I don’t know about you, but every time Hollywood announces another reboot, I feel part excitement, part fear, part “please don’t ruin this for me.”
I grew up completely attached to certain shows and films, the ones that felt like comfort blankets during awkward phases, heartbreaks, and those early-2000s identity crises we pretend we didn’t have.
So when studios start digging through the archives, I’m torn between curling up in nostalgia and shielding my memories from being tampered with.
But every now and then, a reboot comes along that feels like a genuine reunion rather than a cash grab. Something that actually honours what made the original special.
Here are 10 reboots that might just be worth trusting with your nostalgia.
1. Scrubs (ABC, February 2026)
Sacred Heart Hospital is opening its doors again, and yes, JD and Turk are back. The medical comedy that taught us absolutely nothing about actual medicine but everything about friendship returns to ABC on 25th February 2026.
Bill Lawrence, the show’s creator, told the Los Angeles Times he wouldn’t do it if he thought it was rubbish.
The new series won’t just plonk everyone back into the same hospital, pretending nothing changed. Instead, it’ll explore where these characters landed years later, dealing with a completely different medical world (and probably still making the same terrible decisions).
Why you’ll watch it: Because you still quote “Eagle!” at inappropriate moments and need to know if JD finally grew up. (Spoiler: probably not.)
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale (Hulu, 2026)
Sarah Michelle Gellar is putting down the stakes again, though this time she’s passing the torch.
The Hulu sequel series, directed by Chloé Zhao, features Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new Slayer with Gellar in a recurring mentor role.
Gellar admitted she “never thought” she’d return to the role, but Zhao’s vision changed her mind.
“It’s tough times for everybody right now, and I think people feel more isolated and more alone,” she explained. “Found family and those true moments become more and more important.”
The show promises Easter eggs for longtime fans while welcoming viewers who’ve never seen the original.
The two leads have even been training together for their fight scenes, which suggests the reboot will honour the original’s action-packed spirit.
Why you’ll watch it: Because Sunnydale is calling, and you never really stopped believing in the power of a teenage girl with supernatural strength sorting out the world’s problems.
3. Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair (Disney+, Spring 2026)
Bryan Cranston and Frankie Muniz are reuniting for a limited series that’ll catch up with Malcolm and his chaotic family.
The Disney+ revival centres on Malcolm and his daughter meeting up with the family we remember.
Remember when we all thought Malcolm was a genius for being good at maths? Simpler times.
The show ran from 2000 to 2006, making it prime nostalgia territory for anyone who grew up watching Hal’s bizarre antics and Lois’s terrifying authority.
This isn’t a full reboot but a peek into what happened after the cameras stopped rolling.
Why you’ll watch it: To see if Malcolm turned out alright and whether Hal is still doing interpretive dances in his pants. Also, Bryan Cranston.
4. The Holiday (Apple TV+, TBA)
Nancy Meyers’ 2006 rom-com about home-swapping over Christmas is getting the limited series treatment on Apple TV+.
The original starred Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black in peak cosy-winter-film form.
The series will follow the same premise: an American woman and a British woman swap homes during the holidays.
Whether it’ll capture the magic of Jude Law being an unexpectedly perfect single dad remains to be seen.
Why you’ll watch it: Because it’s scientifically impossible to resist a Christmas story that involves cottages, snow, and complicated romantic feelings. Plus, you need something to watch whilst avoiding your own family gatherings.
5. Freakier Friday (Disney+, Released August 2024)
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis returned for this direct sequel to the 2003 body-swap comedy, and it delivered exactly what it promised.
Nostalgia is a powerful psychological force that alters our perceptions, making us crave the familiar even when we know it might disappoint.
Freakier Friday didn’t disappoint. It understood that sometimes you just want to see the same magic happen again, with slightly older actors and a few more life lessons thrown in.
Why you watched it: Because you needed to know if Lohan and Curtis still had that mother-daughter chemistry, and because some things from your teenage years deserve a second round.
6. Prison Break (Hulu, TBA)
The early 2000s drama about elaborate prison escapes is getting a full reboot on Hulu, courtesy of creator Elgin James and starring Emily Browning. This isn’t the 2017 revival; this is something entirely new.
The original ran from 2006 to 2009, following brothers Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield through increasingly bonkers escape plans.
Former WB president Jordan Levin explains that millennials have reached the age where they want to share beloved shows with their kids whilst also craving nostalgic comfort.
Why you’ll watch it: Because you still remember the tattoo reveal from the original series, and you’re curious if the new version can match that level of ridiculous brilliance.
7. Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix, Released 2025)
Adam Sandler returned as the hockey player turned golfer in this Netflix sequel that nobody asked for but somehow everyone watched.
The streaming giant knows that nostalgic comfort viewing keeps subscribers coming back.
The film follows Happy decades later, presumably still unable to control his temper on the golf course. Reviews are mixed, but that’s never stopped Sandler fans from showing up.
Why you watched it: Because you wanted to see if Sandler could recapture that 1996 energy, and because sometimes you just need something silly and familiar.
8. The Devil Wears Prada Sequel (Cinemas, May 1st 2026)
Miranda Priestly might be returning to terrorise a new generation of assistants.
The sequel to the 2006 fashion industry classic is in various stages of development, and millennials are losing their minds over the possibility.
The original gave us Anne Hathaway’s Andy navigating the ruthless world of high fashion whilst working for Meryl Streep’s icy editor.
It’s the film millennials can quote line for line whilst simultaneously recognising all its problematic workplace dynamics.
Why you’ll watch it: Because you need to know if Andy stayed in fashion, whether Emily finally got to Paris, and if Miranda has mellowed even slightly. (She hasn’t.)
9. Elle (Prime Video, Summer 2026)
What, like it’s hard to reboot Legally Blonde? Apparently not. Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company is bringing us Elle, a prequel series that follows Elle Woods through her high school years in the 1990s.
Newcomer Lexi Minetree stars as teenage Elle, with Witherspoon executive producing.
The show explores what shaped Elle into the ambitious, pink-loving force of nature we met at Harvard Law. Witherspoon got the idea from watching Netflix’s Wednesday, thinking, “We should do Elle Woods in high school.”
The series is currently filming and promises to show us how Elle navigated her world as a teenager “with her distinct personality and ingenuity, in ways that only our beloved Elle could do.”
Why you’ll watch it: Because you need to know if Elle was always this fabulous, or if there was a tragic beige phase we never knew about. Also, 1990s nostalgia layered on top of 2000s nostalgia? That’s next-level comfort viewing.
10. Baywatch (Fox, 2026-2027)
The slow-motion beach runs are back. Fox has given a straight-to-series order for a Baywatch reboot with 12 episodes set to premiere during the 2026-2027 season.
The new version promises “adrenaline-fuelled rescues, tangled relationships, complicated chemistry and beachside heroics” with an entirely new cast donning those iconic red swimsuits.
Matt Nix (Burn Notice) serves as showrunner, whilst original creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Doug Schwartz return as executive producers.
The original series ran from 1989 to 2001 and was, at its peak, the most-watched show in the world. It made stars of David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, and gave us all unrealistic expectations about what lifeguarding actually involves.
Why you’ll watch it: Because you’re curious whether modern audiences will embrace dramatic slow-motion running with the same enthusiasm we did in the ’90s. Also, to see if they keep the inexplicable amount of lifeguard-related drama that made the original so gloriously ridiculous.
Why This Is Happening (And Why We’re All Here For It)
Let’s be real about what’s happening. Nostalgia alters our perceptions and emotions, making us crave the familiar even when we suspect it won’t live up to memory. Hollywood’s worked this out. Studios play it safe with familiar content because it guarantees success.
Jordan Levin points that millennials now have serious consumer power. We’re reaching the age where we want to share these shows with our kids whilst also seeking nostalgic comfort.
Shows from the late 1990s and early 2000s feel particularly ripe for revival because they hit that sweet spot: old enough to feel nostalgic, recent enough to still feel relevant.
But here’s the thing about nostalgia: the word literally means “homesickness”. It’s the pain of trying to return home when you can’t actually go back.
The Verdict
Not every reboot needs to exist. Some shows ended perfectly (Breaking Bad) and deserve to rest in peace. Others, like Sex and the City’s And Just Like That, proved that sometimes the magic can’t be recaptured.
But shows like Scrubs, Buffy, and Malcolm in the Middle? They’re being revived by creators who actually understand why we loved them in the first place.
Bill Lawrence wants to explore how his characters have grown. Sarah Michelle Gellar believes Buffy’s message of found family matters more now than ever. These aren’t just cash grabs; they’re attempts to see what happens when beloved characters face today’s world.
Levin asks the right question: “Is there a reason for it to be that is artistic? Is there a purpose? Is there a catalyst for it that goes beyond simply economics and marketing?”
The best reboots have something new to say. The worst just coast on our memories.
So yes, we’re living in the nostalgia era. We’re the generation that grew up with these shows and films, and now we’re the ones with the streaming subscriptions and the disposable income. Hollywood is absolutely taking advantage of our emotional attachment to the past.
But you know what? Sometimes you just want to see JD and Turk together again. Sometimes you need Buffy fighting demons (literal or metaphorical). Sometimes you want to escape into The Holiday’s cosy fantasy world. And sometimes you need to see Elle Woods conquer high school with the same determination she brought to Harvard Law.
These reboots exist because we keep watching them. And in increasingly chaotic times, there’s nothing wrong with seeking comfort in the familiar.
As long as we also make space for new stories, new characters, and new shows that’ll be the nostalgic reboots of 2045.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to rewatch Buffy for the millionth time before the reboot launches. For research purposes, of course.
Which reboot are you most excited about? And which classic would you secretly love Hollywood to revive? Share your thoughts with us on social media.
