‘Dexter’, ‘Mad About You’, and ‘First Wives Club’: More reboots nobody wants

The original 2018 wave of reboot chatter has settled into a clearer picture by 2026. Some projects moved forward, others faded, and the larger industry appetite for revisiting old titles shows no sign of slowing. The same skeptical lens still applies to most of these returns, though a few managed to surprise.

Mad About You is mad about returning to our screens ASAP

Prepare the party decorations because everyone’s least favorite 90s sitcom about a upper middle class white couple is getting the reboot nobody wants. According to Entertainment Weekly, original stars Paul Reiser (Aliens) & Helen Hunt (As Good as It Gets) have closed deals with Sony Pictures Television, presumably so they can relive their glory days while securing a tasty retirement fund. Co-creator Danny Jacobson has also rubber necked his way back in on the production. Apparently all the show needs to find now is a network, but we’re absolutely certain the entire industry will be fighting to stuff million dollar notes (they exist, right?) into the proverbial waistband of this reboot’s g-string in order to purchase the damn thing.

The talk eventually produced a 12-episode limited series on Spectrum in 2019. Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt returned, the scripts stayed modest, and the run ended without further seasons or fresh announcements through mid-2026. The limited format kept the revival contained rather than turning it into another long-running commitment.

Dexter Morgan might stop being a hipster lumberjack and start killing again

Remember the much maligned finale episode of Dexter, everyone?! In which the apparently emotionless titular killer decided to invest in a lot of plaid, grow a beard, and move to the woods where he presumably started an artisanal brand of recycled logs? Yeah, don’t worry about that. According to Michael C. Hall, there could be a Dexter reboot coming soon, so whatever. Guess we all got upset over nothing.

“It’s a possibility given how the show ended that we could revisit Dexter. I have just yet to, for my part, imagine or hear someone else’s idea that makes it feel worth doing. But never say never.” So apparently all big-D needs to return is a killer idea. Let’s all hope nobody actually manages to come up with one so we don’t have to face another gruelling disappointment in revisiting the already grossly disappointing character.

The speculation gave way to Dexter: Resurrection, which premiered on Paramount+ with Showtime in July 2025 and earned a Season 2 renewal the following October. The story picks up after the events of New Blood, placing Dexter back in New York and focused on Harrison. Returning cast includes Uma Thurman alongside new additions such as Peter Dinklage. The project moved from vague possibility to ordered series faster than the 2018 comments suggested.

First Wives Club to soon be known as the first First Wives Club thanks to TV reboot

Apparently Paramount Network isn’t deterred from reboots after its recent epic Heathers failure as they’ve greenlit a half-hour comedy show reboot of First Wives Club. Written by Tracy Oliver, the new version will be based on the 1996 movie in which Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton get over their dastardly ex-husbands by singing “You Don’t Own Me” and other such girl-power japes. The cult movie is actually a wonderful guilty pleasure and one we hope this reboot does right by. Otherwise we’ll have to put together a task force of vengeful, bitter women to take them down for ruining your mom’s favorite movie.

The 2018 order evolved into a multi-season series that aired on BET and Paramount+. Jill Scott and Michelle Buteau led an updated New York City ensemble. The show ran for several seasons before activity slowed after 2023, marking one of the few 2018 announcements that actually reached ongoing production.

The 2025-2026 Reboot Wave Continues

Industry trackers at The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline continue to list multiple 1970s through 2000s titles among the most anticipated scripted returns. Malcolm in the Middle, Scrubs, Baywatch, and Little House on the Prairie sit in various stages of production or ordering for 2026 delivery. The pattern mirrors the 2018 moment the original article covered, with networks and streamers still betting that familiar names can cut through crowded schedules.

Limited Series vs. Full Reboots: What Worked

Outcomes varied once the 2018 announcements moved past the headline stage. Mad About You settled for a contained 12-episode limited run with no further seasons. First Wives Club expanded into multiple seasons on BET and Paramount+ after the initial pilot order. The difference in scope and platform commitment shaped how far each project traveled once cameras started rolling.

Why Some Reboots Stall While Others Advance

Network backing and prior audience testing made the difference for the titles that progressed. Dexter benefited from an existing Showtime and Paramount+ relationship plus the earlier success of New Blood. 30 Rock and Boomerang remained at the conversation level without advancing into production. Talent availability and shifting platform priorities also played roles in which projects stayed on the page and which reached screens.

30 Rock could rock a reboot

Apparently there’s a fair chance of a 30 Rock reboot happening at some point in the near future if star Jane Krakowski is to be believed. “There’s definitely been talk and conversations,” she told The Hollywood Reporter while supporting 30 Rock costar Tina Fey at the opening night of Mean Girls on Broadway. “Right now, (reboots are) the trend. And I would be thrilled if the trend continued over into 30 Rock.” If the show does return, hopefully they’ll spend a fair amount of time taking shots at the current TV reboot trend while also thriving within it. We’ll be over here just enjoying the original show and saying nothing.

No revival or reboot has been ordered since those 2018 comments. Key cast and creatives moved on to other projects, and the talk never translated into development momentum.

Boomerang will be swinging back to screens

Paramount Network really doesn’t know when to quit, does it? As well as Heathers and the greenlit First Wives Club reboot, the network is also reportedly rebooting Eddie Murphy’s 1992 movie Boomerang. The show is said to be in the very early stages of development, but it’s thought the Boomerang reboot will be a half hour sitcom featuring ten episodes. Like the hit film, the show will follow a successful businessman whose poor life choices come back to bite him in the ass when his new boss arrives and is even more deviant than he is. If you want a preview of what that show might play out like, you could always just revisit the original movie whenever you want!

The project stayed in early development after the 2018 announcement. Separate ideas for a film sequel have surfaced in later years but have not moved into active production either.

Dexter: Resurrection Delivers on the Promise

Among the titles discussed in 2018, Dexter stands apart for turning vague possibility into a renewed series. The July 2025 premiere on Paramount+ with Showtime and the subsequent Season 2 order showed that the right platform commitment and existing audience interest can move a project past the speculation stage. The contrast with titles that remained in limbo highlights how specific financing and prior installments can shift outcomes.