{"id":30624,"date":"2020-12-01T15:52:49","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T20:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/?p=30624"},"modified":"2020-12-01T15:52:49","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T20:52:49","slug":"opinion-the-animaniacs-is-a-masterclass-on-the-perfect-reboot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/entertainment\/2020\/12\/01\/opinion-the-animaniacs-is-a-masterclass-on-the-perfect-reboot\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: The Animaniacs is a Masterclass on the Perfect Reboot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The last new episode of Animaniacs premiered in 1998, two years before I was born. So, obviously, I didn\u2019t grow up with the show in the way most fans did. I would catch reruns here and there, and I always really liked them despite most of the jokes about the late 90s being lost on me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a hilarious slapstick show, but as I grew older, I fell in love with the cutting satire and adult humor more than the slapstick. I understood that nothing such as this, aimed at kids, it would probably ever be allowed on cable again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Source: Hulu\/YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The only shows coming close to The Animinac\u2019s flare of comedy and satire are episodes from the older, golden age of The Simpsons and Family Guy (which I think is so annoying and just lazy comedy) Rather than children, these shows are both most definitely marketed to teens and adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The censorship of early 2000s children\u2019s shows could be an article in itself; the odd hang-ups networks versus what they allowed was practically insane.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This made Animanicats feel all the more special, as it felt like the example of a line we used to have had now been erased. The praise around the original is bountiful, it was the wading pool introduction to satire for an entire generation after all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Source: Hulu\/YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you do a reboot of something so critical of \u2018lazy Hollywood\u2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step is to involve the most amount of the original staff as possible. All the writers, animators, and voices you can. People who know the style and flow of the show because they created it in the first place. They know the show and care about it, they\u2019re very unlikely to make sudden uncharacteristic changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Source: LetsPlayNintendoITA\/YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re very unlikely to fall for the traps reboot teams often do because they care about the franchise. It\u2019s been in their lives for years. They are the most qualified to do it, and unless one passes or can\u2019t be rehired for whatever reason, they should be the go-to people to be on a reboot team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, acknowledge that the act of rebooting is often frowned upon. Animaniacs has an easier edge than most shows when it comes to this as they have meta-humor they can play with. But other shows can do this too, albeit in different ways. Perhaps write an open letter to fans on social media, ensuring that it won\u2019t be a terrible reboot, as much time and care will be dedicated to the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Source: LetsPlayNintendoITA\/YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Reboots are frowned upon for good reasons, and the worst thing a creative team could do is make the fans feel ignored or belittled. In the age of social media, the fans make or break the success of a franchise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirdly, make the reboot feel like a new season, not a new show. The franchise is being rebooted because people loved the original. Things can be updated. For example, the animation is better and the linework cleaner. However, changing the entire style, tone, and or world of a show for a reboot is pointless.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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