In these past few years a trend in movies and TV has been rising, the resurrection of many popular shows from the nineteen eighties.Among the shows to have been revived in form or another include: transformers, G.I. Joe, He-Nan, Thunder Cats, and Voltron to name a few. Before 80s shows are described in detail, examination of past animation is required.Ever since the birth of animated cartoons, it could be said that each decade belonged to a different type of cartoon. The 1930s-60s was dominated by a major 3way tie between Disney,Warner Brothers, and MGM. In the 1960s the Ca new company took center stage in the animation, world, the studio of Hanna-Barbera. Hanna-Barbera cartoons were different from the older cartoons because of the fact they were more contemporary than their earlier counterparts. Hanna-Barbera cartoons offered a much wider variety of programs, and used modern music and guest stars to made the audience able to identify more with these cartoons than other cartoon studios. Despite all the differences between the four mentioned studies they each share one key factor: predictability. No matter which show from which studio, the general plot premise remained the same. For the earlier cartoons the formula was as follows: pluck anthropomorphic animal is attacked by an unintelligent opponent whose own stupidity, pride, impatience or some other character flaw allows them to be outwitted and humiliated by the animal. For Hanna-Barbera the formula was similarly about either a pair of anthropomorphic creatures in a contemporary setting, or accompanying teens in an effort to solve mysteries. While originally each company was hailed as genus and orginal, they eventually stagnated and viewers begna to become bored. In fact the Hanna-Barbera flagship show Scooby-Doo has become synonymous with repetition.
However in the 1980s things changed, the shift of animation had a radical shift from focusing on comedy to action. This shift possibly stems from the radical increase in action in comics and advent of the modern action hero film. Another thing which made these shows so appealing was the individuality of the character. Prior to the eighties all of the characters from the earlier companies were cut from the exact same cookie cutter mold, and were placed in only slightly different situations. However these newer shows featured completely different characters each facing their own unique sets of challenges. Not only were the characters outwardly differently they also had differing personality's. The fact each of these characters were so completely different from each other made it possible for the viewer to relate to the characters on a level not possible with earlier characters.
The big question of why the sudden reemergence of these beloved shows can be attributed to one or more of several factors. The first factor could simply TV producers are lazy. It has been argued now for some time that originality in Hollywood is dead, and that producers and directors are simply clinging on to whatever fad catches the viewing audience at any given time. Thew revival of 80s shows could be argued that the Hollywood big shot's are just fluffing old popular shows simply to try make an quick buck without spending any real creative effort. Another reason could be merchandising. Besides the shows themselves, a plethora of merchandise was offered with each show. The greatest merchandise offered was the action figure. Action figures allowed viewers to emulate, recreate, and create stories based off their favorite shows. The entire advent of actions figures was established by the success of many of the shows. Now with actions figures becoming collectable commodities, the 80s show may be brought back to establish a way to tie in merchandise to a once popular venue. The final reason why these shows are being revived is the fact there is a certain timelessness to the plots of the shows. Compared to old shows which had no plots, the shows of the 80s had shows with complex backstories which kept viewers engaged by making keep track of what was going on. During the airing of these shows, the shows established fascinating stories in exotic lands. Even after the shows themselves stopped airing, a firm world was established. Now many of these stories are being revived by people wishing to add their own creative touch to previously established masterpieces. They are creating modern homages to classic stories. Whatever the reason these shows are being revived for, one thing is for certain. Now a new generation can experience the sense of wonder that children felt when the first saw these shows during the 1980's. This is Corey Weiss saying good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.
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