Following the end of 2023, Rotten Tomatoes made a final update on its list of the best new TV shows of the year, and one of the entries, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai season 1, is a hint that one particular 1980s horror film should have been expanded in this way long before 2023. The Gremlins franchise first began in 1984 when the first movie, entitled Gremlins, was released. It tells the story of a young man named Billy, who receives a unique present for his birthday: a creature called a mogwai. Although Billy is given strict rules about what not to do with his new friend, havoc falls anyway.
After the original Gremlins movie, there was a 1990 sequel called Gremlins: The New Batch, which was less well-received than its predecessor. And although there was talk of a third Gremlins movie in the 2010s, nothing has come to be yet. The only other piece of media that is part of the Gremlins franchise is Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Though it didn’t receive much hype in 2023, Rotten Tomatoes ranked it as the 17th best new show of the year, proving that, despite its lack of popularity, it is definitely a show worth watching. More than that, it also proves that Gremlins has legs as a bigger franchise.
Gremlins Proves “Child-Friendly Horror” Can Still Be Nightmarish
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is a children’s cartoon, but that doesn’t mean it has to remove all the horror elements from the film series.
Secrets Of The Mogwai’s Rotten Tomatoes Ranking Proves Gremlins Is Franchise Material
While it may seem like an odd choice, Gremlins is a movie that deserves to expand as a franchise, and Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is proof of that. Although it did not receive the same online hype as some other series of 2023, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is a well-rated show, and Rotten Tomatoes’ list supports that. Therefore, if Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai can do so well, even with so many years between it and the last Gremlins movie, that means that Gremlins has the potential to be really successful.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai could really open doors for the Gremlins franchise at large. While the show has already been confirmed for a second season, the series could also continue the Gremlins legacy by inspiring movie executives to really get going on that third Gremlins sequel movie. Then, the franchise would expand even more, and like with Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, it could become all the more successful. In all, Gremlins could start gaining serious speed with audiences.
Why Gremlins Should Have Expanded Beyond Its Sequels Before 2023
The success of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai also proves that Gremlins should have expanded earlier on. Though it is still amazing that Gremlins is getting something of a revival in 2023, the truth of the matter is that with more years between the original film and now, there is more risk if the new movie or show flops. Even releasing Gremlins: The New Batch in 1990 seems like it was a bit too long after the first movie. All in all, the Gremlins franchise needs to take advantage of the hype when it comes and Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is the perfect vehicle to get things rolling again.
