'80s Fantasy TV Shows That Deserve A Reboot

The 1980s was a major time for television. There were many '80s TV flops worth watching, while the biggest sitcoms of the era were downright iconic. "Cheers" and "The Golden Girls" alone changed the television landscape forever. Meanwhile, beloved programs "Hill Street Blues" and "Miami Vice" were prominent examples of cop shows that eternally upended what viewers thought these programs could deliver. It was a new age for television, and the boldest pieces of small screen storytelling reinforced what an exciting age it was to live through.

However, the '80s were also home to several fantasy TV shows that might not have gotten the proper recognition or creative execution they deserved. Some thrived, but many didn't for a multitude of reasons. With decades existing between now and when they first hit the airwaves, now could be the time for five particularly compelling '80s fantasy shows to return in rebooted forms. These fantasy programs are ripe for radical overhauls on several fronts. Some would simply be cool to see carry on the positive legacies of their predecessors. Others were shows that didn't quite hit the creative bullseye last time.

Whatever the reason, these five fantasy TV shows from the '80s have plenty to offer modern audiences. Hollywood needs to break out some real magic and make these reboots a reality.

Long before the "Animorphs" book series became the permanent depiction of human beings transforming into animals, there was the 1983 single-season show "Manimal." Airing on NBC and hailing from creators Glen A. Larson and Donald R. Boyle, "Manimal" centered on Jonathan Chase (Simon MacCorkindale), who could turn into any animal under the sun. With this gift, he fights various baddies each week and helps make the world a safer place. Hawks and panthers were his favorites to turn into, but again, any critter imaginable was his to become. The world trembled at his power.

"Manimal" has never cropped up among the greatest superhero TV shows ever made. On the contrary, reception to this fantastical production was all around awful. Still, there's something to this ludicrous concept that could make it ripe for a reboot. For one thing, a remake wouldn't have a massively iconic show to live up to. Without those constraints, the sky's the limit on the creative vision a new "Manimal" team could pursue. For another, audiences have grown significantly more accustomed to weird genre material in mainstream entertainment, and "Manimal" is certainly that.

Something this oddball could finally lean into its strangest potential in a new incarnation instead of sanding off its edges for '80s NBC programming. Let "Manimal" fight crime once more, perhaps even in an "Animorphs" crossover.

Truth be told, the central hook of "Down to Earth" (illuminated by the show's undeniably catchy theme song) sounds more like a horror film than a cutesy '80s sitcom. Ethel MacDoogan (Carol Mansell) was a young lady living in the 1920s whose life was cut short by a trolley. She then went to Heaven and waited for her judgement for 60 years. She is then told that, instead of getting salvation or rest, she's to return to Earth solely to aid the Preston family. A lengthy wait ripped straight out of a Samuel Beckett play and forced servitude to mortals — no wonder this reads as the set-up for something terrifying.

"Down to Earth" has never been recognized as one of the best '80s sitcoms, but there's certainly potential in its loopy premise. After all, the fish-out-of-water concept is easy to explain and as is the kind of comedy that would emerge from this production. Better yet, with there being so much time between now and when "Down to Earth" originally aired, a remake would have to significantly update what era Ethel died in and when she returned to the land of the living. That alone could give a new rendition a fresh identity compared to what came before it.

Instead of rehashing or expanding on perfectly fine sitcoms, Hollywood should try giving the subliminally eerie "Down to Earth" another try.

Shelley Duvall experienced a tragic life, both personally and at the hands of Hollywood figures. Her existence was also full of fruitful artistic labors she spearheaded, including her forays into children's television. Arguably the most beloved of these was "Faerie Tale Theatre," a Showtime program that adapted famous fairy tales with a loving, deeply sincere touch. Each episode was dedicated to a single fairy tale (such as Rapunzel or The Frog Prince) and featured a bevy of impressive talent in front of and behind the camera. The likes of Joan Micklin Silver, Tim Burton, and Eric Idle were just a few to either write and/or direct these installments.

Meanwhile, legendary performers like Jeff Bridges, James Coburn, and Billy Crystal inhabited these beloved fantasy characters. "Faerie Tale Theatre" only scratched the surface of stories it could tell (including fables from non-European countries), so a remake would have much material to work from. Plus, it'd be a great way to keep Duvall's legacy alive, especially by providing sincere takes on fairy tales in an era of cynicism.

Additionally, the mind reels at what talent could work on "Faerie Tale Theatre" episodes in the modern world. Perhaps an Ari Aster installment starring Kani Kusruti? Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan reuniting for one entry? The possibilities are endless.

Like "Down to Earth," "Highway to Heaven" was another '80s TV show involving the afterlife with a bonkers premise. "Highway to Heaven" followed the ultimate oddball buddy cop duo; angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and cynical human cop Mark Gordon (Victor French). Gordon helps Smith on his Heaven-ordained quest to help troubled souls in the land of the living. Sure, "Highway to Heaven" wasn't quite as ludicrous as the craziest things to ever happen on "Riverdale," but it sure was peculiar.

Lasting four seasons, "Highway to Heaven" isn't talked about much anymore. However, this project could still be perfect for a remake, mostly because its central premise leaves a lot of room for interpretation. A new "Highway to Heaven" could take cues from its predecessor by being an emotionally sincere take on angels and mortal humans colliding. It could also be radically overhauled into a kooky Adult Swim show that takes its concept to its most unhinged extremes. There's so many directions a show about an angel aiding a cop in helping people could go.

A remake of "Highway to Heaven" could be the perfect vessel to let some freaky creators' most deranged sensibilities run rampant. Given how many modern remakes are just soulless rehashes of the past, that kind of new interpretation could be most welcome.

If you thought we were done talking about ghosts, you're dead wrong. For one season, between 1983 and 1984, "Jennifer Slept Here" kept the whimsical approach to the deceased alive and well. Who knows why the dead were on everyone's mind this decade. Maybe it was a cutesy way of coping with all those demises in the Vietnam War. Perhaps the supposed "comfort" of the '80s made it acceptable to confront the idea of death. Or maybe network TV executives were enamored with goofy high concept pitches. Whatever the reason, ghosts informed "Jennifer Slept Here," a show that didn't quite become one of those '80s TV shows everyone needs to watch at least once.

The central concept here was that Jennifer Farrell (Ann Jillian), six years after her demise at the hands of an ice cream truck, begins haunting a house occupied by the Elliot family. She provides help to the family's teenage son, Joey (John P. Navin Jr.), while the rest of the family thinks he's nuts for always talking about a ghost. What didn't quite work in the 1980s TV landscape might be better suited to the modern world. 

After all, the pop culture presence and level of belief surrounding ghosts has drastically changed since the '80s. Grappling with that alone could give this fantasy sitcom a new lease on life. Plus, the original flawed show provides a blueprint for what a new "Jennifer Slept Here" shouldn't do.