Hollywood has a long history of turning beloved TV shows into movies, but some of those TV show movies have become forgotten. Whether to cash in on nostalgia or to boost the popularity of the show itself, the TV show movie has a long and storied past. Some shows lend themselves to big-screen adaptations, while others are less suited.
The 1990s were a particularly fertile time for TV show movies, with The Brady Bunch, McHale’s Navy, and Leave it to Beaver all returning. While the aforementioned movies were all intentionally cheesy, and banked on nostalgia, they were quite popular at the box office. This kicked off a trend, with more and more shows getting the modern movie treatment.
Additionally, contemporary programs like The X-Files made the leap to the silver screen in the same decade, with the FBI sleuths on a case that was just too big to squeeze into the show. Whatever the reason that a TV show makes it into the realm of cinema, the purpose is to elevate what wasn’t possible on the small screen.
Franchises like Star Trek are almost as famous for their movie adventures as the ones on television, and it’s a prime example of an elevation of the source material. However, not all TV show movies have stood the test of time, and some have been completely forgotten.
10
The A-Team (2010)
The ’80s Nostalgia Trip That Failed To Launch A Franchise
More than 20 years after the eponymous show went off the air, The A-Team returned with a brand-new cast in the explosive 2010 movie. Starring big names like Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper, the Joe Carnathan action flick aimed to take the small-screen excitement of the show, and expand it for a modern audience.
Unfortunately, The A-Team underperformed at the box office, and got middling reviews. It did a decent job of bringing the тιтular mercenary group into the current era, and had exciting action, but it didn’t do enough to inspire audiences to show up to watch in theaters.
9
Dragnet (1987)
Turning A Classic Cop Show Into A Slapstick Comedy
Tom Hanks’ largely forgotten ’80s comedy, Dragnet, was based on the iconic TV show from the early 1950s, but it took a novel approach to its subject matter. Co-starring Dan Aykroyd, 1987’s Dragnet is a screwball parody film that takes the straight-laced mystery of the original and trades it in for goofy laughs.
there likely isn’t much nostalgia around its subject matter anymore
The movie got modest reviews, but deserves more credit for being a subversive comedy. It took guts to poke fun at such a beloved TV franchise, and the pairing of Aykroyd and Hanks works marvelously. Dragnet was a box office success, but has faded from memory because there likely isn’t much nostalgia around its subject matter anymore.
8
Bewitched (2005)
Nora Ephron’s Disappointing Take On The ’60s Sitcom
2005 was far too late to release a movie version of Bewitched, but the Nora Ephron rom-com did have a chance to become a success. Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell co-star in a TV show film that tried to put some new spin on the story, and avoided being a direct adaptation.
The movie is about the making of a movie version of Bewitched, and Kidman’s character turns out to be a real witch. Unfortunately, the script fell flat and Ferrell lacked any chemistry with Kidman. The movie got poor reviews and was not financially satisfactory either. Because of this, there isn’t much reason to revisit it 20 years later.
7
The Beverly Hillbillies (1993)
Fans Of The Show Will Love The Movie
In the middle of the nostalgic TV show movie boom of the mid-1990s, The Beverly Hillbillies arrived to cash in on the movement. Adapting the sitcom more-or-less identically, the movie recasts all the main roles and brings the Clampetts into the modern day. The movie condenses the ongoing plot of the show into a feature-length experience.
The Beverly Hillbillies ran for 9 seasons between 1962 and 1971.
Naturally, The Beverly Hillbillies got terrible reviews and was generally lambasted by critics. However, it’s the perfect movie for what it is, and is an enjoyable flick with very low stakes and some light humor. Director Penelope Spheeris might have been known for more contemporary films, but her take on The Beverly Hillbillies is certainly better than its bad reviews.
6
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002)
One Of The Strangest TV Show Movies Ever
Steve Irwin charmed and delighted TV viewers under his nickname “The Crocodile Hunter” for years, and the late educational icon actually starred in his own movie in 2002. The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course tapped the Aussie conservationist to play himself in an action/adventure story about CIA secrets.
Oddly enough, Collision Course isn’t half bad, and has a strong supporting cast that makes up for Irwin’s lack of acting skills. Casting Irwin and his wife as themselves was a smart choice, and the movie is able to fulfill their mission of teaching the audience about wildlife conservation. Interestingly, Collision Course turned out to be a box office success.
5
Baywatch (2017)
The Rock’s TV Show Movie That No One Remembers
2017’s Baywatch movie is an odd specimen of a TV show movie, largely because it doesn’t feel like an adaptation of the series. The Rock leads a somewhat tepid action comedy that is based on the popular 1990s series of the same name. It features other big stars like Zac Efron, but missed the mark in quite a few ways.
It isn’t spoofing the show, or even cashing in on nostalgia, and it seems as if the name is arbitrary
First and foremost, Baywatch could easily have been any other generic action comedy, and it doesn’t feel particularly connected to its source material. It isn’t spoofing the show, or even cashing in on nostalgia, and it seems as if the name is arbitrary. The movie underperformed and quickly faded into obscurity.
4
Get Smart (2008)
The Spy Comedy Blockbuster Almost Worked
Though the eponymous TV show was well over 40 years old by 2008, the Get Smart movie was a surprising success. Anne Hathaway and Steve Carell are perfect co-stars, and the movie captures a bit of the irreverent charm of the original series. Get Smart was a middling comedy, but it was certainly better than many other TV show movies.
With two A-listers getting top billing, Get Smart was also a box office success, and seemed poised to launch the first TV show movie franchise of the new millennium. Unfortunately, a sequel never materialized, and fan interest in the franchise dwindled almost immediately.
3
Batman (1966)
The Caped Crusader’s First Feature-Length Movie
Released after the conclusion of the first season of the eponymous TV series, Batman hit theaters in summer 1966. The campy comic book movie saw many of the familiar faces from the show reprising their roles, including Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The film is outrageously silly, and is essentially a spoof of comics in general.
Moments from the film have become part of Batman lore, and it exemplifies the mid-1960s. The series would run for another two seasons, and Batman was one of the first examples of a feature film being released alongside its TV show counterpart. Since The Dark Knight has made so many cinematic appearances, the first movie tends to be overshadowed.
2
The Avengers (1998)
The ’60s Spy Series Became A Truly Awful Movie
Not to be confused with the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, 1998’s The Avengers adapted the popular British spy series from the ’60s. With a cast headlined by all-stars like Uma Thurman, Ralph Fiennes, and Sean Connery, the movie had all the makings of a classic 1990s blockbuster. Unfortunately, it was nothing of the sort.
With a nearly incomprehensible script and a tone that is somewhat mixed, The Avengers was a notable blunder. Unlike other TV show movies which played for laughs, the 1998 film is series (except when it isn’t), and it can’t decide on an overall tone. The result is a confusing mess that appropriately has a score below 10% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Avengers was nominated for a total of nine Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture.
1
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)
The Movie Riffing Show Made A Movie Of Their Own
In between the show’s tenures on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel, Mystery Science Theater: 3000 served up their own movie. Following the same format as the TV show, the film follows Mike and the bots as they’re forced to watch a horrible movie by Dr. Forrester, this time it’s Universal’s sci-fi stinker, This Island Earth.
The movie ups the budget and visuals, but keeps a lot of the charm of the series. While Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie is certainly perfect for fans of the series, it’s still a somewhat lackluster outing. The jokes are funny, but the running time is actually less than an episode of the show. This results in a movie that somehow feels smaller than its small-screen counterpart.
