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The Truth Is Out There: TV Adaptations Don’t Always Succeed
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Praised as one of the greatest drama series of all-time, it seems almost impossible to top this electrifying, Emmy-winning show. In true Mission: Impossible fashion, the audience goes down a road full of twists and turns, flooded with adrenaline. Yet even when equipped with a handsome Tom Cruise, dozens of special effects and a whole new set of tricks, director Brian De Palma still can’t match the depth of the original series.
The Fugitive (1993)
This popular, Golden Globe-winning series was the inspiration for numerous crime-thriller television shows to come and fortunately, the film version did not disappoint. The Fugitive remake was able to mold the story into a style all its own and boasted terrific performances by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones (the latter won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance).
The Beverly Hillbillies (1993)
After the cringe-worthy remake of the hit 1960s series, it’s evident that some things should remain in the past. It’s uncertain where The Beverly Hillbillies got lost in translation; perhaps the neighborhood has evolved too much to preserve the original series’ ironic humor. However, the film does have one redeeming quality found in its casting of Lily Tomlin as Miss Jane Hathaway.
The Addams Family (1991)
Family dysfunction at its finest, “The Addams Family” was one of the freshest and most exciting television shows to air during the 1960s. Though possessing an updated look that earned costume designer Ruth Myers an Academy Award nomination, the film manages to preserve the show’s eccentric nature while also weaving in a bit of its own style and originality. Complete with a superb cast that includes Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd and Christina Ricci, one never finds themselves wishing they were watching the original series.
And the others…
A best-selling novel, a respectable film and now a critically acclaimed series on NBC, “Friday Night Lights” continues to tests its creative limits. The series takes a new approach to television drama, utilizing shaky, handheld camera movements and a loosely woven script to give the viewer an illusion of a reality show unraveling before your eyes. Despite all its Emmy and WGA nominations, “Friday Night Lights” continues to have poor ratings, an indication that this story line may have been stretched too far.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
While the film was pure Valley girl fun, creator Joss Whedon channeled his inner dark side when he brought Buffy to Sunnyvale. Starring the captivating Sarah Michelle Gellar in the title role, the show became an instant cult classic among teens and lovers of the paranormal, winning numerous Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films awards and stemming the equally satisfying spin-off, “Angel.” Though he was awarded only one Emmy nomination for his writing, Whedon made viewers believe the unimaginable: That demons can have feelings, too.
M*A*S*H (1970)
Though Robert Altman’s Oscar-winning film is still considered a rather unconventional movie, with its episodic structure and ensemble of colorful characters, the feature’s well-crafted idiosyncrasies transcribed perfectly to the small screen. The beloved series ran for 11 seasons and swept up tanks-full of Emmys and Golden Globe awards in all categories—acting, directing, writing and overall series. To this day, “M*A*S*H” has the highest-rated series finale of any American television show, with 106 million viewers tuning in to say goodbye to the slightly absurd Army doctors who taught the world how to smile in trying times.
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by A. Buckman on 11/16/08 at 12:16 am
It’s Sunnydale, not Sunnyvale for _Buffy_....
- Comment by trade show booths on 1/16/09 at 9:17 pm
Man, I just saw the new X-Files movie. I waited for it to come out on DVD and got in from Netflix. All I can say is UGGHHHH. Don’t waste your time. Free was too much money! Two big rotten eggs for it! ~ Steve (aka trade show booths, aka purveyor of trade show booths, and aka self-anointed moviemaker movie critic)
- Comment by leon on 3/28/09 at 10:25 pm
This is utter tosh.
You can tell alot about the writer from her transparent writting, not the least of which is that she does not care for facts when it comes to telling us how these movies were recieved by the public.
It seems her own opinion is the judge here, without any need for research.
Her decisively transparent neo-feminism seals the deal. This article is indeed, complete rubbish.
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