If the entertainment industry has taught us anything about ourselves, it’s that we are suckers for all things that evoke nostalgia. That would explain why we keep gravitating towards familiar properties as they return to our screens in one form or another.

House of the Dragon

It’s easy to see why HBO gave House of the Dragon a straight-to-series order shortly after Game of Thrones came to an end. The phenomenon that was GoT attracted record viewership for the network during its eight (mostly spellbinding) seasons while earning numerous awards and accolades along the way. It’s only logical then that the cable giant would try to capitalize on its popularity and choose to invest in a prequel, especially one co-created by George R. R. Martin and based on his 2018 novel Fire & Blood. The new fantasy drama will travel two centuries before the fall of the throne and chronicle the beginning of the end of House Targaryen. The cast includes Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and Rhys Ifans … as well as Matt Smith who, one could convincingly argue, is reason enough to watch the show.

Here’s hoping we can all put aside our collective animosity towards the final season of Game of Thrones and indulge in a hopefully compelling new chapter in the GoT universe when the spinoff series premieres next year.

Dexter: New Blood

Few series have a setup as intriguing as that of Dexter. A sociopath who satisfies his murderous urges by killing other murderers makes for some fascinatingly dark and twisted exploration.

Yet few series have an ending as disappointing as that of Dexter. No list of “worst finales of all time” is complete without a mention of this crime drama’s last episode.

But the show is now taking a shot at redemption with a 10-episode revival titled Dexter: New Blood, currently airing on Showtime. And thankfully, things are off to a terrific start. The inimitable Michael C. Hall has reprised his role as the titular antihero-protagonist who is now living in a small town, hiding his identity, and trying not to give in to his darker impulses. We can only wish it leads to a better finale this time around.

Bel-Air

Now this is a story all about how … a short fan-made film led to the reboot of a beloved ‘90s sitcom. A three and a half minute-long mock trailer made by Morgan Copper helped fuel the idea of a dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The one-hour serialized drama that was subsequently developed is now set to land on Peacock which has already given the series a 2-season order. The new show – produced by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios – will retell the story of a Philadelphia teenager (newcomer Jabari Banks plays the protagonist) whose life got flipped, turned upside-down and led him to live with his uncle’s family in the upper class Bel-Air … only this time the story will delve deeper into the intricacies of being a Black man in America today.

And Just Like That…

Once upon a time, there were four inseparable friends whose romantic escapades and sartorial flair made them the talk of the proverbial town as they romped merrily across New York City.

And just like that, they were down to three. And fans don’t seem entirely pleased about it.

In the nearly two decades since the series went off the air, efforts were made to keep the Sex and the City franchise alive in the form of two awful films and a failed prequel. The latest attempt to keep things going has arrived in the shape of the sequel And Just Like That…, which finds Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) returning for a new set of adventures, although Samantha is conspicuously absent due to Kim Cattrall’s refusal to reprise the role. Many seem displeased with how her departure has been handled by the show. As for the fate of Mr. Big, Peloton certainly has something to say about it!

Frasier

A revival of the spin-off of Cheers? Yes please! Frasier had a very solid run – 11 seasons, 264 episodes, and numerous accolades – in its original incarnation, so it isn’t exactly a shock that the series is now being revived. The critically acclaimed sitcom is set to return to our screens next year with Kelsey Grammer continuing to portray the titular psychiatrist. And while the rest of the cast hasn’t been announced yet, we do know that Grammer wants his old co-stars to join him in the upcoming project, and it really would be nice to have the rest of the original cast – including David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, and Peri Gilpin – back as well. The revival is set to be released on Paramount+ next year.