What do series like Supergirl, Riverdale, or The Flash have in common? That of giving us a little nostalgia every week.
There are actors and actresses that everyone loves and that especially everyone knows. For us, the fans, it's always a pleasure to see them in new series, long after the series that made them stars. This season, but also in recent years, we are witnessing real gifts made to fans by producers. Certainly, the addition of guest-star in the credits of an episode is above all done to boost audiences. But we must also think about fidelity. And it is thanks to these little attentions made to the fans, these little winks that we are receptive.
What fan of the Supergirl universe didn't jump for joy this season, when the producers announced that actress Teri Hatcher would appear in the second season ? The one who made the heyday of the ABC channel between 2004 and 2012 by interpreting the role of Susan Mayer in Desperate Housewives will she not be the eternal Loïs Lane of the series Loïs & Clark ? What could pass for a simple casting addition actually hides a thoughtful marketing strategy. From one fantasy series to another, Kevin Sorbo will also be part of Supergirl. The one who embodied the character of Hercules in the eponymous series has become over the years a true icon. For his fans, seeing him again is always a great pleasure. And for the producers a golden opportunity to link two very distinct works while recovering some viewers in the process. A good point for fans, who can also take the opportunity to find Dean Cain (the Superman of the series of the 90s) and Helen Slater, who played the role of Supergirl in the 1984 film.
Riverdale, the CW's newest series this season, boasts a nostalgia ride to the hilt. Tinged with mysteries, Riverdale is also and above all an opportunity to find a large number of actors and actresses from old cult series: Beverly Hill 90210, Charmed, Dawson's Creek, Twin Peaks, Jericho among others.
Playing Archie's father, Luke Perry makes his comeback in a television series, 17 years after the end of Beverly Hill 90210 and a few years after his guest role in two episodes of Criminal Minds. Only the oldest among us will remember the popularity of the gentleman at the time!
At his side, it is the actress Mädchen Amick that we find in the role of Alice Cooper. A true veteran of television since she played Shelly Johnson in Twin Peaks in 1990-1991. A role that she will resume on the occasion of the third season, scheduled for May 2017. We also know her for her appearances in ER, Dawson's Creek (discover our file "What became of them? ") or Witches of East End.
Lochlyn Munro is one of those actors that we see everywhere but whose name we never know! And yet, the actor participated in many series during the 1990s and 2000s, from Charmed to Smallville or Beyond the Real. He plays Alice Cooper's husband, Hal, in the series.
Last but not least, the cult actress of the 80s Molly Ringwald will soon appear in the series as Archie's mother. A big dose of nostalgia for fans of the movie The Breakfast Club in 1985!
With this batch of actors and actresses, we see that the producers of Riverdale wanted to ride a wave of the past, trying both to gather new viewers and to retain others through a new series. A case that seems rather effective since the show has just been renewed for a second season.
Last series surfing pleasantly on the nostalgia side of the fans, what was not our surprise when we learned that the actor John Wesley Shipp was going to interpret the role of Barry Allen's father in the series! Indeed, the one who was the Flash superhero in the series of the 90s embodies the father of the Flash of 2015! A beautiful tribute to the fans of the character, but also an opportunity to find an actor far too rare on our screens.
To conclude, we hope that this trend will increase in the future. Many fans of old series or a universe are sensitive to these little attentions, and if they allow producers to recover viewers (and money it goes without saying!), we, at JustFocus, vote for it!
