If you don’t know what Monster High is, then where have you been? The iconic monsters of the 2010’s that ruled every little girl’s childhood have been cast for a glorious live action reboot on Nickelodeon! But as with most reboots, not everything is the same. Many changes were made in the process of remaking this masterpiece of a young adult show. But were they all for the better?
Monster High began as a doll franchise that broke barriers through turning classic horror characters, such as Frankenstein, Werewolves, and Dracula, and turning them into stunning teenage girls. Garrett Sander, the creator of Monster High, eventually released the TV series in 2007 and 10 unforgettable movies. Now in 2024, we have a new and improved version of the series. Some of these changes include a cut of characters, Clawdeen Wolf, one of the three most important characters throughout the franchise, becoming the main character, and…new looks?
A few of our Liberty Students gave us their opinions on the new and improved show. Nika, a sophomore here, firmly believed that the new edition of the show was not as good as the original. “I mean, it’s okay. The first one was better…I think that the new one still has the same morals and all, but the first one definitely did it better. It feels really cringe now.” Adding on to this thought, Nika mentioned that the original Monster High also provided morals that helped build character. “I think it taught me to always be a leader and to just be a good friend, especially if you see someone that needs one. I’m sure the new series does that, but, like, I like the way the older one did it. Or at least the aesthetic of it.”
Nandini Bhatt, a reporter for the LHS paper, expressed her love for the sense of fashion and friendship displayed in the original series and the current one. “Monster high spread the idea that you can be different; do your own thing…I think Draculaura really stood out the most to me because, like, she embraced that she was different.”
Draculaura, another main character throughout all of the movies and episodes, was well known for her bright pink highlights and cute outfits. However she was much more than just a pretty vampire. She was a trend setter and an icon. An anonymous liberty student highlighted Draculaura’s character development throughout the original series and how that no longer truly exists in the current. “Draculaura just proved that it’s okay to have emotions and that not everyone is perfect. Like, she struggled with trying to be a good friend, girlfriend, and daughter. Monster high didn’t sweep that part of her under the rug and pretend she was little miss perfect. They showed that, like ‘hey, even this one girl that you look up to struggles from time to time’ and I think that’s what made her such a dynamic character.” Unfortunately in eh reboot, our pretty pink bat is just a pretty pink bat. She no longer contains that sense of depth or personality as she did with the first series. Many fans have shown their disappointment in this drastic change and how it feels like the show “regressed.”
While we all love our favorite shows and would love to know how our favorite characters are doing, sometimes change isn’t always necessary.
