We live in a day and age where reboots are all the rage.
Beloved classics are being brought back and reimagined every television season, and the results have been mixed to say the very least.
But there’s one show I don’t see anyone talking about in terms of a revival, and it’s baffling to me, as it’s widely regarded as one of the best teen dramas of all time. So why hasn’t it been caught up with reboot allegations?
I’m of course talking about the ABC ’90s classic, My So-Called Life, otherwise known as the series that launched the careers of Claire Danes and Jared Leto.
The one-season classic followed Angela Chase, a 15-year-old growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and trying to find her way in the treacherous world of high school.
The series was well ahead of its time in tackling hot-button issues, while also giving a relatively accurate portrayal of what life for teenagers was like then.
While some teen dramas are more heightened versions of the teenage experience, My So-Called Life felt rooted in reality, even the realities of the adolescent experience that aren’t pretty and not always talked about.
Especially some twenty-plus years ago.
Yes, they dove into the beauty and heartbreak of first crushes and blossoming love, but they also dealt with self-discovery, sexual orientation, homelessness, substance abuse, nd trauma.
Whether or not people cared to admit it then, these were all relevant topics that affect numerous teenagers daily.
High school is about more than prom and navigating the social hierarchy, and the series was never afraid to get into the “unpopular” issues, choosing to center its series around reality instead of only dropping in a “serious” episode to make a point.
Nowadays, with The CW no longer what it once was, you can’t find teen dramas on broadcast television like you used to.
Instead, you must venture over to streaming services or cable to get your fill of teenage shenanigans, with shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Outer Banks dominating the landscape for younger generations.
But since there isn’t quite the variety of shows for that desired age bracket as there used to be, why has a My So-Called Life reboot never been considered?
We’ve got a Buffy reimaging on the horizon, and Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson are poised to return together. While it may not be a Dawson’s Creek reboot, it will certainly lean heavily into the nostalgia of that series when the marketing kicks in.
Angela Chase was at the heart of the series, so why not have her daughter take center stage in a reboot?
Perhaps Angela and Joran Catalano got married, divorced, and now Angela’s daughter is off living with her grandparents because her dad isn’t in the picture (sorry, Catalano!), and her mother is a documentary filmmaker currently on assignment in Europe.
They can get Claire Danes to film a cameo once or twice a season to keep that connection to the original, as well as have various cast members from the original make guest appearances.
Maybe Mr. Katimski still teaches at Liberty High School, and Ricky Vasquez owns his own business, one in which Angela’s daughter is a frequent visitor. (I will ALWAYS advocate for more Wilson Cruz on my television screen!)
And amidst all the nostalgic throwbacks, we get the very real narrations of a teenage girl discovering herself and dealing with the very real 2025 issues that affect young girls coming into themselves and trying to navigate this current version of the world.
From the pressures of social media, to identity politics, to economic instability.
There are so many topics the series could thoughtfully handle in the same way the original did, through honest and raw conversations and a willingness to show the good, bad, and ugly of the teenage experience.
If placed into the right hands, it could be a very real and groundbreaking series, just like its predecessor. Though I would hope this one lasted more than just one season.
I’m not convinced that we need to bring everything back around again.
Every show has its moment, and for many of them, they should live in that moment and not be revived from the ashes because there is a staggering lack of new and fresh ideas.
But if there’s a right angle for an old series to make a return, then how can you hate on that?
What do you guys think about the potential of a My So-Called Life spinoff or reimaging?
Were you a fan of the original series?
Do you think this is a show that deserves a revival?
Let me know in the comments if I’m onto something, or if this is the worst idea you’ve ever heard.
I’d love to get into this topic with you!
Watch My So-Called Life Online
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