Here’s some exciting news for fans of the classic '80s sitcom Growing Pains: a reboot is in the works, and Jeremy Miller is leading the charge to make it happen. During a recent chat with Closer Weekly at a Victoria’s Voice event, the beloved actor opened up about why reviving the iconic show is so important to him, especially as a way to honor the memory of late co-star Alan Thicke.
Why Now is the Perfect Time for a Revival
Jeremy revealed that next year marks the 35th anniversary of Growing Pains’ debut, making it the ideal moment to bring the show back. “It’ll be 35 years since we started next year, and I think that would be perfect timing to relaunch it,” said the 43-year-old, who played the role of Ben Seaver on the beloved sitcom. He added that since Alan’s passing in 2016, he’s taken on the responsibility of spearheading the reboot. “Since Allen passed away, I’ve kind of taken the spearhead on this,” Jeremy explained, emphasizing his commitment to keeping the spirit of the show alive.
Remembering Alan Thicke: The Heart of Growing Pains
For those who may not know, Alan Thicke tragically passed away in December 2016 after collapsing while playing hockey with his youngest son. Before his untimely death at the age of 69, Alan had already been working on a reboot concept for Growing Pains. Jeremy shared that Alan was ahead of the curve, developing the idea around five years ago as the reboot trend was just beginning to take off. “At that time, people didn’t really know if [reboots] were going to last, so there wasn’t a lot of interest,” Jeremy recalled. Despite presenting a full package to Warner and ABC, the project didn’t gain traction at the time.
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Reuniting the Original Cast
Fast forward to 2018, and Jeremy decided to reach out to his former co-stars, Tracey Gold and Kirk Cameron, about revisiting the show. “They were on board with doing one,” he said, expressing excitement about the possibility of bringing the series back. With everyone enthusiastic about the idea, the momentum for the reboot began to build. Jeremy emphasized the importance of staying true to the original show while also paying tribute to Alan’s legacy.
The reboot is still in its earliest stages, but Jeremy is optimistic about moving forward by next year. He mentioned that a dear friend and talented writer has crafted the first season scripts, which Jeremy believes are brilliant. “It’s very respectful and honoring of Alan, which is my whole reason for wanting to do this in the first place,” he shared, highlighting the importance of staying true to Alan’s memory.
Stepping Up in Alan's Absence
With Alan no longer able to reprise his role as Dr. Jason Seaver, Jeremy is determined to be the glue that holds everyone together. “That’s what he was. He was our patriarch,” Jeremy fondly remembered. “He was our dad.” While Jeremy acknowledges that no one can truly replace Alan, he remains committed to keeping the essence of the original show intact. “It’s a space we can’t fill. But Alan was always our bond,” he admitted.
Alan Thicke's Multifaceted Legacy
Jeremy expressed his hope that the new storyline will do justice to Alan’s memory, given how special he was to the show. “Truthfully, watching Alan every day was the most inspirational thing,” Jeremy confessed. “You’ve never met a man with more energy or more drive to succeed and create. He was a writer, he was an actor, he was a singer. He was a songwriter. He was… I’ve never met a more multitalented man.”
