NBC Swipes Reboot of Classic ABC Show

Another classic network series is getting revived, but this time not on its original network. NBC is reportedly developing a new take on Life Goes On, which originally aired on ABC from 1989 to 1993. The series joins a growing trend of shows shuffling between networks and platforms.

Life Goes On was a family drama about the Thatcher family, which began by focusing mainly on middle sibling Corky Thatcher (Chris Burke) who had Down Syndrome. According to a report by TV Line, NBC’s revival of the series “will revisit a grown-up Becca Thatcher, now an accomplished doctor, and her extended family as she returns to her hometown.” Original actress Kellie Martin has reportedly signed on to reprise her role, but it’s not clear if any other original cast members will do the same.

The Life Goes On revival pilot will be written by Nkechi Okoro Carroll, best known for writing on All American. Carroll will be an executive producer along with Lindsay Dunn, while Martin will be a producer along with actor Chad Lowe, who played Becca’s boyfriend Jesse in the original series. Original series creator Michael Braverman will be an executive consultant, but it is not clear who will be the showrunner.

Life Goes On was set in the suburbs outside of Chicago, Illinois, and was a relatively straightforward family dramedy. In the early seasons, it centered around the family’s middle child, Corky Thatcher (Chris Burke), who has Down Syndrome, but the show drifted away from preaching about the syndrome and treated Corky like any other character. The family also included mother and father Drew Thatcher (Bill Smitrovich) and Libby Thatcher (Patti LuPone) as well as eldest sister Paige Thatcher (Monique Lanier and Tracey Needham) and Martin as Becca.

Life Goes On was considered groundbreaking in its time for depicting the day-to-day considerations of a family with Down Syndrome, and later for including a main character, Jesse, who was HIV-positive. The show had one episode set 25 years in the future, where a 40-something-year-old Becca was played by Pamela Bellwood. In that episode, she reflected on Jesse’s death and all the other memoriesin her old house. It is not clear if a revival would consider that episode canon since it has now been more than 25 years since the show went off the air.

Right now, Life Goes On does not appear to be available to stream anywhere online. Stay tuned for more updates on the prospective revival.