# What are the best made-for-TV movies you have ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289 "2003-08-28T21:41:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/61 "2003-08-31T02:30:53Z")
_A Christmas Story_ wasn’t a TV movie. You know, all you have to do is check the IMDb. Here’s what it says about the opening dates, number of theaters shown in, and box-office take: [http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/business](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/business) One good TV movie that people haven’t mentioned yet is _The Pirates of Silicon Valley_. ---
**Author:** ![CurlyD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@CurlyD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurlyD)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/62 "2003-08-31T03:58:37Z")
Thank you, **Sampiro** for recalling for me the title _The Awakening Land_. I wish I had seen it more than once, but since 1978 I haven’t been able to remember the title or the author of the books. I’m headed for the library ASAP. I’ll also second **Lonesome Dove, Holocost, The Stand, Twin Peaks, and Special Bulletin**. The latter was especially interesting since I lived in that metropolitan area at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/63 "2003-08-31T04:16:05Z")
A third or fourth vote for _Band of Brothers_. Second vote for _Shogun_. But I liked _Masada_ better than both of those. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Babbington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mr.Babbington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Babbington)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/64 "2003-08-31T05:07:33Z")
third vote for Shogun. A&E’s Horatio Hornblower Conspiracy, with Kenneth Branagh and Stanley Tucci. and the best of all is Citizen X. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/65 "2003-09-02T14:15:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rayne Man \* > \*\*Another vote for Tinker Tailor and Smiley’s People. I have both on video and I can watch both (and read the books ) over and over again and still enjoy them . Another Le Carré book dramatised by the BBC was " A Perfect Spy " , starring Peter Egan ( from Ever Decreasing Circles ) , Ray McAnnally and Peggy Ashcroft. I have this on video and that also is excellant. \*\* Unfortunately, _Tinker Tailor_ and _Smiley’s People_ have only been released in PAL format, which does those of us on this side of the pond no good. For the life of me I can’t understand why it’s never been released in the US - I would love to have it on video. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/66 "2003-09-03T19:35:41Z")
I don’t think anything will ever top the Batman reunion TV movie that was shown this past spring. That was comedy gold. ---
**Author:** ![Seferish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Seferish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seferish)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/67 "2003-09-04T04:35:02Z")
I vote for very high places on my list – LONESOME DOVE BAND OF BROTHERS TINKER TAILOR and SMILEY’S PEOPLE But the top of my list is reserved for – WINDS OF WAR and WAR AND REMEMBRANCE ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289/68 "2003-09-04T04:56:09Z")
_Who Is Julia?_, about a brain transplant, was a surprisingly good movie It focused on the emotional impact that the change had on the patient, and how it also affected those around her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-made-for-tv-movies-you-have-ever-seen/198289.md?page=3)