Some of the most exciting and notable films have gone on to inspire spin-offs and adaptations on the small screen, cementing their pop culture reign. When a picture is particularly successful and well-received, or creates a world which could be fleshed out for years, it is not uncommon that the entertainment business will find a way to capitalize on its popularity, frequently resulting in reboots and further continuations of the cinematic universe. Countless classic movies from the ‘80s have undergone such treatment, with the iconic martial arts staple The Karate Kid spawning the critically-acclaimed Netflix dramedy Cobra Kai (entering season 5 soon) while MTV delved deeper into the werewolf mythology for a reimagining of the supernatural drama Teen Wolf.
Some of television’s most renowned and adored programs are based on previously released pictures, with one of the most noteworthy examples being the ‘90s supernatural wonder Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which first found its way to the masses with the 1992 movie of the same name. Even the compelling war film M*A*S*H found extreme success when it became a half-hour dramedy that audiences eagerly tuned into, elevating its status beyond the 1970 Robert Altman movie. These are some of the best TV shows based on a popular movie.
9 Cobra Kai
Serving as a sequel to the beloved ‘80s martial arts coming-of-age movie The Karate Kid, Netflix’s martial arts dramedy series Cobra Kai takes place 34 years after the events of the first film and follows a middle-aged Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence as they struggle to overcome their past rivalries and once again find themselves at odds over their competing dojos. Both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their memorable roles, giving both old and new fans of the martial arts classic a healthy dose of nostalgia and revealing what the characters have been up to in their lives.
Cobra Kai has delivered outstanding viewership on both Netflix and YouTube, garnering critical acclaim for its knockout performances and superb storytelling; in their review, Entertainment Weekly proclaimed, “Cobra Kai is not something that is watched so much as it is experienced…I watched Cobra Kai and I had the time of my goddamn life.”
8 Teen Wolf
Loosely based on the Michael J. Fox 1985 film of the same name, MTV’s 2011 supernatural teen drama Teen Wolf centers on a young werewolf named Scott McCall as he struggles to balance his secret identity with the normal growing pains of being a high school student. Scott realizes his California town of Beacon Hills is a Mecca for supernatural activity, leading him to defend its residents from frightening threats.
The coming-of-age original comedy had previously been adapted into a short-lived animated series, before MTV announced in 2009 plans for a reboot series “with a greater emphasis on romance, horror and werewolf mythology.” According to producers of the hit program, the overall look and feel of the show was inspired in part by Guillermo del Toro’s creatures in Pan’s Labyrinth, with the werewolves being both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
7 Snowpiercer
The TNT post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller series Snowpiercer is adapted from the 2013 film directed by Bong Joon-Ho and starring Chris Evans. The series served as a reboot that focuses on the passengers of the titular train as it travels a worldwide track while carrying the last survivors of humanity that was plagued by a climate catastrophe. Like the gripping film, the program addresses heavy topics such as social injustice, class conflict and consciousness, and how to survive in the frozen and barren wasteland the world has turned into, and features the talent of actors such as Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs and Sean Bean.
When discussing Snowpiercer, Diggs expressed the difference between the movie and show, saying: “That’s one of the advantages of TV, you have time. So the politics that are hinted at in the film are explored in much more depth and the mechanism of the train is explored further—just the little things that create a world, world specificity.”
6 Bates Motel
Trying to tackle the legacy of the renowned Alfred Hitchcock psychological horror thriller Psycho is no easy feat, yet the A&E contemporary prequel Bates Hotel managed to brilliantly delve into the lives of Norman Bates and his mother Norma before the disturbing events of the ‘60s classic. Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga headline the riveting adaptation, which follows the duo as they relocate to a coastal Oregon town after Norma purchases the Seafairer motel.
The series depicts Norman’s struggles with mental illness and Norma’s subsequent efforts to protect both her son and those around him. According to executive producer Carlton Cuse, the epic drama Twin Peaks served as a key inspiration for Bates Motel, with Cuse revealing, “We pretty much ripped off Twin Peaks… If you wanted to get that confession, the answer is yes. I loved that show. They only did 30 episodes… I thought we’d do the 70 that are missing.”
5 Friday Night Lights
Inspired by both the H.G. Bissinger nonfiction novel and 2004 film of the same name, the sports drama series Friday Night Lights takes place in the community of Dillion, Texas and chronicles the lives of high school football coach Eric Taylor and his diverse players as they strive to find a balance with the sport and their ambitions in a town that worships football.
Headlined by an ensemble cast including Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton and Taylor Kitsch, the show was lauded by critics for its refreshingly realistic depiction of Middle America and went on to win multiple Emmys, a Peabody Award and Humanitas Prize. Peter Berg directed the picture and developed the series, with the desire to fully address the interpersonal concepts from the book without dealing with the time constraints of a feature film.
4 The Odd Couple
Tony Randall and Jack Klugman star as mismatched roommates Felix Unger and Oscar Madison in the 1970s sitcom The Odd Couple, which chronicles the misadventures of the two divorced men as they share a Manhattan apartment and deal with their conflicting personalities and outlooks on life. The first of several legendary programs developed by producer, writer, and director Garry Marshall, the show is based on both the play of the same name and 1968 flick, which famously featured Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Both Randall and Klugman enjoyed performing in front of a live studio audience, appreciating the spontaneity and improvisational aspect that kept the performers on their toes. During its five-year run, the actors both won Emmy Awards for their roles, with Klugman also nabbing a Golden Globe.
3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Joss Whedon created the juggernaut ‘90s supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer, centering on the titular heroine Buffy Summers as she heroically battles against the forces of darkness in the town of Sunnydale with the help of the “Scooby Gang.” The beloved series helped launch lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar to superstardom, in addition to a slew of co-stars like Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanz, and Seth Green, and memorably featured terrifying foes like vampires, demons and fellow slayers.
The WB adaptation is based on the 1992 film of the same name, which was also written by Whedon and starred Kristy Swanson as Buffy alongside Luke Perry and Donald Sutherland. Buffy the Vampire Slayer garnered critical and popular acclaim during its seven season run, spawning numerous products like comics, video games and novels as well as the spin-off series Angel.
2 Fargo
Created by Noah Hawley and executive produced by cinema dream team and original writers/directors the Coen brothers, the FX black comedy crime drama Fargo is inspired by the revered 1996 film and is set within the same universe, with each season being set in a different time period and location with new characters.
The filmmakers had been impressed with Hawley’s vision and script despite the pair being notorious for not producing other people’s work, and according to the creator, “TV is not their medium as they’ve said, and they told me to go ahead and make my show. We showed them the first show and Ethan said, ‘Yeah, good.’” Each season of Fargo has gone on to earn widespread acclaim and attract some of Hollywood’s finest performers, with actors like Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst, Martin Freeman, and Chris Rock tackling roles in the gripping series.
1 M*A*S*H
One of the most revered and highest-rated shows in U.S. television history, the long-running war dramedy M*A*S*H chronicles the lives of a diverse team of doctors and staff working in an Army hospital in Uijeongbu South Korea during the Korean War. With an ensemble cast led by outstanding performers like Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers and Gary Burghoff, the series was a spin-off adapted from the 1970 feature film and experienced immense success during its eleven-year run, winning 14 Emmy Awards, Golden Globes (including six for Alda), and a Peabody Award in 1975.
The final episode of the compelling program went on to become the most-watched and highest-rated single television episode in history, amassing a record-breaking 125 million viewers; M*A*S*H remains an admired and esteemed program, with Rolling Stone ranking it as the 16th-greatest TV show on their Top 100 list.