5 TV series from the 1970’s and 1980’s ready for a reboot

5 TV Series from the past – Kolchak – Courtesy of ABC Photo Archives-ABC via Getty Images – © American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

The Twilight Zone is a prime example of a TV series from the past that is being revisited and re-tooled for current audiences. We decided to get in on this Hollywood trend by suggesting 5 shows from the 1970’s and 1980’s that are ready for a reboot.

On April 1, Jordan Peele’s version of The Twilight Zone will be debuting on CBS All Access. Since everything old is new again in Hollywood, we have decided to take a look at 5 TV series from the 1970’s and 1980’s that we feel are ready for the reboot treatment.

The List

5. The Dark Secret of Harvest Home

I remember watching this mini-series on NBC in 1978. Bette Davis who was an acting legend was doing quite a bit of horror fare in her later years. This particular production was notable for the sheer amount of talent that was involved.

In addition to the estimable Ms. Davis, Donald Pleasance, (yes, Dr. Loomis!) appears as the Narrator. Also, there are several familiar faces that pop up in the cast. A young Rosanna Arquette (Desperately Seeking Susan), Michael O’Keefe (Caddyshack), Rene Auberjonois (Deep Space Nine) and Tracey Gold (Growing Pains) play prominent roles in this terrifying tale.

Nick and Beth Constantine want to slow their lives down so they decide to move to a small village in New England known as Cornwall Coombe with their two daughters. This is the type of place populated by people with the names Worthy and the Widow Fortune. Think Stephen King and you aren’t far off.

Based on the book by Tom Tryon and directed by Leo Penn (the father of Sean), this adaptation was so disturbing that I remember it four decades later. Being from the big city, the Constantines stand out in this rural town but everyone is friendly to them and soon they find themselves settling in.

However, beneath the surface of this idyllic setting lies something very sinister. Cornwall Coombe is steeped in rituals. Since it is a farming town they are very much concerned with bountiful harvests and they have a way of ensuring that “Mother Earth” will smile upon them favorably.

Without giving too much away, let’s say that Nick discovers exactly HOW they are able to ensure that the corn will be plentiful each and every year. It doesn’t involve farming techniques either. Think of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and you are on the right track.

For a made for television affair, there were some graphic scenes such as a young girl “losing” her ability to speak. Let that sink in.

In our opinion, this would make a wonderful vehicle for Jessica Lange as the Widow Fortune. Nick and Beth Constantine could be played by Dermot Mulroney and Demi Moore. This reboot has Ryan Murphy written all over it.