Recasting the Reboots

We're currently in the throngs of tv reboot/revival mania, with many classic shows either already back on the air or returning soon: Will and Grace, Murphy Brown, Fuller House, Magnum P.I., Macgyver, Hawaii Five-O, Designing Women, Charmed, the list goes on and on...

I thought that it might be fun to imagine some other classic shows rebooted, with actors from today filling the shoes of some well-known, already popular characters.  For the purposes of this post, I won't be recasting more recent shows where most (if not all) of the original actors are still alive.  Please comment and let me know if you agree/disagree with my choices, or if you have some better picks in mind.

1.  Golden Girls

Blanche Devereaux
Original Actress: Rue McClanahan
My Pick: Wendie Malick
Malick played the fun, promiscuous character on Just Shoot Me and Hot in Cleveland.  She's the only older, currently active actress that I can see in the role.

Dorothy Zbornak
Original Actress: Bea Arthur
My Pick: Allison Janney
She's currently occupied on the hit sitcom Mom, but her sardonic, "who cares" humor would make a great Dorothy.

Sophia Petrillo
Original Actress: Estelle Getty
My Pick: Rhea Perlman
She was the wise-cracking smartass on Cheers, and she'd be a great older wisecracking smartass on Golden Girls.  Plus, she's short like Getty!  Side note: I want to put Cloris Leachman in this role, but I hear that her health is failing and she's not working regularly anymore.

Rose Nylund
Original Actress: Betty White
My Pick: Jackee Harry
If Betty isn't up to it (she's 96, after all), then I'm going with Harry (227, Sister Sister).  She's hilarious, and I feel like she could play the friendly but naïve character well.

2.  I Love Lucy

Lucy Ricardo
Original Actress: Lucille Ball
My Pick: Anna Faris
Okay it's pretty hard to fill the queen of comedy's shoes, but I feel like Faris should do a pretty good job.  On Mom she has proven that she can do physical comedy as well as straight humor.  She's the Lucy of modern times.  Fight me on this.

Ricky Ricardo
Original Actor: Desi Arnaz
My Pick: Kunal Nayyar
Nayyar has been a strong supporting character on The Big Bang Theory for years, and this role would require Nayyar to be a much more dominant force with a stronger personality than Raj, but he's a strong actor who I believe would be up to the challenge.  Plus the show would keep its "foreign man with American wife" premise.

Ethel Mertz
Original Actress: Vivian Vance
My Pick: Wendi McLendon Covey
Covey spends her time these days as the matriarch of the family on The Goldbergs, but I think that she'd be a strong friend to Faris as Lucy.  Plus, she has also proven her comedic range and skill with physical comedy.

Fred Mertz
Original Actor: William Frawley
My Pick: Nick Offerman
Offerman, as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, was lovable but cranky, just like Mertz.  The role seems like the perfect fit for him, and for some readon I feel like Covey and Offerman would make a great couple.