Here’s a list of 12 television series that made the jump from the big screen to the small one. Which shows are your favorites and which should have remained in that darkened theater?
12 Monkeys
Syfy’s 12 Monkeys premiered January 16 and it’s just the latest film to make the jump to television. Many fans were skeptical that Terry Gilliam’s 1995 film was being revisited as a TV series. What they might not realize is that Gilliam’s version was inspired by the 1962 short film La Jetee. In other words, this series is a reimagining of a remake. With clever writing and a great cast, you owe it to yourself to check out 12 Monkeys. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy is the perfect example of a forgettable film becoming a TV/pop culture phenomena. Did you know Joss Whedon wrote the 1992 comedy/horror flick? The studio took the film in a more jokey direction, but just a few years later Whedon was able to bring his vision to the small screen. The result, of course, was the critically acclaimed TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Buffy has since influenced the showrunners/writers of many of our favorite TV series.
Hannibal
Anthony Hopkins’ iconic portrayal of serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, had many fans fearing the worst when the series was announced. I mean, the guy won the “Best Actor” Academy Award back in 1992 for the role. How could anyone even come close? Leave it to Bryan Fuller and Mads Mikkelsen to completely reinvent the character. Mikkelsen’s version is sophisticated, classy yet the devil in a three-piece suit. Hugh Dancy is not too shabby as Will Graham either. Fuller lists Lynch and Kubrick as inspiration for the show, making it one of the most beautifully shot yet unpleasantly creepy series on TV.
Parenthood
Sadly we’ll be saying goodbye to the Braverman’s at the end of this month. 100 episodes of Parenthood is not bad for a second attempt at a television series based on Ron Howard’s 1989 film. Yup, another version aired in 1990 on NBC, but it turned out to be a dud and was quickly cancelled. If you’re a fan of the show it’s not going to be easy to say farewell, but at least NBC gave you those final 13-episodes to get used to the idea.
Bates Motel
A teenage Norman Bates, seriously? All signs pointed to a major bomb when Bates Motel was first announced. However, its clever writing and wonderful actors have proven the naysayers wrong. The show is a hit for A&E and heading into its 10-episode third season on March 9.
Fargo
Did you know that Fargo was inducted into the United States National Film Registry for preservation by the Library of Congress? That’s right, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and earning seven Academy Award nominations what’s surprising is that it took so long to appear on TV. The series met with similar acclaim, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Directing. Future seasons will be set in a different era and feature a different story, cast and set of characters.
Dominion
Let’s be honest, Legion was not a great film. Hell, it wasn’t even a good film. That said, the one thing many of us did wonder at the end was what would become of Charlie’s baby? Dominion not only provided the answer, enter Alex (the chosen one), but introduced an interesting post apocalyptic world with a strict caste system. Though the series received mixed or average reviews, a loyal fanbase quickly grew and the show’s second season airs this summer.
Nikita
The CW’s Nikita was a reboot of USA Network’s 1997 La Femme Nikita, which lasted five seasons. However, that series was inspired by Luc Besson’s 1990 film of the same name. Nikita picked up a large fanbase in season one, but it’s ratings declined steadily each year. Ultimately, The CW chose to end the show giving the fans 6 final episodes to wrap up any loose ends.
From Dusk Til Dawn
Sure, From Dusk til Dawn has become a cult classic, but tell me it didn’t confuse the hell out of you in theaters? What started as your typical heist/car chase flick turned into a full fledged vampire horror movie halfway through. From Dusk til Dawn: The Series, however, began introducing those supernatural elements in the pilot. With 10 hours to tell his story, Robert Rodriguez was able to flesh out his characters and expand the Mesoamerican mythology. Reviews were favorable, but many folks missed it because Rodriguez’s newly launched channel “El Rey” wasn’t part of their cable package. The series is now on Netflix, in case you’re curious.
Teen Wolf
Look at this silly picture of Michael J. Fox and tell me the thought of a Teen Wolf TV series didn’t sound like a joke. Luckily for genre fans the show is very loosely based on the 1985 film. By loosely I mean the characters share the same names and the teen in question is bitten by a werewolf. Other than that, the series is a re-imagining that focuses on horror, mythology and romance. The creative team developed a darker, sexier and edgier version with comedic overtones closer to The Lost Boys. Teen Wolf has received generally positive reviews and like Buffy is a series that improved on the original. The series is headed into Season 5 this summer for a 20 episode run.
Stargate
Roland Emmerich’s Stargate starring Kurt Russell and James Spader received lukewarm reviews from critics, but a warmer reception from audiences grossing close to $200 million. Its biggest success is probably the fact it spawned 4 spin-off TV series. Stargate SG-1 premiered on Showtime in 1997 and lasted a whopping 10 years. That series, gave us the animated Stargate Infinity (2002–2003), the live-action Stargate Atlantis (2004–2009) and finally Stargate Universe (2009–2011). Not bad for a French-American sci-fi flick released in 1994.
Terminator
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles brought our favorite characters, Sarah and John Connor, to FOX. The show opened with a shortened run of nine episodes but was the highest-rated new scripted series of the 2007–08 TV season. Naturally, a second season was quickly green-lit. Unfortunately, ratings declined drastically in Season 2 and it was not renewed for a third season. FOX doesn’t have much luck with sci-fi… Firefly, Almost Human, Alcatraz, Dollhouse, Fringe, Terra Nova, Terminator: TSCC. Why would they think a Minority Report series will fly? It’s been a long time since the X-Files guys, quit while you’re ahead.
