Any Christian who grew up during the 90’s knows they experienced a golden age of faith-based media. DC Talk was on every radio, WWJD bracelets were in fashion, and all families had at least one Christian program that was their go-to source for entertainment. With our current pop culture experiencing a kind of “nostalgic renaissance”, it’s surprising more Christian series haven’t taken the chance to stage a comeback. The success of Christian films at the box office certainly suggests there’s an audience eager for more faith-based content.
But which of these nostalgic treasures deserves a remake for the modern viewer? It was a tough decision, but here are 10 Christian series we desperately need to reboot:
1. The Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible
“While surveying the site of some ancient ruins, two young archeologists, Derek and Margo, and their nomad friend, Moki, find themselves trapped and sinking in a whirling quicksand. And when the dust settles, they stare up in awe at a vast chamber filled with giant relics and artifacts from another civilization. And there, at the far end of the cavern, a door with a strange inscription, ‘All who enter these portals, pass through time!’”
Anyone who has seen The Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible knows the opening alone is worth a reboot. Not only did the show’s three protagonists experience every major biblical event from Creation to Easter, but the series was produced and animated by Hannah-Barbera! Surely that earns it a shot at a modern audience?
Check out The Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible here!
2. The Cooper Kids Adventures
The Cooper Kids Adventures could probably be best described as Indiana Jones meets VeggieTales with a dash of Johnny Quest thrown in for seasoning. Written by New York Times best-selling author Frank Peretti, these Young Adult novels featured teen siblings Jay and Lila Cooper (as well as their archaeologist father) as they traveled the globe solving mysteries, fighting criminals, and uncovering lost treasure. The Cooper Kids not only offered teen readers a wealth of adventure and smart writing, but also a pair of strong Christian protagonists. What more could a faith-based audience possibly ask for?
While The Cooper Kids novels haven’t exactly gone out of style, the series is plenty ripe for adaption. Maybe a Netflix series? What about an audio performance distributed by podcast? The possibilities are endless, and quite frankly, they’re all exciting.
3. Adventures in Odyssey
What child of the 90’s doesn’t remember Adventures in Odyssey? As I’ve mentioned before, this was the series for long car rides and family vacations back in the day. Produced by Focus on the Family, Adventures in Odyssey centered on the lives of various individuals living in the quaint, American town of Odyssey. The chief protagonist was John Whitaker, an aging, portly inventor who owned a soda shop where families could go to learn about Jesus and occasionally travel through time. Not only was this one of the best adventure series ever put to cassette, it also had a number of videos, books, and a musical albums.
With so much technology permeating today’s modern world, it’s a wonder no one has tried an Adventures in Odyssey reboot. A podcast alone would be insanely popular, but can you imagine casting a live-action movie?
4. McGee and Me
McGee and Me was 90’s Christian entertainment at its finest. The show seamlessly blended live-action with animation, and offered a lot of storylines Christian children could understand (minus that one with the Native American guy. Seriously, what was that all about?). The story begins after a young boy named Nick moves to a new town with his family. Nick is a shy, creative kid, and has trouble fitting in at school. Thankfully, his cartoon friend, McGee, is always around to offer support and encouragement in his walk with Christ.
A modern reboot probably wouldn’t have the same style as the 90’s original, but McGee and Me has enough nostalgia to warrant the attempt. Besides, who can forget that awesome opening scene where Nick draws McGee and watches him come to life?
5. The ButterCream Gang
While not the most popular series of the 90’s, The ButterCream Gang certainly had its charm. Unlike most gangs, the ButterCream gang devotes it’s time to helping others. After their leader, Pete, goes to live with his aunt in Chicago, he nominates his friend Scott to be the group’s new leader. Scott succeeds in maintaining the gang’s dedication to honesty, faith, and good works, but when his old friend returns, everything starts to unravel. Now Pete enjoys making trouble and hanging around with the wrong crowd.
Will the ButterCream gang survive such a betrayal? Can Scott rescue his friend from this destructive path? How has this series not been given a modern update?!
Check out The ButterCream Gang here!
(*Image Credit:@ThinkstockMolchanovdmitry)
6. GT and the Halo Express
Another lesser known entry for this list, GT and the Halo Express was a series of musical cassettes that inspired ceaseless joy in children and endless consternation in adults. Each story centered around a boy and girl as they embarked on some new experience. Accompanying them along the way would be GT, an angel in training, and his friend, Guardian. Equipped with an endless supply of songs about scripture, the two angels would help their charges discover what God had planned for them.
By now, I’m sure most parents are looking for a new song to replace “Let it Go” or whatever Taylor Swift tune their children happen to be singing. Why not give GT and the Halo Express another shot?
Check out GT and the Halo Express here!
(*Image Credit: Flickr)
7. The Story Keepers
Taking place in ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero, The Story Keepers follows several orphaned children who are adopted by a friendly Christian baker named Ben and his wife, Helena. Here they discover an amazing underground network of believers, who risk their lives to share stories of Jesus while evading capture by the Roman authorities. While this Zondervan produced series only lasted 13 episodes, it still left quite the impression on young audiences. Clever use of history and storytelling gave the show a welcome freshness you didn’t often find in Christian entertainment. Admittedly though, the animation could use some serious work.
Luckily, that’s what reboots are for. Who knows, maybe The Story Keepers could follow the same path as Adventures in Odyssey and earn itself a live-action series. Then maybe those poor kids can finally be reunited with their parents.
8. SuperBook
Yeah, yeah, I know this show got a 3D facelift in 2009, but it’s just not the same. The original SuperBook was drawn in the finest Japanese animation, and for a kid, that’s an extra level of “cool” you don’t just throw away. Like The Greatest Adventures, SuperBook follows a pair of children as they travel through time to major events in the Bible. The only difference is that instead of a racially-insensitive sidekick, this pair navigates the Old Testament with the help of a wind-up, talking robot. Like most shows out of 1980’s Japan SuperBook didn’t always make much sense, but it was still a lot of fun, and gave great spiritual lessons to every kid who watched it!
9. The Seven Sleepers
The Seven Sleepers is by far the best Christian sci-fi series you’ve never heard of. Written by Gilbert Morris, the story follows a group of children who are placed in a cryogenic sleep to escape nuclear war. Upon awakening, they discover the planet has changed beyond recognition, and genetically altered races now roam the Earth. If that weren’t enough, their revival signals the beginning of an ancient prophecy which tells of a war between the Dark Lord and Goel (the novel’s Christ figure). The series featured everything from dinosaurs, to undersea kingdoms, to the ongoing battle against evil, and was really just a blast to read. So, why not finally give The Seven Sleepers the recognition it deserves?
Like other entries on this list, The Seven Sleepers doesn’t necessarily have to come back as a book. It could be a live-action drama, a stunningly animated graphic novel, even a web series might work. It's a great story, and fans both new and old are bound to get hooked.
10. Animated Stories from the New Testament
Of all the programs on this list, Animated Stories from the New Testament is the only one the really doesn’t need an update. That’s how well this series has held up over time. The show was managed by former Disney director Richard Rich, professionally animated, and its screenplays were allegedly written by best-selling novelist, Orson Scott Card. The series is really a great way to educate children on the life of Jesus, and if given the proper attention it deserves, a modern version could end up in theaters. If not, that’s alright, these videos still looks and sounds great.
Still, a guy can hope, can’t he?
Check out Animated Stories from the New Testament here!
*Editor's Note: The following was adapted from 7 Christian Series We Need to Reboot. To read the original article, follow this link!