I grew up in the 80s and 90s. Having reboots and even continuations of the things I loved growing up is really great. Ghostbusters Afterlife was great and paid a really great tribute to Harold Ramis. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the Cowabunga Collection is one of my most anticipated games this year and it’s a bunch of games I have already played. As great as those are, seeing things like the Goldbergs and Stranger Things, that take place in the 80s just hit different. There’s something about seeing the characters love the same ones I loved growing up that make me feel more connected to the show. I know it’s weird, but it’s as if I am watching what could be me back then.
I think that’s one of the reasons why those kinds of shows are so popular. Despite being good shows with entertainment value, I think that were they to take place in the present, they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. Could you imagine Stranger Things taking place in the early 2000s? Yes it might connect with some younger people, but I don’t think it would have been as big of a hit if only for the era. The era can play a big part in the story too, to the point that it couldn’t be the same in the present. Stranger Things has no cell phones, barely any computers with modems, etc.
No high speed internet? There were libraries.
Taking place in the 80s means that with these limitations of the era needs to have workarounds for modern conveniences. Luckily these workarounds were around in the 80s. No cell phone? There were plenty of Pay phones. No high speed internet? There were libraries. It wouldn’t be the same if the characters could just send out a Tweet and let the world know about the Mindflayer attacking Hawkins. Think about how many older shows would be completely changed if they took place with current technology. There were at least five episodes of Seinfeld where a cellphone would have solved the main problems that were happening. Of course a modern Seinfeld could work, but it would be much different than the ones in the 90s.
There are many examples of this. What shows do you think wouldn’t work if they were made today? Do you have any ideas of shows that would be made better by setting it today?
