Quality programming was never hard to come by in the 1990s. From "Friends" to "Frasier" to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," the lineup of unforgettable series was endless. At the backbone of the decade's astonishing programming was an incredible collection of stars.
Luckily, many of our favorite actors and actresses from the last decade are flocking back to the airwaves. The question, however, is whether or not it possible for these stars' new ventures to live up to the phenomenal reputation of their 1990s predecessors.
This past week, "Friends" celebrity Matthew Perry announced a return to television with a new single-camera series for ABC. Perry briefly resurfaced on television in 2006 with the short-lived "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" which I think may have been the greatest television show of the past several years.
Acclaimed series producer Thomas Schlamme has signed on to direct and produce Perry's new project, which should help the series to pack a punch. Still, matching the hilarity of Chandler Bing will be a demanding feat.
And Perry isn't the only "Friends" alum to return to television: Courtney Cox Arquette, who has not been shy about dabbling in television in the wake of "Friends" (she front-lined the FX drama "Dirt" and played a recurring role on the NBC/ABC "Scrubs") is now starring in the new ABC comedy "Cougar Town." The series, which was just picked up for a full season, may help Arquette maintain a long-lasting presence in comedy.
Yet not all stars can return to TV unscathed. Kelsey Grammer, star of NBC's high-brow comedy "Frasier," also returned to comedy this season on ABC's "Hank." While starring as the cultured psychiatrist on NBC, Grammer ushered "Frasier" to an unprecedented 37 Emmy wins. "Hank," on the other hand, has already been marked for cancellation.
It seems foolish for these actors to taint their already credible repertoires with potentially terrible new shows. While Perry and Arquette's projects may have the potential to bring quality comedy to the small screen, let's hope these projects don't ruin the delightful characters that we already know and love.
