As part of reshaping stories from their library of classic hit shows for kids of today, Sony Pictures Television – Kids (SPT – Kids) is reportedly developing adaptions of the classic 60s and 70s sitcom series Bewitched and The Partridge Family. These animated adaptions are currently in development but because of the Writers Strike, a writer has not been named for either projects.
“There’s such a vast history at Sony Pictures Television with properties that we could play around with and reinvent, introducing a whole new generation of kids to them.”
Executive VP and general manager of SPT – Kids Joe D’Ambrosia
In the original live action series of Bewitched (1964-1972), the story was centered around a witch named Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) who is married to an ordinary human named Darrin. The sitcom centered around their married life while trying to keep her powers hidden from the world around them. Hanna-Barbera produced the opening and closing animated credits.
The opening credits of the 1960s show:
The new animated Bewitched series will have the main character be of the couples’ 13-year old daughter named Tabitha. She learns to juggle two lives while attending middle school, as well as also secretly enrolled in a magical academy run by her witch grandmother Endora. The series is described as a cross between Hannah Montana and Harry Potter.
In the 1970-1974 live action series The Partridge Family, Shirley Jones starred as a widowed mother who leads a musical group with her five children. One of the actors portraying her children was her real life step-son David Cassidy. It was later turned into an animated series in 1974 as a Hanna-Barbera cartoon titled The Partridge Family 2200 A.D., which lasted for 1 season with 16 episodes.
Opening credits to the 1970s show:
In the newly announced animated series, the Partridge family is getting a completely different setting as a Black family living in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood. In the ’70s series, the family traveled around in the iconic Mondrian-inspired school bus. However that’s been changed to a family operating and traveling around New York’s five boroughs in a food truck, serving up treats and tunes.
Opening credits to the 1974 animated series:
What do you think of these reboot announcements? Are you happy to see old shows get a new treatment “for the modern day kids”? Or are you tired of yet more of Hollywood relying on old shows instead of making new things for kids (and adults) to enjoy? Let us know yours thoughts!
Source: Animation Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter
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