This past spring, HBO’s The Comeback, starring Lisa Kudrow, staged its own much-welcome comeback.
The beloved cult comedy, which started in 2005 and received a second season nearly a decade later, returned with a third and final season, which established Valerie Cherish as one of modern TV’s funniest – and most memorable – heroines.
This got everyone at Watch With Us thinking: what are some other great HBO shows that we’d love to see get a second chance?
So, we put together a ranked list of four classic HBO shows that deserve a reboot.
Our first pick is Carnivàle, a fantastic dark fantasy drama that was cut too short.
4. ‘Carnivàle’ (2003-2005)
In the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, a young man with strange powers named Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl) joins an enigmatic traveling carnival following his mother’s tragic death. The carnival is run by an unknown entity known as the “Management,” and its cast features a diverse group of people with abilities not unlike the healing powers that Ben possesses. But after Ben joins in with his newfound family, he begins to experience disturbing visions that send him on a quest for a man named Henry Scudder (John Savage).
Carnivàle wasn’t appreciated enough for its lofty ambitions during its short run, in spite of its fantastic visuals, immersive tone and dense themes. While not the most accessible show for general audiences, it developed a passionate cult following with many fans taking to internet forums to discuss various theories. Thus, we think this is more than enough of a fan foundation to bring Carnivàle back for a round two. The series boasts some clear inspiration from Twin Peaks, a show that received a successful revival season itself.
3. ‘Mr. Show With Bob And David’ (1995-1998)
Comedians Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) and David Cross (Arrested Development) lead this terrific sketch comedy show that oscillates between the absurd and the more absurd. Alongside a rotating cast of regular players and guests that includes Tom Kenny, Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, Jill Talley and Paul F. Tompkins, Mr. Show is introduced each episode in front of a live audience by fictionalized versions of Odenkirk and Cross, and what ensues are sketches that play with metatextual, off-kilter and absurdist humor, with each sketch folding into the next one.
Mr. Show has endured as a highly influential cult comedy despite (or maybe even because of) its scant three-season run. But we think it could be great to bring the series back, what with Odenkirk and Cross still very much being working actors, and especially since they’re both much more well-known now. The series did receive a short, four-episode reboot in 2015, but over ten years later and we think it could use another, longer reboot season. If anything, it would be interesting to see how Odenkirk and Cross’ sense of humor has evolved after another decade.
2. ‘Enlightened’ (2011-2013)
Amy Jellicoe (Laura Dern) is a successful corporate executive who has gotten far in life despite her self-destructive behavior. After a very public nervous breakdown, Amy leaves her job and her life to spend three months in rehab in Hawaii, and it’s here that she has a reawakening and learns how to live a more enlightened life. Amy returns to live with her mother (Diane Ladd) to find that her new outlook isn’t quite as welcomed by her family, friends, coworkers or drug addict ex-husband, Levi (Luke Wilson), as she would’ve expected. With more chaos in her life than ever, Amy struggles to maintain her zen.
Enlightened comes from The White Lotus creator Mike White, and it showcases White’s nuanced character-writing and distinct sense of humor that managed to find more success in his later anthology, resort-set series. With White’s newfound television success, it makes all the more sense to return to his show that didn’t get enough love. Enlightened received great reviews, but the viewers just weren’t there, and it was cancelled as a result. Now that White and his writing are widely acclaimed, a second time around would surely find a better footing.
1. ‘Bored to Death’ (2009-2011)
Brooklyn-based writer Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) is in a rut he can’t get out of. He spends most of his time smoking weed while his girlfriend (Olivia Thirlby) threatens to break up with him. To spice up his life, he posts an ad on Craigslist claiming that he is an unlicensed private detective, taking his fascination with crime novels and turning it into a part-time job. But Jonathan increasingly finds that his disintegrating personal life is getting in the way of his clients’ needs, on top of his demanding editor, George (Ted Danson). Still, Jonathan manages to find some solace in his best friend, comic book artist Ray (Zach Galifianakis).
Bored to Death received favorable reviews, but its ratings took a nosedive between its second and third seasons and it was canceled by HBO by the close of season 3. However, this didn’t stop the show’s fans from starting multiple petitions to keep the series on the air — which, of course, didn’t amount to a success story. Still, many fans believe that the series deserves a fourth season, and we’re inclined to agree. Bored to Death is a fun, quirky good time, carried by fantastic writing and great chemistry between Schwartzman and Galifianakis.
