Bringing Back The Magic: Exploring Reunion Onscreen

Words by Jessica Margetson

Although TV show reunions and reboots are not a recent phenomenon, their popularity has grown in recent years. While some of them have failed and possibly run the risk of harming the show’s overall reputation, they have continued to provide audiences with great nostalgia.

Reunions and reboots can have both positive and negative outcomes. These allow viewers to see their beloved cast members reunite, learn behind-the-scenes gossip, and chat about the show. Those who anticipate a reboot rather than a catch-up may find them tedious and unsatisfying. This can be problematic for shows or films with a hard-core following and renowned reputation. Are reboots the logical outcome if reunion specials attempt to preserve a show’s legacy, both monetarily and otherwise? Just a small number of cast reunions that have resulted in reboots or new seasons have managed to maintain its original enchantment. Despite best efforts, it is almost never terrible, but often, it just isn’t the same. Here are some of my favourite on-screen reunions:

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts - 2022

The announcement that a Harry Potter reunion would appear on our televisions in 2022 elated Potterheads. The HBO Max special commemorated the 20th-anniversary release of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. It featured actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and many more to discuss its creation. Bringing back the magic to our screens during Christmas was a great marketing move, with the reunion encapsulating everything we love about this fantastical world. The reunion was heartfelt and wholesome, thanks to candid discussions and interviews with the franchise’s cast and directors. The cast even paid tribute to some of the actors who passed away, enabling the audience to reflect on the franchise’s legacy and the peo- ple involved.

Friends Reunion - 2021

The Friends reunion, long anticipated and postponed by Covid, took place in May 2021 and provided an answer to the question everyone has been asking since the original series’ end in 2004: “When is Friends coming back?” The reunion, which debuted in the UK and drew 5.3 million viewers in a single night, has become Sky’s most-watched programme in the previous two years. The cast re-visited the original sets and props to heighten the atmosphere and performed a casual table read of iconic scenes. The Friends reunion contained one big, unexpected reveal, with host James Corden teasing fans that Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer harboured romantic feelings for one another during the first season.

Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special - 2019

It’s been a decade since we last saw Gavin, Stacey, and the ensemble on our screens. December 2019 saw James Corden and Ruth Jones collaborating once more to produce a knockout Christmas Special. It was the Welsh contingent’s turn to host the family festivities with the traditional array of minor misadventures. With the return of every major cast member, the reviews were exceptionally positive. This reunion seemed to be a near-perfect reminder of everything that made the show great in the first place. To me, the revival of this beloved sitcom felt like meeting up with an old friend after years apart and was as if no time had passed.

2023 reunions so far…

That 90s Show

The ‘90s Show has a thick veil of nostalgia surrounding it. It is a spin-off of That ‘70s Show, a sitcom that aired from 1998 to 2006 and followed the exploits of some teenagers hanging out in a basement during the 70s. Eric and Donna, two of the main characters, return to the family home with their teenage daughter to discover Eric’s parents, Kitty and Red, exactly as we left them all those years ago. The old basement soon becomes home to a new generation, who live out the anecdotes of the original characters, staying true to the original format. Frequently, there is a lot of cynicism surrounding reboots and revivals, but the Netflix pilot had some promising moments, especially with the appearance of several familiar faces. The reunion of former on-screen couple Jackie and Kelso, played by real-life couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, ramped up a lot of hype from dedicated fans. Of course, nobody can predict whether it will continue as long or successful as its predecessor, but there seems to be enough to interest fans of the original.

Teen Wolf

It’s fair to say that there was instant excitement about a revival of the supernatural thriller when Teen Wolf: The Movie was initially revealed. Teen Wolf: The Movie, which debuted in January on Paramount+ and is based on the 20111 MTV series, sees its eponymous character, alpha werewolf Scott McCall, portrayed by Tyler Posey, no longer a teenager, reunited with his high school friends to face an all-too-familiar foe. However, some of the same issues that brought the series to a close are still present in this reunion. The movie adaptation of this popular series seemed to let people down because it lacked several cherished characters, such as Stiles Stilinski, who Dylan O’Brien portrayed. Despite this, the resurgence of fan-favourite Allison Argent, played by Crystal Reed, truly sparked excitement and enthusiasm in the hearts of fans, almost making up for the general disappointment.