opinion | Cult series reissues have long been a trend in their own right. Now “Starksy & Hutch” will investigate again. Our editor Michael Hille throws his hands over his head. For him, the project is already doomed to fail.
And if you could make “Hawaii Five-Zero”, “Magnum” and “MacGyver” hits again in the series area – why not keep trying? Hollywood now became von deadline announced a series reboot of “Starsky & Hutch”, a real crime thriller from 70s television. But the announcements already go into more detail. They reveal a decision that invites you to shake your head.
“Starsky & Hutch” go the “Ghostbusters” way
ABC Studios
Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul were awesome as “Starsky & Hutch” in the ’70s.
The new “Starsky & Hutch” series will not simply be a new edition, but will carry out a twist that will make you think of the “Ghostbusters” film from 2016 and “Ocean’s 8” seems all too familiar: The two main characters make one gender change. While “Starsky & Hutch” in the original series were two male detectives who solved tricky cases with humor and ingenuity, the reboot will be about two women: Sasha Starsky and Nicole Hutchinson.
Such decisions have often led to controversy in the past, and a media shitstorm broke out over the female “Ghostbusters” film. There are both pros and cons for such gender-swap reboots. On the one hand, it can be a strong sign that a once male pop culture authority is occupied by a woman and sends out a political signal. In addition, it ensures a clear differentiation from the original, for a “breath of fresh air” so to speak.
There has long been a female “Starsky & Hutch”
ABC Studios
“Starsky & Hutch” was not only exciting, but also crazy funny. Will the remake get there?
Then again, these gender-swap reboots always have a bad side unpleasant aftertaste. They create an impression that can be considered fatal: it seems as if you don’t trust women to be able to wear your own new brand, which is why you have to hijack and change old icons. So instead of simply inventing new female characters who stand for themselves and can inspire an audience, you probably think that you can only have success with women in leading roles if you cast them in former male parts.
Unfortunately, this impression is more than obvious in the case of “Starsky & Hutch”. The idea of a female buddy cop comedy is certainly more than contemporary and has its justification, after all it was in the 2010s “Rizzoli & Isles” is a real hit and also a really successful crime series that benefited from its exclusively female perspective. But making “Starsky & Hutch” two women is a questionable concept – since there has long been a series that does exactly that has. A female “Starsky & Hutch” has been around since the 80’s: It’s called “Cagney & Lacey”.
Why make male icons female and forget about female icons?
CBS Paramount Television
If you want to do a female Starsky & Hutch, why not use what’s already there? “Cagney & Lacey” was just that back in the ’80s—and awesome in its own way.
The series began in 1981 and ran for seven seasons and four made-for-TV movies, making it longer lasting and even more successful than the “Starsky & Hutch” original. The concept of “Cagney & Lacey” was a female answer to “Starsky & Hutch” to formulate. It was about two police officers, Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey, who couldn’t be more different, but are unbeatable as an investigative duo. The series not only won many awards, it is also considered to this day Milestone of feminist television. In addition, she addressed topics that were rarely touched on TV at the time; such as rape or child abuse.
A contemporary “Cagney & Lacey” reboot would have been only logical if you want to revive a buddy cop series of yesteryear that focuses on strong women. It would have been reminiscent of a grandiose series and could have continued its tradition. Instead, we now get “Starsky and Hutch” as women. Female icons remain in the past while male icons are repurposed into female ones – what message do you want to send with it? It is a more than questionable decision that seems so awkward that one has to question whether those responsible have ever dealt with the TV story and the genre more closely.
