Everything Old Is New Again

Is it just me, or does it seem like everything that was cool or popular circa 1985 is suddenly all the rage again? It started with Transformers, then GI Joe, and now V. For the uninitiated, V is a tv show about aliens (who look human but are really lizards) who come to Earth with a message of peace but who are really intent on turning people into food and slaves. The show originally aired in 1983, and the relaunch aired earlier this week (or tonight, thanks to the magic of DVR).

It surprised me that I still remember scenes from the original 1983 show. There was the scene where a car got blown up and one of the V (aliens) crawled out of the burning wreckage and showed his lizard face (heat exposes their true form). Then there was the scene where the lead V lady threw some guy into a glass room filled with sand...as well as some creepy crawly thing that scurried its way through the sand and then ate the victim. Finally, I recall the lead V lady devouring a hamster or some other small, cute rodent. That last one was especially traumatizing, as we had a guinea pig at my day care, and I thought they were really cute, not an option for Lunchable. Keep in mind that I was about 4 years old, so my parents letting me watch a show like that is perhaps an indication of lax parenting. Now, almost 30 years later, the show's back, and I can actually appreciate the storylines that mix the concepts of fascism, occupation and resistance, media tampering, and alien encounters all into one convenient hour-long package. I also appreciate the producers getting rid of the huge hair and red spandex unitards (yeah, nothing screams 80's like bad hair and awful clothes).

So, everything old seems new again. I'm ok with bringing back classic shows like V and remaking the Transformers, but I draw the line at remaking the Smurfs (you CANNOT mess with or do a live action version of the original) and bringing back leg warmers, big hair, and headbands.