The 10 Best TV Show Revivals of This Century & Where to Watch Them

While TV revivals might be a way to get more income for production companies, some revivals have been the best of the best. However, revivals are mostly made for fans who crave nostalgia and recognize a brand through those TV shows. They are beneficial for any company that needs to reduce the financial risk that comes with launching a brand-new series.

There is also a public demand that comes into play when audiences ask for original content but don’t really give it a chance, which includes some underrated TV shows. This leads to requests for more revivals of TV shows that were once beloved by the audience. Despite this, let’s take a look at our picks of some of the best TV show revivals of this century:

1 Justified: City Primeval (2023)

The original series that ran for six seasons, called Justified from 2010 to 2015, was extremely adored by fans. The plot revolved around a US Marshal trying to enforce his way of justice in modern Kentucky. However, he is forced to go back to his hometown after a controversial shooting.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Justified: City Primeval
Revival of	Justified
Creators	Dave Andron, Michael Dinner
No. of Seasons/Episodes	1 Season

The revival continues with the same character as he is tackling his family life and work life. Undoubtedly, Justified: City Primeval is one of the best, both visually and plot-wise. With Timothy Olyphant leading the story, the series hit the bullseye as it instantly threw the viewers into the story from the get-go.

As a fan of the franchise, Justified: City Primeval might feel darker than the original, but it has the familiarity of Olyphant, who fans would love to see in the MCU, and raises serious questions with the storyline.

Where to Watch (USA): Hulu and Amazon Prime Video

2 Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2017 – 2022)

The original series that aired from 1988 to 1999 was immensely loved by fans all over the world. The revival that debuted in 2017 revolved around a human being forced to watch multiple cheesy movies. He is then joined by his robot companions as they pass funny commentary on the scenes that play out on screen.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Mystery Science Theatre 3000
Revival of	Mystery Science Theatre
Creators	Joel Hodgson
No. of Seasons/Episodes	3 Seasons

Despite some fans claiming the original was better, the revival was a wholesome experience with a few funny jokes added. But the more you watch this, the more you are going to love it, with a great cast starring Joel Hodgson, Felicia Day, Patton Oswalt, and more leading the show ahead.

The Mystery Science Theatre revival brings back the old goofiness to the table with new characters, who are initially a bit awkward, but you’ll get used to them with time. There are certain changes from the previous series, but those feel natural and original rather than shoved in for revival purposes, making it a fun revival show you could watch.

Where to Watch (USA): fuboTV

3 iCarly (2021 – 2023)

The original series was released back in 2007 and ended in 2012. It revolved around Carly and her best friend Sam. They start a show after one of their videos goes viral on the internet. The best friends start to film various challenges, pranks, and skits while navigating through life’s ups and downs as pre-teens.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	iCarly
Revival of	iCarly (2007-2012)
Creators	Dan Schneider
No. of Seasons/Episodes	3 Seasons

iCarly continues in the same premise, but with Carly being the “influencer” as both she and Sam are in their twenties. They reignite their web show this time and lean towards more adult themes around modern social media.

The revival is loved by fans because of how it cut out the unnecessary bits of the original, but they struggled to find their footing until the third and final season. One thing the show has mastered is including conversations about adult themes in the same lighthearted, funny way that the original used to do, which makes iCarly a revival worth watching.

Where to Watch (USA): Paramount+

4 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022 – Present)

Inspired by a few classic episodes and the character, the revival show was part of fans’ dreams. It is a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, and has maintained the fun and nostalgia that fans love from the original. Strange New Worlds revolves around Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Revival of	Star Trek: The Original Series
Creators	Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet
No. of Seasons/Episodes	5 (Season 4 is in production, and Season 5 will be the concluding installment)

The series has brought in the sense of exploration, the storytelling, and the callbacks on the show to the original are something fans cherish. Strange New Worlds has mastered the essence of Star Trek; it has perfectly balanced out the characters and storylines, while also tackling serious themes, making it a great revival show.

Where to Watch (USA): Paramount+

5 Doctor Who (2005 – Present)

Doctor Who was the revival of the original series released back in 1963 via the BBC. The premise revolves around doctors who help navigate through various alien threats and evil forces that are trying to destroy the planet. The doctor used to travel to the TARDIS with his colleagues and tackle themes of science, history, horror, and more. However, low ratings and budget cuts led to cutting short the 1963 hit show’s run in 1989.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Doctor Who (2005-Present)
Revival of	Doctor Who (1963-1989)
Creators	Sydney Newman
No. of Seasons/Episodes	15 Seasons

Years later, the BBC saw the strong fanbase Doctor Who had and decided to revive it as a brand-new series with a similar premise. With stars like Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and more leading the series, it is considered one of the best revivals of all time.

What makes the show a success is the consistency, the same quality content, that they have been able to maintain for 15 seasons and counting. This has hooked fans before and has pulled new fans in as well. The revival has been able to capture these sci-fi stories that we love with a modern twist of its own. Doctor Who balances out every element with its efficient storylines, making it one of the best revivals of this century.

Where to Watch (USA): Disney+

6 Party Down Season 3 (2023)

The first two seasons revolved around a bunch of actors trying to get their big break, but ended up being caterers. After season 2 ended in 2010 and the low viewership that it got, the show was temporarily cancelled. But Starz’s new leadership took an interest as the show came back from the grave for the third season.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Party Down Season 3
Revival of	Party Down Season 1 and 2
Creators	John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Paul Rudd, Dan Etheridge, Adam Scott
No. of Seasons/Episodes	1 Season

The third season brought back the entire cast as one of them made it big, leading the others to cater to one of his parties. Party Down season 3 was a perfect comeback, with great humor, true to its original beginnings.

The show continued and was immensely loved from its first episode. With brand-new dynamics and the mix of the old and new, this revival captures the essence of what Party Down originally was. The show has its own surprises and uses the same comedic formula that made it one of the best, making even the revival quite brilliant.

Where to Watch (USA): Amazon Prime Video, Starz

7 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

The original Twin Peaks was the best investigative TV show. It was intriguing and possibly one of the few series that led to fan theories, discussions at length about scenes, and so on, before it was a thing. The original was already loved by fans who followed the investigation of the murder of high school student, Laura Palmer.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Twin Peaks: The Return
Revival of	Twin Peaks (1990-91)
Creators	David Lynch, Mark Frost
No. of Seasons/Episodes	18 Episodes

Twin Peaks: The Return was not just a delight but an innovation for TV with its 18-episode run. David Lynch‘s cinematography, soundtrack, and the elegance of the show have all been appreciated by new and old fans alike.

The acting was absolutely brilliant, showcasing the creativity of Lynch’s brain, making it one of the best TV show revivals of this century. The revival is experimental at times but brings Lynch’s creative vision to the forefront with multi-dimensional storytelling. It is absolutely worth watching and deserves a place in this list.

Where to Watch (USA): Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video

8 Cobra Kai (2018-2025)

The revival that was the most loved by fans and critics alike, Cobra Kai, managed to capture the essence of the 1984 The Karate Kid film franchise. After thirty-four years of the All Karate Valley Tournament, Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso come face-to-face, reviving their rivalry.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Cobra Kai
Revival of	The Karate Kid Film Franchise
Creators	Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
No. of Seasons/Episodes	6 Seasons

The revival is one of the best as it accurately takes something impossible and turns it into realistic and modern. The characters were given great story arcs, which served the little kids’ story well. Moreover, fans got answers to all their questions after the story ended years ago.

The series perfectly captured fans’ curiosity, where they loved it so much that there are hardly any bad reviews for this revival. Cobra Kai is more than just rewarding to watch as it explores every nook and cranny set up by the original, making it one of the greatest show revivals on this list. Fans deem the series as perfect, but it still has its best and worst seasons.

Where to Watch (USA): Netflix

9 Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 1 (2016 – 2018)

Revival of the series Voltron: Defender of the Universe comes in the form of another series, Voltron: Legendary Defender, released in 2016. The revival plot revolves around teenagers who become defenders of the galaxy as they are sent with their robotic lions to fight in an intergalactic war.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Voltron: Legendary Defender
Revival of	Voltron: Defender of the Universe
Creators	Joaquim Dos Santos, Lauren Montgomery
No. of Seasons/Episodes	8 Seasons

The original series was a revival of a Japanese anime series, Beast King GoLion. The revival was loved by fans for its fun and likable characters. Despite the online hate, both new and old fans were attracted by the character arcs and surprisingly great plot.

The series had difficulty in finding its footing, but eventually balanced it out by bringing continuity in their storylines, with much-loved comic relief and some pretty neat animation. It all makes Voltron: Legendary Defender a great revival show with the core concepts intact.

Where to Watch (USA): Amazon Prime Video

10 Veronica Mars Season 4 (2019)

The series started as a teenager solving crime mysteries at her school after being a popular girl in high school with the coolest friends and a typical jock boyfriend. However, multiple events in her life led her to be an outcast, leading her to help her father, who is a detective. The show was absolutely great, but had to be cancelled after the third season due to low ratings.

Info	Key Details
TV Show Title	Veronica Mars Season 4
Revival of	Veronica Mars Season 1-3
Creators	Rob Thomas
No. of Seasons/Episodes	1 Season, 8 Episodes

But the fanbase of the show was so loyal that they asked for the revival. This led to the fourth season airing in 2019 after the show ended in 2007. Although not as well-received as its first three seasons, Veronica Mars was disliked by fans disliking the ending of the series. However, it was still one of the best revivals made.

The series captures the grown-up Veronica, who is still the flawed character from the previous seasons. However, she changed from being a snarky teenager to a straightforward adult. This added more to the nuance to her character, who has dealt with a lot of trauma.

Where to Watch: Hulu and Amazon Prime Video

TV show revivals have been super popular in the past decade, with multiple show revivals making their way to various streaming platforms. Here’s an overview of the shows discussed and where to watch them:

Which of these revivals do you think is the best? Are there any more revivals that you think should be added to the list? Let us know in the comments below!