So it actually happened. They literally rebooted Reboot! I for one was super stoked when I heard about this. For those who don’t know, Reboot was an epic Saturday morning cartoon about guardians, game sprites, and viruses essentially living inside of a giant computer world known as Mainframe. The concept was brilliant and the CGI animation was definitely ahead of its time. When the show eventually moved to Cartoon Network, it got away from the Saturday morning cartoon vibe and had a much darker, adventurous feel. This led to some tremendous character development. The show was a gem, and I remember being super bummed when it ended. I even remember writing a letter to the creators and them responding, saying the show wasn’t coming back but thanks for the support, etc.
So FINALLY Reboot has returned 16 years later as Reboot: The Guardian Code. And I actually didn’t hate it. Yes, I realize the inconsistencies with some of the old characters and the impact of the #notmyreboot movement on social media. I get it. The show has scored all time low ratings on sites like IMDb. Mainframe Entertainment is now Rainmaker Studios. This is NOT the old show and fans are upset. In fact, the show actually takes a few jabs at older fans, which I actually thought were hilarious and brilliant. I was really able to laugh at myself a few times. However, this was not the case for many viewers, as fans took to Twitter to express their disgust.
There’s a particular scene that stands out in the last episode right after the kids find the old Mainframe computer and boot it up. Sure enough we finally see the old characters Bob, Dot, and Enzo (I was stoked to see them in any capacity). Randomly we see a mid-to-late 30s dude clearly living in his mom’s basement with ALL of the old Reboot action figures, posters, statues, and paraphernalia. He has a ponytail, glasses, and is wearing a Reboot shirt. He finds through his PC that Mainframe is back and of course he nerds out. This was super clearly a nod/minor jab to past fans, and I actually thought it was BRILLIANT. I laughed a lot, but again this was far from the common opinion.
Here’s the thing, the show isn’t supposed to be about the old characters and storylines. I wish it was, but I completely get it. This show is for kids, not nostalgic adults. In fact, on paper, the show is a home run. Let’s make The Guardian Code more of a live action show about high school kids jumping into the computer world. Giving the show more of a modern day Power Rangers type feel makes a lot of sense. By no means was this show a masterpiece (or as good as the original) but I thought it was a solid everyday Power Rangers meets Disney Channel kids show.
The standout character was of course the computer artificial intelligence program turned human, VERA (Virtual Evolutionary Recombinant Avatar). Hannah Vandenbygaart really impressed as a Data meets Sheldon Cooper type character. What really impressed me was her voice really sounding a lot like an Amazon Alexa and her blank facial expression. One particular subplot that I thought was hilarious was when VERA equipped herself with a teenage emotion program and started acting like an overemotional teenager. Again, characters like her I think were overlooked by nostalgic fans.
Now, as a nostalgic fan myself, I definitely had my gripes with the show. Megabyte, the main villain from the old show is essentially the main villain here. It was fun when they brought him back and in perfect form from the original show! Nearly seconds later, however, they “upgrade” Megabyte, and in my mind he looked significantly worse. Not only that, I thought that the CGI animation was significantly worse as well. A LOT of the backgrounds were sort of empty and what I could best describe as repeatedly copy and pasted. Other issues included character inconsistencies with Dot, Hexidecimal and Frisket from the original show. I can’t really complain too much as I was hoping they would just make any kind of appearance (which they did in the very last episode).
Now, granted, I’ve talked very little about the four main characters. You have essentially a leader, a techie/nerd, a hip girl, and a jock. Nothing groundbreaking here, but I think as a show for kids it was okay. The main plots are mostly predictable and recycled Power Rangers type stuff. I can’t say anything really appealed to me too much with the main characters, aside from the mysteries surrounding Austin’s deceased father.
I think given the chance the show could actually have some fun character arcs. I think the set up is actually there for a fun Saturday morning type show and nothing more. They’ve made it super apparent that they’ve left the door wide open for the old characters to check in at any time. Although this series is far from a perfect love letter to the old show, I’m honestly glad Reboot is being acknowledged in any capacity after nearly a decade and a half. I hate to be the guy to say it, but the genuine opinions about this show are going to be reserved for the kids that it’s meant for.
