lame remake they did in 1990. Kent McCord and Martin Milner are way past retirement age now.

There almost kinda was one: just before Jack Webb died he was planning another Dragnet series, with McCord reviving the Jim Reed character as Friday's partner.

[Sampiro]

A DIFF'RENT STROKES reunion might be interesting. Mrs. Garrett picks up Mr. Drummond at the retirement home and they take Kimberly's ashes with them to see Arnold and Willis at Sing Sing.

[BMalion]

Mr. Peepers!

[aceplace57]

I'd love to see a Big Valley reunion with Peter Breck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans reuniting.
Breck is still active, and has an acting credit in 2004. Lee Majors is currently filming The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.

Linda Evans hasn't worked since 1999. I'm not sure if they could get her or not.

[melodyharmonius]

Originally Posted by Sampiro

There really was talk of it a few years back. It was to serve as a pilot for David Cassidy who would be the new Shirley, the dad of a pop sensation. Cassidy was on board, but it never went anywhere (which may be redundant, though I think he's big in Vegas). I've wondered if any of the people who pitched it were responsible for Hannah Montana.

Actually, the show you are discussing became Ruby & the Rockits - and had 10 episodes in 2009. It was not picked up for a second season.

[Sir T-Cups]

I'd love to see another go at Sports Night

[Wheelz]

Originally Posted by Sir T-Cups

I'd love to see another go at Sports Night

Agreed! I always felt Sports Night got shafted because ABC actually believed that 14 hours a week (give or take) of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire would turn out to be a good idea.

Their maybe-it's-over-maybe-it's-not finale wasn't a terrible way to go out, but I missed the characters and I think there were more stories to tell.

[salinqmind]

I saw an actual Red Green Show reunion on PBS not long ago, and learned Harold left the show for a while. My PBS station keeps showing the same episodes all the time, I would have liked to see Harold's surprise return, and his wedding.

[Sampiro]

Carroll O'Connor was pitching a series of specials (not a regular television show) for Archie Bunker in the last few years of his life. He wanted Archie to have sold the bar and now drive cabs part time for extra retirement money as he did on the series, and all of the episodes would center on his conversation with the passengers. Surprisingly it was never done because it wasn't a bad idea. (It was also precedented: Warren Mitchell who played Archie's progenitor Alf Garnett in the Britcom on which ALL IN THE FAMILY was based played him in recurring series from 1965 to 1998 and appeared on stage as Garnett in a one man show in the past decade.)

The cast of THE JEFFERSONS also tried for a reunion show but it was never granted. The reason they wanted it (other than Sherman Hemsley being famously bankrupt) was that they felt no closure; the show was cancelled after the final episode wrapped and while it wasn't a cliffhanger they wanted to do something to wrap the long running highly successful series. The closest they got was on a late episode of Fresh Prince of BelAir in which they had cameos as George and "Don't call me Weezy! I have allergies!" and then again in the finale where they bought the mansion. That final episode also including cameos by Conrad Bain and Gary Coleman reprising the roles of Mr. D and Arnold. (Hemsley had previously played another character in Fresh Prince but to my knowledge no mention was made of it, though the character was senile and did once call out for 'Lionel! Florence! Weezy!" while at the Banks residence.)

SOAP ended with not one but several cliffhangers. The closest it came to resolution was when Katherine Helmond appeared as Jessica Tait's disembodied spirit in an episode of its spinoff BENSON and told him (her former butler) that she was alive but in a coma in South America after being shot by the firing squad at the end of the series. Unfortunately it's now been almost 30 years since the show went off the air and several of the principals are dead, so we'll never know what became of Chester and Bobby and the rest.

The TV series SORDID LIVES also ended with several cliffhangers. It was a very cute show, but seems to have been a fustercluck from the get go and I always thought that having it on LOGO (a channel most of the flyovers doesn't even have access to and that has next to no budget) was a really stupid move to begin with, but I'd still like resolution. For those who have seen the movie, the series is a prequel with roughly half the original cast (looking 10 years older as they play a year younger) and it ends roughly a few weeks before the movie occurs. It would really only take about a 90 minute conclusion to unite it to the movie.
I saw Del Shores (the writer/producer/shagger-of-the-show's-star [who sadly thinks he can sing]) in a show in Atlanta a few weeks ago and he said that he's writing a sequel movie that will wrap things up. He can be an absolutely brilliant writer but seems to have no concept of good marketing- SORDID LIVES is a cult film but it's amazing how many have never heard of it and they should- so I've doubts if it'll ever happen, especially since the cancellation of the series and the (according to Shores at least) unethical business practices of the distribution company ruined him financially.


Speaking of gay, though it's not a TV series I'll include it anyway. A low budget gay movie I'd love to see an update to is TORCHSONG TRILOGY. It would be interesting to see Arnold Beckoff, now pushing 60, reflecting on all the changes since the early 1980s, or from pre-AIDS Reagan America to post gay marriage initiatives Obama America and being fat and old in the age of Lance Bass and Neil Patrick Harris.