Crafting a great TV show revival is no easy task. Though revivals and reboots are more popular than ever, this doesn't mean every iconic TV series should be brought back to life. Doctor Who is a great example of a show that found its footing in the modern era, connecting to the past while looking toward the future. However, it could've easily gone wrong and ended up alienating the long-time fans of the series it was trying to appeal to. Fortunately, these shows all handled their returns to the small screen with grace and well-written stories.

There are plenty of great TV shows that would be ruined by a revival, as the ending of a series must leave the door open for a return for a revival to work. Some of these projects were cut short or canceled before they could complete their planned arcs. This didn't just make the revival possible but also expected. Fans and critics are often willing to wait a long time for beloved series like these to get a second chance. Though not all of them continue past a singular season, there's always a chance they'll return once again.

10 Veronica Mars (2004–2019)

Though it included a controversial twist, Veronica Mars will always be engaging

One of the best teen romance TV shows of all time, Veronica Mars struggled to make the transition from high school to college onscreen, leading to its cancellation after season 3. Fortunately, Kristen Bell lost none of her charisma and plucky sleuthing ability by the time Veronica Mars was brought back by Hulu in 2019. Veronica Mars season 4 still knows exactly how to balance Veronica's personal life with the tragic mysteries she can't stop herself from solving.

There's little better than watching Veronica do what she does best: solve crimes and deliver many cutting remarks while doing so.

Veronica Mars gained traction in the years following its cancellation not only because of the show's strength but also because of Bell's increased fame through her many projects. However, even though she had portrayed many other characters in the years since Veronica Mars ended, Bell slipped right back into her witty, sardonic role. There's little better than watching Veronica do what she does best: solve crimes and deliver many cutting remarks while doing so.

9 Raven's Home (2017–2023)

Raven-Symoné is still the heart and soul of the That's So Raven universe

A young Raven-Symoné was the charming and heartfelt lead of That's So Raven from 2003 to 2007, and she was still the most engaging part of the continuation, Raven's Home. When we catch up with Raven in 2017, she's raising her kids in Chicago and grappling with what her gift means as an adult and a mother. The supernatural elements of That's So Raven and Raven's Home both serve to elevate the everyday dramas and conflicts of the story.

Though Raven's Home doesn't break boundaries, it's easy to enjoy the chemistry of the cast and follow Raven on one of her many misadventures. Raven-Symoné is the real reason to tune into Raven's Home, as any fan of the actress will appreciate her return to the small screen and feel plenty of nostalgia for That's So Raven. It helps that Raven's Home focuses as much on the coming of age of Raven's kids as it does on her.

8 iCarly (2021–2023)

The hit Nickelodeon series gets an adult-leaning refresh

Though many great Nickelodeon original TV shows came out in the early 2000s, iCarly is considered one of the best and has maintained its cultural relevance. Thanks to the nostalgia for the original series and the return of the central stars, Miranda Cosgrove, Jerry Trainor, and Nathan Kress, the 2021 revival of iCarly earned a place for itself within the sitcom landscape. This time around, Carly is an adult with bigger and more mature problems, appealing to the audience base who grew up watching the original iCarly and are now adults themselves.

Back where she started, Carly revived her in-series web show and became something of a social media influence within the story. Still a family-friendly show, iCarly holds true to the whackier and offbeat elements that defined the show early on but are a little more grounded in reality. The updated and more respectful romance between Carly and Freddie in the series is a highlight. The pair became well-developed characters, and the relationship became a compelling throughline for the show.

7 Party Down (2009–2023)

Many years after its cancellation, Party Down loses none of its edge

Before he was Ben in Parks and Recreation or Mark in Severance, Adam Scott was playing the beleaguered and down-trodden cater-waiter, Henry in Party Down​​​​​​. Also starring Ken Marino and Lizzy Caplan, Party Down followed a group of struggling Hollywood hopefuls working for a catering company in LA. Though Party Down was unapologetically entrenched in the pitfalls of the film industry and the desperation to achieve fame, it was a smart, funny, and relatable series.

Despite its strong reviews, Party Down was canceled after season 2, returning in 2023 as a limited series in the wake of the show's cult classic status. Though it was a little awkward getting the whole gang back together when Party Down first returned, it didn't take long for the cast to fall back into their easy chemistry, and the writing is just as brilliant. While it makes sense that Party Down could only return for a short stint, it's the kind of series that leaves an impact.

6 And Just Like That... (2021–Present)

Sex and the City's continuation makes up for the show's past mistakes

Sex and the City is well known for being a beloved but dated addition to the canon of TV shows that use New York City as one of its characters. Following Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends navigating love and life in New York, Sex and the City ended with all the characters getting their happily-ever-after. However, And Just Like That... catches up with these women in a new phase of life that proves to be just as challenging.

Their experiences of life and love have evolved, and the characters have matured, but there's still plenty of learning and growing to do.

The Sex and the City still outpace what And Just Like That... has put out so far, but there's something to be said for the fact that a show centering on older women has gained so much traction. Their experiences of life and love have evolved, and the characters have matured, but there's still plenty of learning and growing to do. It's no secret that Sex and the City has plenty of jokes and storylines that haven't aged well, and And Just Like That... effectively makes up for this.

5 Justified: City Primeval (2023)

Raylan Givens is back with plenty of vengeance and a little bit of justice in City Primeval

Timothy Olyphant anchors Justified: City Primeval just as well as he did Justified from 2010 to 2015. An enormously popular neo-Western TV show, Justified followed the U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens and his work keeping the peace in his own unique way in the Appalachians. In a surprising but effective change, Justified: City Primeval places Givens first in Miami and then Detroit, providing new opportunities for the series to challenge Givens' worldview and style of justice.

Though this change immediately altered the traditional formula of Justified​​​​​​, Olyphant was still at the heart of the series, just as dynamic and easy to watch. One of the most interesting parts of Justified: City Primeval that makes it unlike other revivals is that it purposefully shakes up the show's style and subverts audience expectations. The cultural clashes and juxtaposition of Givens' past as a contemporary cowboy against a metropolitan setting create excellent tension.

4 Arrested Development (2003–2019)

Brought back from the brink twice, Arrest Development is hilarious with every outing

Frequently hailed as one of the best sitcoms ever and known for being well ahead of its time, Arrested Development initially ran for three seasons from 2003 to 2006. Telling the story of the wealthy Bluth family's fall from grace, Arrested Development captured hearts with its absurdist humor and imaginative characters who were hilariously engaging to watch. When Netflix acquired the show and brought it back in 2013, it was a risk that paid off.

Arrested Development had a lot of goodwill from the audience and critics going into the long-awaited revival seasons.

It would have been impossible to top the near-perfect formula of the first three seasons. However, Arrested Development seasons 4 and 5 justify themselves well and bring something new to the table. Arrested Development had a lot of goodwill from the audience and critics going into the long-awaited revival seasons. Fortunately, the show still worked hard to make us laugh and present new challenges for the Bluth family that were just as offbeat.

3 The Comeback (2005–2014)

Nine years after season 1, The Comeback was back and better than ever

Lisa Kudrow stars in The Comeback as Valerie Cherish, an aging former sitcom star trying to reenter Hollywood and become relevant again. Co-created by Kudrow herself, The Comeback is a sharp, satirical take on the ruthless nature of the film industry and the life of a sitcom star after their series has ended. Kudrow clearly mines her own life and experiences for content, giving The Comeback its edge and drawing viewers in.

Though it took nine years for The Comeback to make its triumphant return to television with season 2, this turned out to be the perfect amount of time. In 2005, The Comeback grappled with early takes on the mockumentary format and reality TV. In 2014, the series could reflect on the way celebrity had changed and how reality TV altered fame. Unerringly witty and brilliant, The Comeback showcases Kudrow at the height of her skills as an actor and a writer.

2 Doctor Who (2005–Present)

One of the most beloved sci-fi TV shows could've easily been forgotten about

When the first era of Doctor Who premiered in 1963, the creators and actors couldn't have known that the show would develop into the cultural phenomenon it's become. However, in 1989, the series could've faded from memory for good, as this was when the show originally ended. Fortunately, there was enough interest and continued for a revival that in 2005, Doctor Who came back with a vengeance, converting new generations of sci-fi-lovers into Doctor Who fans.

Since 2005, many performers have stepped into the role of the Doctor, with Ncuti Gatwa's iteration gracing the screen most recently. One of the best parts of every era of Doctor Who is that the series resets and refreshes itself whenever the Doctor regenerates. However, there's little question that the 2005 continuation brought one of the most iconic versions of the Doctor to life thanks to David Tennant. Tennant is far from the only reason that Doctor Who has become an even bigger success. However, his contributions can't be ignored.

1 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

David Lynch's iconic TV show finally got the ending it deserved

After leaving off on a devastating cliffhanger in 1991, David Lynch's Twin Peaks only increased in notoriety and popularity, coming to be known as one of the iconic filmmaker's most imaginative works. In 2017, we finally found out what became of Agent Dale Coope (Kyle MacLachlan) in Twin Peaks: The Return​​​​​​. Though Twin Peaks: The Return ended up being Lynch's last completed work, it was a tremendous artistic achievement to go out on and cements what makes Lynch one of the greats.

As much as Twin Peaks: The Return is a revival and continuation, the themes it grapples with and visual language immediately signal to the viewer that this isn't a traditional TV show. Shot and written as an epic feature-length project and edited into episodes, Twin Peaks: The Return pushes the boundaries of both film and television, as so many of Lynch's projects did. Considered one of the best pieces of media of all time, regardless of its status as a revival, Twin Peaks: The Return is mandatory viewing for film lovers.