What is the point of a remake?

This weekend I saw Get Smart. I was a big fan of the show when I saw it on Nick at Nite back in the day. I liked the movie, but I felt a bit of a letdown since it didn't resemble the show. I read somewhere that it was meant to bring it into the 21st century. WTF?!?

Why does everything have to be brought into the 21st century? Is it such a crime to leave things where they are and enjoy them for what they are? This happens in TV and music as well. for example, just look at American Idol this season. David Cook covered plenty of good songs, but he said they needed to be brought into the 21st century. It worked for him, similar to the Get Smart movie, but there's nothing wrong with the original. Is it such a crime to leave things the way they are? Honestly, its just frustrating.

Television is the same way. This fall, Beverly Hills 90210 is getting remade. Not sure if its a remake, or just 15 yrs later or what, but one has to wonder. Are they just that hard up for ideas that they have to remake the show. Guess I shouldn't complain...it won't be reality. I have noticed that they waited until Aaron Spelling died before they did this, though. Makes you wonder, huh?

Another show they're remaking, is one of my faves from the 80s. Knight Rider. I watched the TV movie and while it was good. I wasn't excited about it. It just didn't have the feel of the original show. It just feels like they wanted to show how much gadgets have evolved since then. Most shows and remakes are like that, though.

This fall, The Day the Earth Stood Still is being released. It's a remake of a classic alien movie from the 40s or 50s or so. Not sure when it came out. It's not as well known as War of the worlds or some other movies of the genre, but still a good one and I have to wonder, what's wrong with the original. Yeah, its cheesy, but that's the good thing about watching it. Everything does not need to happen in the 21st century. Someone needs to tell these writers, producers, and directors to come up with their own stuff and leave the old stuff alone.