# Best TV Shows based on a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268 "2015-03-29T13:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/1 "2015-03-29T13:50:11Z")
So what’s the opinion? I think _M_A_S_H\* tops the heap and _The Odd Couple_ would be second. _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ comes to mind. I recall the _The Ghost & Mrs. Muir_ being fairly good for the time period. Though this is the same time as _The Odd Couple_ so maybe not. There were a lot in the early days of TV. Lassie; The Thin Man, Topper, Life of Riley (though I think it was a popular radio program first), Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, etc. [Here is a wiki list of programs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_programs_based_on_films). ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/2 "2015-03-29T14:11:04Z")
_Fargo_ is definitely in the running. _Stargate SG1_ was significantly better than the run-of-the-mill scifi adventure it’s based upon. I also recall \*Highlander: the Series \*being superior to anything other than the the original movie. (not the highest bar to cross and doubtful whether the adult me will find it entertaining) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/3 "2015-03-29T14:59:53Z")
I’m going with The Ghost & Mrs. Muir with MASH as a slightly distant second (they cleaned up the TV version too much) and Alien Nation a close third. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/4 "2015-03-29T16:16:45Z")
The Paper Chase ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/5 "2015-03-29T17:42:05Z")
If you’re including TV movies, “[Sunshine](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070751/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_134)” (TVM, 1973) spun off the “dramedy” of the [same name (1975)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072571/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_131) which was excellent, but was cancelled after only 13 episodes; more than likely because it was one of the first sit-coms that didn’t use a laugh track and no one knew where to laugh. This was followed by another TVM in 1977, “[Sunshine Christmas](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076783/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_125),” which was just as good as the original movie and the series. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/6 "2015-03-29T18:02:38Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > The Paper Chase I loved that show. And my suggestion is _Friday Night Lights_. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/7 "2015-03-29T18:06:49Z")
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/8 "2015-03-29T19:31:51Z")
My favorite was in the OP: _The Odd Couple_. And I’m talking about the one with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall not one of the remakes. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/9 "2015-03-29T21:20:15Z")
_Pink Panther animated_,\* MASH\*\*, Fargo\* ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/10 "2015-03-29T21:24:06Z")
Does something like _Agents of SHIELD_ count? It’s not really based on any particular movie, but it ties in with a bunch of pre-existing movies, plus movies that came out after the show started. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/11 "2015-03-29T21:29:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does something like _Agents of SHIELD_ count? It’s not really based on any particular movie, but it ties in with a bunch of pre-existing movies, plus movies that came out after the show started. Seems like it does to me. Wiki I think agreed that it counts along with _[Agent Carter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Carter_%28TV_series%29)._ ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/12 "2015-03-29T21:41:27Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > The Paper Chase That was a decent show, but I cannot recall seeing it in re-runs. Did it never catch on in syndication? _The Courtship of Eddie’s Father_ was pretty good. So good in fact, that the series is being [remade](http://deadline.com/2014/10/courtship-of-eddies-father-remake-willie-garson-fox-conan-obrien-853161/). ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/13 "2015-03-30T00:23:26Z")
Mr. Belvedere. One of my favorite shows of all time, though I’ve never seen the movies. Ferris Bueller would lie at the opposite end of the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/14 "2015-03-30T06:49:12Z")
I consider _The West Wing_ to be of a piece with _The American President_, though there are many good counterarguments. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/15 "2015-03-30T12:07:55Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > That was a decent show, but I cannot recall seeing it in re-runs. Did it never catch on in syndication? > > _The Courtship of Eddie’s Father_ was pretty good. So good in fact, that the series is being [remade](http://deadline.com/2014/10/courtship-of-eddies-father-remake-willie-garson-fox-conan-obrien-853161/). IIRC, _Paper Chase_ was an HBO show. Although some HBO shows went on to syndication (_Sex and the City_), most of them don’t. I don’t think The Paper Chase ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/16 "2015-03-30T12:25:33Z")
No. The Paper Chase was a 1978 series on CBS but cancelled after one season. In 1983, Showtime revived the series for three more seasons. As for syndication, the Wikipedia article says the show was aired by The Family Channel in the late 1980s and then by A&E. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/17 "2015-03-30T12:33:43Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > No. The Paper Chase was a 1978 series on CBS but cancelled after one season. In 1983, Showtime revived the series for three more seasons. As for syndication, the Wikipedia article says the show was aired by The Family Channel in the late 1980s and then by A&E. Ah – it was Showtime’s run I’m thinking of then. All I know is that it was on cable, and I couldn’t get it. I don’t recall the CBS run. Don’t recall it running on those other cable channels, possibly for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/18 "2015-03-30T12:48:31Z")
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/19 "2015-03-30T12:59:13Z")
_Fame!_ Does _Love, Sidney_ count? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268/20 "2015-03-30T16:06:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Here is a wiki list of programs. They missed PEE-WEE’S PLAYHOUSE. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-shows-based-on-a-movie/716268.md?page=2)