Entertainment
10 Classic Crime TV Shows Nobody Wants To See a Remake Of
Remaking television shows doesn’t usually work out, as it’s a much different process than that of remaking a film. The best remakes are those that either change something substantially different about the original, or improve upon aspects that weren’t well done the first time. Given that a majority of high-profile remakes tend to be of classic shows that already have name recognition, there’s little that they can do to distinguish themselves from their predecessors.
It is more creatively productive to make a prequel, continuation, or spinoff to a great series than trying to start it again from scratch. Seeing the same story made twice is generally not that interesting; it tends to irritate those who were fans in the first place, and confuse those who never understood the hype to begin with. This process is even more challenging when discussing classic shows that should be considered untouchable.
10
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
The Wire is a series that is impossible to revisit because it was originally created under very unique circumstances. Creator David Simon was a journalist on the crime beat in Baltimore, and spent over a decade compiling research about what he saw as the city’s infrastructural issues; The Wire became one of HBO’s greatest shows ever because there was so much attention to detail, which wouldn’t have been possible if someone less passionate than Simon had been working on it.
It seems unlikely that a network would give so much control to a creator to make a niche show like The Wire, especially if it wasn’t a ratings hit. Although The Wire is now remembered as being one of the greatest shows of all time, it was never a massive hit when it was airing and was often on the verge of cancellation.
9
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
The Sopranos is a masterpiece in storytelling that was also a masterclass in acting, as it may have the single greatest ensemble within the history of dramatic television. While James Gandolfini’s performance as Tony Soprano is among the finest of all-time, every single character on The Sopranos was well-articulated and fleshed out; there wasn’t a single weak link in the show, which is impressive given that it ran for six seasons.
It would ultimately be impossible for anyone else to take over the role of Tony, as there’s nothing in The Sopranos that could be improved upon. Although HBO did release the prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, which featured a very strong performance by Michael Gandolfini in the role played by his father, it was unfortunately not the box office success that Warner Bros. was hoping it would be.
8
‘Twin Peaks’ (1991–2017)
Twin Peaks is a miracle of a television show that managed to survive cancellation and pushback because of the unparalleled genius of David Lynch. Lynch was a filmmaker, first and foremost, so the notion of him making a dramatic crime series was unheard of. Although Lynch briefly left the production to work on his 1990 masterpiece Wild at Heart, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, he cared deeply about the fate of Twin Peaks and returned to direct the season two finale in order to set the story straight.
Twin Peaks isn’t a show that can be explained or calcified by a single reading, as it is the ultimate work of an expressionistic artist who is sadly no longer alive. Although there have been many television shows since that have tried to be “Lynchian,” there will never be another Twin Peaks.
7
‘Pushing Daisies’ (2007–2009)
Pushing Daisies is one of the most unique and entertaining mystery shows of the 21st century, and was an early sign of the genius of Bryan Fuller. While it was sadly canceled at the end of its second season, Pushing Daisies had a long shelf life because of how rewatchable and clever it is; Fuller became such a renowned showrunner that he was enlisted to do NBC’s Hannibal, a series that managed to surpass everyone’s expectations with how cleverly it reinvented the mythology of the characters.
Pushing Daisies showed a level of ingenuity and creativity that hasn’t been seen on network television since, as there aren’t procedures today that are willing to take such bold artistic chances. Pushing Daisies is the ultimate example of what a cult show looks like, and doing anything to reinvent its story would seem like a counterintuitive enterprise.
6
‘Bones’ (2005–2017)
Bones is a show that is in no need of a remake because the original series did everything possible with the concept. It’s very rare to see a series that airs for so long without ever experiencing a significant dip in quality, but Bones had 12 seasons and managed to end on a high note; even when some of the seasonal storylines got a bit silly, the excellent chemistry between Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz managed to elevate the material because of how committed they were to their performances.
Bones had so many episodes that it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to do something different with the material. While a reboot would be a bad idea, Bones could have an interesting revival series if the original cast were all to return and show the same level of dedication they did initially.
5
‘Castle’ (2009–2016)
Castle is a show that is often remembered for its off-screen drama, but it is easy to forget just how entertaining it was in the first few seasons. Not only was Castle an interesting spin on the familiar buddy duo detective mystery premise, but it snuck in some clever satire of the genre itself, and also had some fun commentary on the literary world of celebrities.
Castle was a series that worked well until a certain point before the concept got unbelievable, and the tension between the stars did nothing to help it make any improvements. It’s hard to imagine that a remake could do anything differently, especially since the eighth season of Castle ended on such a sour note after it was prematurely cancelled by ABC that it effectively killed any enthusiasm for anything related to the series going forward.
4
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Breaking Bad is one of the very few shows that could be described as “perfect,” as there isn’t a single false note within Vince Gilligan’s ambitious crime epic. Mapped out like a five-act Shakespearean tragedy, Breaking Bad pulled off a rare feat in television history by turning a seemingly sympathetic hero into a completely psychopathic villain by the end of its run.
Breaking Bad does not need a reboot because there is still room to do spinoffs in the original continuity, as long as Gilligan is involved somehow or at least gives his creative approval. While there was initially some doubt as to whether making the prequel Better Call Saul was a good idea, it ended up being a masterpiece in its own right, and a show that some would argue is even better than the original Breaking Bad.
3
‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010–2014)
Boardwalk Empire is among the last of HBO’s truly epic shows because it was given a tremendous budget and included a painstakingly authentic process of ensuring that the historical details felt realistic. This level of dedication to perfection is what distinguished Boardwalk Empire from all the other wannabe gangster dramas at the time; the pilot was even directed by Martin Scorsese, who has made more great crime films than any other director in history.
Boardwalk Empire required that level of commitment from HBO, but it’s less likely that the network would give it that much attention now, especially since it is now controlled by a new parent company in Paramount Pictures. Larry Ellison has made no indication that he has any interest in making dramas for adults like Boardwalk Empire, as the new conglomerate is almost entirely centered on appeasing fanboys and families.
2
‘The Shield’ (2002–2008)
The Shield is one of the most underrated shows of all-time, and doesn’t receive nearly enough credit for how ambitious it was at a time when non-HBO networks weren’t known for pushing the boundaries with controversial material. The Shield is the exact type of show that would initiate toxic discourse if it was released today because of how illiterate the average commenter and entertainment writer is; the show presented complex ideas about divisive issues, and was incredibly bold in how it demythologized the way that television traditionally had lionized law enforcement.
Remaking The Shield would also be an impossible task because of how perfectly the original show ended; “Family Meeting” is one of the best finales ever, as it gave Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) the exact fate that he deserved. There’s no way that it could ever be improved upon.
1
’24’ (2001–2010)
24 is a series that was ahead of its time because of its construction, as each season of the show took place over the course of a single day, with the episodes playing out in real time. It was an innovative concept that worked because it was released during a time where there were still seasons that had over 20 episodes; even The Pitt, a contemporary show that also uses the real-time format, only has 15 episodes a season.
24 is also a show that has been unsuccessfully rebooted, as the sequel series 24: Legacy failed to take off and was canceled. The politics of 24 have always been fairly murky, and it is hard to imagine the series being made today without completely changing its worldview and redefining how the actions of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) are supposed to be received.
24
- Release Date
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2001 – 2014-00-00
- Showrunner
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Robert Cochran
- Directors
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Robert Cochran
- Writers
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Robert Cochran
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