While many successful shows get adapted into movies, it’s a bit more rare for a movie to spawn a TV series that eclipses it in the public consciousness. However, that’s exactly what happened with these ten shows, which managed to not only succeed but, in some cases, even outshined their cinematic origins.
M*A*S*H
The M*A*S*H film is an often-forgotten 1970 black comedy that is overshadowed by the success of the TV series. Ironically, the movie is much darker and more subversive than the comparatively cuddly and watered-down show. The film’s director, Robert Altman, openly expressed his disdain for the TV show.
What We Do in the Shadows
Taika Waititi’s 2014 vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows got a second lease on (the after)life, with a 2018 American TV show ordered by FX. The show has become extremely successful, with five seasons and counting and a fan base that can’t wait for more.
Fargo
In a rare example of a TV series that is equally well-regarded as the movie that spawned it, Fargo is a genuinely excellent show. It pulled of an extremely rare feat: the Coen Brothers, who directed the 1996 movie the show is based on, signed on as executive producers after the show had already aired its first season because they were so impressed by it.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
It’s easy to forget this thing existed! Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a 1992 movie written by Joss Whedon, kind of got away from where the writer wanted it to go due to studio interference. When he got a chance to make the story again as a TV show, he updated it to be darker and closer to his original vision—and it was a hit!
Parenthood
Interestingly enough, Parenthood has been adapted into a TV show twice. The 1989 film was quickly followed by a very short-lived 1990 TV adaptation. However, the 2010 adaptation, starring Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia, fared much better and ran for six seasons.
Andor
Andor is the single best piece of television in the Star Wars franchise, and, arguably, the best piece of media ever spawned from the Galaxy Far, Far Away. The taut dialogue, oppressive atmosphere, and narratively satisfying story of rebellion isn’t just “good for Star Wars,” it’s good, full stop. It takes everything that works about the films and refines it into a pressure cooker of anti-authoritarian fury.
Stargate
It’s hard to believe it now, but the long-running and beloved sci-fi series Stargate started with a 1994 film that is no longer remotely cannon to the TV shows. The much more successful shows, like SG-1 and Atlantis, diverge strongly from the events of the film and basically only keep the same premise.
Teen Wolf
The 1985 film Teen Wolf is a goofy high school comedy about a kid who turns into a werewolf. Wacky hijinks ensue. The 2011 TV series, on the other hand, is a dark and brooding drama series that takes the concept very seriously and ran for six seasons on MTV, even spawning a film sequel of its own.
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Cobra Kai
The Karate Kid franchise was a big deal in the 80s and 90s and became immortalized by the iconic feud between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. Cobra Kai flipped the script by casting Johnny as the hero, reexamining his relationship with LaRusso and causing audiences to question why they rooted against the blonde martial artist in the first place.
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Interview with the Vampire
How about a show adapted from a movie adapted from a book? Okay, the recent Interview with the Vampire series is still just an adaptation of the classic Anne Rice novel, but the specter of the very successful Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise movie from the 90s hangs over the modern retelling. The current TV show is actually even more faithful to the source material, accurately adapting the book’s queer plotlines that are only subtextual in the 1994 movie.
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