The 411 Top 5 12.14.07: Week 91

Posted by Trevor Snyder on 12.14.2007

The Top 5 Movie-Based TV Series

Since we recently took a look at which movies we here at 411 would like to see turned into weekly television series, and since FOX will soon be attempting just that with its new Terminator show, I thought it might be a good idea to remind everyone that this concept can in fact work, if done right. Although many people like to think of TV and cinema as two totally different worlds, there have been quite a few good examples of how to merge the two. To some, a movie turning into a television series might seem like a step-down for the franchise. But, as the following series show, sometimes the best place for a big-screen sequel is actually the small-screen.


THE TOP 5 MOVIE-BASED TV SERIES


Trevor Snyder

HONORABLE MENTION

Stargate: SG-1 - Ridiculous titular redundancy aside (the name is literally Stargate: Stargate-1), you can't argue with success. The movie Stargate was an enjoyable enough sci-fi romp, but I don't remember anyone really clamoring for a sequel, let alone a spin-off TV series. And yet this show would go o to run for what I think was a gazillion seasons, eventually even earning its own spin-off.

THE TOP 5

5. In the Heat of the Night

If nothing else, you would have had to have given this show points just for trying. After all, it's pretty ballsy to even try to live up to Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. What's incredible is that the show somehow did it, with Howard Rollins and Carroll O'Connor proving to be adequate replacements for the original stars.

4. M*A*S*H

OK, in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll admit that I never really cared for this show. Sorry, folks, it just never did anything for me. I do love Robert Altman's film – I just felt the series never really came close to matching the movie's biting wit. Still, even I'm not foolish enough to leave it off of this list. When you're talking about TV shows spun-off from movies, you pretty much have to give some props to M*A*S*H, which is easily the most successful example of all time.

3. Highlander

As cool as the first Highlander movie is, one thing is for sure – it was sure wasn't made with much foresight into the concept ever becoming a franchise. The tale of the centuries-old battle between a race of immortals, the film actually ended with the heroic Connor McCloud (Christopher Lambert) defeating the other last remaining immortal, and therefore winning the prize. Hey, that's all well and good…except it left them with nowhere to go once the movie proved to be super popular. While the brains behind the first two sequel films would turn to ridiculous story manipulations in order to explain why Connor suddenly found himself facing more immortals, the TV show found a much easier way around the problem: they simply rebooted the universe, creating an "alternate" Highlander universe where not only had Connor not won the prize back in the mid-eighties, but where there were still hundreds of immortals walking the earth. And by offering a new charismatic hero in the form of Duncan McCloud (Adrian Paul), the series was able to finally deliver on the potential of the concept that had been hinted at way back in the first film. If this show had never come about, Highlander would be remembered as a pretty-cool cult film with a couple forgettable sequels. The television series turned Highlander into a full-blown phenomenon.

2. Clerks: The Animated Series

It's a little known fact that, in 1995, a pilot for a live-action Clerks sitcom was filmed, without Kevin Smith's involvement and starring Jim Breuer as Randal. Although this thing never even made it to air, I think it's safe to say it was most likely a huge piece of crap (Smith, who has seen it, has said as much himself). When it came time for Smith to create his own Clerks series, he wisely realized that there was no point in trying a live-action series that would only end up being a pale imitation of the movie's working-class feel. Instead, Smith went the exact opposite route, transforming Clerks into an over-the-top, surreal cartoon. And, what do you know…it worked. It turned out Randal, Dante, Jay, and Silent Bob were all perfectly suited for the cartoon world, and the series' more bizarre sense-of-humor allowed Smith to indulge in all sorts of crazy comedy bits that he could never pull off in his more reality-based films. It's unfortunate that ABC never quite got it, and therefore canceled it after airing only two episodes. Thankfully it lives on in the world of DVD, allowing to re-watch its twisted genius over and over again.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

No, I'm not giving Buffy the top spot because it's one of my personal favorite shows (in fact, I was always more of an Angel kind of guy, anyway). The reason I believe Buffy deserves the top honor is because of all the shows listed here, it's the only one to obviously improve upon and completely surpass the movie it was based on. Now, true, that wasn't exactly a tough feat, given the quality of the flick. But, if you ask me, that only makes the Buffy series that much more impressive. Joss Whedon watched as his great concept was turned into a mildly-enjoyable but largely unmemorable movie, and yet bounced back to turn the same concept into one of the most successful cult/sci-fi/horror/teen shows ever. I think it says something that it might be the only show on this list where some folks might not even realize it started out as a movie.



Owain J. Brimfield

5. Buffy

You know, I'm not really a fan of Buffy, sacrilege as it may seem to make that announcement on this site. I just couldn't think of anything else to fit the list.

4. Alien Nation

Although the movie, a buddy cop / sci fi flick starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin, was not a real success, it was pleasing in the way it portrayed aliens living on Earth - just ordinary schmoes, trying to fit in and deal with the prejudice of humans against them. The TV series lasted only one season, and it's not surprising, as the subject matter doesn't really tie in with any particular demographic. However, it was unassuming and diverting enough to gain the number four in this list, with additional credit due to the punning name of Detective Samuel Francisco.

3. Robocop: Prime Directives

A four part miniseries that entirely made up for the lackluster sequel and threequel to the original motion picture, and the horribly child-friendly TV series. Prime Directives was a return to the dark and violent near future that the original film conceived, featuring a running theme of an automated system named SAINT that threatens to kill the population of Delta City. Also: Robocop has a son and he's all grown up. Sweet! If it had only recreated a moment as wonderfully memorable as the toxic waste death from the movie, this may have been a place higher in the list.

2. Stargate SG-1

Now we're moving on to the shows that were actually good in their own right, as opposed to merely being decent adaptations. Stargate the film was, I think, unfairly maligned due to its slow pace and off-center premise, so it seemed rather an odd choice to manufacture a spin-off show. However, the inspired casting of Richard Dean Anderson in the Kurt Russell role, as well as a setup that gave the show a ton of creative potential, helped this become one of the better science fiction TV shows of our time. Although SG-1 is now the longest consecutively running SF show of all time, it's come to a bit of a hiatus at the moment as a buyer is sought for an eleventh season. Here's hoping someone picks it up.

1. M*A*S*H

This is pretty much undisputed, isn't it? The only show on the list to stem from genuinely good source material (Robert Altman's original film was a vicious satire and stands up today as well as it ever did), M*A*S*H ran for ten seasons and produced a series finale watched by around 17 umptybillion viewers, one of the most popular pieces of television of all time. The cast were uniformly terrific, creating a set of characters who lived on long after their show came to an end (witness the spot-on spoof from Futurama a few years back). Not just a great TV show based on a movie, but a great TV show full stop.



Arnold Furious

5. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer

I was never really into Buffy until a few years ago I had a girlfriend who was a bit Gothic. She didn't actually have a TV licence so whenever I stayed over at her place we'd have to watch tapes and DVD's while eating dinner or whatever. I hadn't seen any Buffy at all up to that point. She practically forced me to sit through a huge chunk of Buffy history and won me over. I've only really seen early high school Buffy stuff, which seemed pretty decent. The only episode I specifically went out of my way to watch was the one where they're all singing (Once More With Feeling?) The episode where they graduated and Buffy got given that golden umbrella thing. That is now what I think about when I hear Wild Horses, which is saying something. I like Joss Whedon more for Firefly than his work in Buffyverse but the series ended up being way better than the Kristy Swanson movie it was based on.

4. Clerks: The Animated Series

I've always been a huge mark for Kevin Smith films ever since he just encapsulated my job when he made the film Clerks. The spinoff cartoon series was something I was dying to see. I ended up having to buy the DVD from America on import because nowhere on British TV could they find the room to actually show the damn thing. The Clerks animated series was a joy to behold. Although they had to tone back the antics of Jay & Silent Bob and the language used in the film that should have been obvious because it was animated and on TV. You can't just throw the niche market Smith characters on TV and hope they don't offend someone. The animated series transitioned neatly from the foul mouthed film to a well produced cartoon series. The characters remained strong and they developed a great formula thanks to a regular bad guy, Leonardo Leonardo (voice by Alec Baldwin), to give them a foil. They also did all sorts of wacky stuff that normal people in TV don't dare do. Like having a clip show for the second episode or having the 6th, and sadly final episode, "animated in Korea". At first that ending really ticked me off but re-watching it with the "oh no, bear is driving" crap I got it. Only two episodes aired before ABC cancelled it. Although they rather stupidly aired the flashback episode before the episode it was parodying thus eliminating all the character introductions. Networks, eh? They also cut out the great "Flintstones List" gag. What? Too soon? Surely not.

3. Star Wars: Clone Wars

It might just be that I'm a total mark for Star Wars but when these little 3 minute cartoons aired on Cartoon Network I actually had to see them. It's rare I hunt down television shows, especially ones so frustratingly short, but this marks one of those times. I ended up watching the lot of on DVD. In my eyes George Lucas is still a genius and can still come up with the goods. The Clone Wars TV show was a prime example of this. I'm hoping for great things from the Star Wars spinoffs he wants to do featuring smaller characters. Much like the Clone Wars introduced the likes of General Grievous, Durge and Asajj Ventress. The very stylised animation complete with slick storytelling made the shorts a winner in my book. But then I'd pretty much go for anything with the Star Wars brand name. The series is arguably tighter than the Star Wars prequels due the self imposed time constraints. Which makes you wonder if Lucas had to make the prequels with the same time constraints it would have made for a more interesting experience. Although I often wondered during the release of the prequels why Lucas decided not to feature the Clone Wars as heavily as he could have. The wars don't begin until the end of the second film and by the time Revenge of the Sith rolls round the Wars are in the process of finishing. Luckily he opted to show us what happened in this great TV show.

2. Batman: The Animated Series

Some may consider this cheating as the animated series ran largely on its own but it did come about as a spinoff of the Tim Burton series of films. The connection between the series and the films was sufficiently there that Robin debuted in the cartoon first to get the kids used to seeing the sidekick before the release of Batman Forever. What makes the animated series so special is how it quite easily outstripped the films of that era, although probably not Batman Begins, as the best interpretation of the comic book character. The TV series remained dark but true to its roots. Burton's Batman was hit and miss and Joel Schumacher's was downright dreadful. The Batman series should have just run forever in my opinion. It was so good. It ended up running for 85 episodes over 3 years. It's widely regarded as the best comic book TV series, ever. The 40's style and Gothic vibe was almost noir-ish. Which is a hell of a thing for a kids TV show. The TV show also did great work with existing characters making Mr Freeze, well, not shit. Sadly Ahnolt's performance in Batman & Robin should ensure he's not look upon fondly in the future. The series also introduced Harley Quinn who has become such a popular character that DC added her to their continuity as well. It also produced its own spinoff movie; Mask of the Phantasm, which is really very good (arguably better than any of that era's Bat-films). The other film with Mr Freeze is pretty good too.

1. M*A*S*H

Like Owain said this is pretty much undisputed. I was actually such a fan of the series that I put off watching the original Altman film until a while back in my Furious on Film column. It's brilliant. But I was scared it wouldn't live up to the expectations I had after being such a big fan of the TV series. I grew up with it. I was born in 1976 during the series originally screening but it was frequently repeated so I saw most of the run. I remember seeing the last episode of M*A*S*H and being so disappointed that there was no more. After all if a series runs for 11 years you get quite the attachment to the characters. Although I felt the series was going a bit downhill towards the end after Radar left (the last three seasons then). The great characters included Hawkeye, Radar, Klinger, Hotlips, Father Mulcahy and BJ Hunnicut. These were names the entire world knew. My personal favourite being Colonel Sherman T. Potter played by the superb Harry Morgan. He defined army authority for me during my youth. He was only replaced by R. Lee Ermey's Gunnery Sgt Hartman after his staggering performance in Full Metal Jacket. Pretty good company to be in, though.



Ben Moser

5. Highlander: The Series

This is a guilty pleasure more than anything else. I never sought the show out; but every odd, hung over, Saturday afternoon I'd check it out. I was never unentertained, which is more than I can say for a majority of these adaptations. I never quite got exactly where this fit in with the movie until they incorporated to two into one film, and then was more confused than ever. Still, not a bad series to watch when swearing to whoever you pray to that you'll never drink again.

4. The Real Ghostbusters

Take a movie that captured the minds of kids everywhere, add a lovable, hungry, and semi gross sidekick, animate it, and there you have it. The Real Ghostbusters was an amazing addition to Saturday mornings in my youth. The best thing about it, though, is that it didn't dumb things down or kiddie things up. Well, not at first. Eventually, the series was given a more cartoony and a suspenseful feel and renamed Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters, which was a travesty compared to those earlier adventures of the Ghostbusters that picked up right where the movie left off.

3. Clerks: The Animated Series

The hype was off the charts. Super Bowl commercials, billboards in NYC, the whole 9. Of course, the brains that green-lit that marketing blitz had never seen Clerks and were surprised that two of the main characters were drug pushers who occasionally enjoyed their own wares. The result? The executives viewed, buried, and finally pulled the plug on the series after two airings. Thank God for DVD's, where the 6 episodes that were produced can be viewed and enjoyed for their hilarity. As much of a departure this was from one of my favorite flicks, I loved every moment of it.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

To take such a horrible movie and turn it into a good series would have been, in and of itself, a minor miracle. To make it into the cultural zeitgeist it became is something else entirely. Just look at how often this show is referenced in the Top 5 and by how many different 411ers do that referencing. Now, there have been a lot of really terrible shows to get the same kind of following, but the difference is that Buffy is actually good.

1. M*A*S*H

As much as I'd like to dispute the undisputed, nothing else comes close. There's something in this series for everyone from it's very sitcomy beginnings to its too serious to be true final seasons. The cast was always killer and the writing was always sharp. The show kept getting better against all odds as characters left and were unfathomably replaced by even better characters. To top it all off? The final episode, "Good-bye, Farewell, Amen," will remain the series finale that all other finales are judged by. And why not? It's the perfect summation of what every character there learned through the experience. So while no movie-to-TV adaptation will ever come close to this series, no series finale will ever come close to M*A*S*H.



Bryan Kristopowitz

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Freddy's Nightmares (1988-1990): An off shoot of the incredibly popular Nightmare on Elm Street horror movie series, each episode was "hosted" by Robert Englund as Freddy Kruger, sort of a scarred Rod Serling with a glove with razor fingers. Because that's what it really was, a sort of Twilight Zone esque show (or maybe more of a Tales From the Darkside or a Monsters rip off, because those shows were popular at the time, too). There was at least one episode, I remember, that dealt specifically with Freddy's "origin," where he's let go by the police and the parents of the dead kids set him on fire. It didn't last that long, but it was still pretty cool.

Tremors: The Series (2003): A direct continuation of the monster comedy movie series Tremors, with the immortal Michael Gross starring as gun nut and professional graboid hunter (not to mention the ex-husband of Reba McEntire's character from the first movie) Burt Gummer, living the "quiet life" in Perfection, Nevada. This Sci-Fi Channel show only lasted a thirteen episode season, and it was as low budget as you could go with a television show, but what it lacked in money it made up for in humor and just plain fun. The show was, like the movies, ridiculous. It's too bad it's not on anymore.

Blade: The Series (2006): After the disaster that was, is, and always will be that is Blade: Trinity, David Goyer decided to try to make up for it with a TV show on the Spike Network. While the first two episodes (the two hour pilot) was terrible (although Randy Quaid showed up for some reason, never to return again. I guess even he has standards) the show picked up speed and featured plenty of low budget vampire fights. Sticky Fingaz did a decent job, replacing Wesley Snipes, as Blade the Daywalker, and most of the cast was spot on. The ongoing story, involving a war between the various vampire houses, was what Goyer obviously wanted to do in the movie series (because he just oh so loved all that black leather wearing Goth Eurotrash stuff), and here it works because there's time to develop the characters and situations. It's too bad Spike TV decided to cancel the show after one season. I was hoping that, at least, we'd get a TV movie to tie up the series loose ends.

THE TOP 5

5. Clerks: The Animated Series (2000)

I think this is the best thing Kevin Smith has done yet. And it definitely works better than the two Clerks movies. Why? Because Jay and Silent Bob sell fireworks to children. That is infinitely funnier than selling pot. The voice work was hilarious, the animation simple but not too simple. And, as with all animated shows, it works better in the world of parody than live action. ABC dropped the ball with this show. It would probably still be on right now.

4. The Client (1995-1996)

This was the CBS show that starred JoBeth Williams as attorney Reggie Love, the character made famous in the movie by Susan Sarandon. John Heard also appeared as the DA, and, any show that had Ossie Davis on it as a judge (he played a judge in the movie as well) is automatically above average. Williams was excellent as the show lead, a sort of crusading defense attorney. This was probably the last big thing she did, which is sad because she's a good acctress. And who can forget Polly "Kiss my grits!" Holliday as Reggie mother? The episode where she tried to learn how to use a computer from Reggie's office assistant: hilarious. They don't make shows quite like this anymore. A lawyer show about the lawyer and her personality.

3. Alien Nation (1989-1990)

The theatrical movie, starring Jimmy Cann and Mandy Patinkin, is a classic cop movie from the 1980's. Pure gold. The TV show, though, didn't really hit its stride until they started making TV movies after the show was cancelled. That's when I started watching. And then I watched reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel. I should have watched the show from the beginning to the end when it started, not years later. The interesting thing about the show as opposed to the movie was how they made George Francisco the lead instead of Matt Sikes, which is a reverse from the movie. But then, too, Gary Graham isn't Jimmy Cann.

2. What's Happening!! (1976-1979)

Based on the classic movie Cooley High, this sitcom ran only three years and was basically critically slammed for being lame and racist. But people are still watching it today (heck, a series sequel was made in the 1980's, What's Happening Now!! featuring most of the same cast). You had Raj, Dwayne, and Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs, along with Momma, Dee, and Shirley the waitress, getting into all kinds of hooha and hijinks. And remember in the third season when Rerun had like fifteen credit cards and he bought a scuba lung for no reason? You just don't see that kind of thing on TV anymore.

1. In the Heat of the Night (1988-1994)

Carroll O'Connor is rightfully going to always be remembered as Archie Bunker, but he should also be remembered for his starring turn on the southern cop crime show In the Heat of the Night, which pretty much (as I remember it) operates like the much acclaimed Rod Steiger-Sidney Poitier movie of the same name. Howard E. Rollins also did a bang up job as Virgil Tibbs, or "Mr. Tibbs," as it were. It's not on anymore (probably because TNT ran it into the ground), but it should be, because it's just good television.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * ** *

Next week, we get into the holiday spirit with a look at The Top 5 Essential Christmas Viewings, which will pit any and all Holiday-themed films, specials, and TV shows against one another. When The Grinch takes on Gremlins, or It's A Wonderful Life faces off against Die Hard, who comes out on top? We'll find out in seven.