Did you know that your favourite classic movie was converted into a show? Sometimes TV producers enjoy betting on successful projects to drive in profits. The following producers attempted to tap on the popularity of an existing film to turn them into TV shows, but failed terribly at doing so. There is hardly anyone who has ever heard of these projects. They had a short span and couldn’t manage to earn even 1% of the viewership and fame of the original ones. Find out these 10 iconic movies that were adapted into horrible TV series. Tell us if you have watched any of them and share your experience.
Blade
“Blade” was one of the earliest success stories of Marvel on the big screen. It encouraged the TV executives to cash on the project for a longer period by converting it into a series. “Blade: The Series” took place after the events of the movie and starred Sticky Fingaz. Though it received mixed reviews, a majority claimed that the show and Fingaz’ acting had killed the franchise. Many even felt that the story was more focused on Jill Wagner’s Krista Starr than on Blade.
Clueless
Cher’s high school crisis was revived on the small screen after the movie, “Clueless” became a huge hit. In fact, “Clueless” was originally envisioned as a TV show before it was converted into a movie. Sadly, there is hardly anyone who has ever dared to watch the series. But whoever did stumble on it had to rewatch the movie later to restore their fondness for the classic.
Dirty Dancing
Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey swept everyone off their feet with their charming and passionate performance in the classic film. Producers tried to recreate the same magic on TV by casting Melora Hardin from “The Office” as Baby opposite Patrick Cassidy’s Johnny Castle. Unfortunately, it didn’t capture the same thrill because of Cassidy’s lack of dance experience. Melora did pose excellent dance skills but they couldn’t compensate for her costar’s terrible moves.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
This classic teen dramedy earned so much love that the producers didn’t cancel out the idea for a sequel. But before anyone could even think about it, a TV show dived in within four years. The new Ferris broke the fourth wall like his predecessor and called himself the real Ferris. It also starred Jennifer Anniston as Ferris’ sister before she became a sensation on “Friends”. The show didn’t last long, as the ratings and viewership indicated that the audience preferred Matthew Broderick’s fake Ferris.
Fast Times At Ridgemont High
“Fast Times At Ridgemont High” was a beloved high school rom-com that centred on realistic teen issues. It involved topics such as love triangles and the equation between mischievous kids and their strict teachers. The movie was later translated to the small screen by producer, Amy Heckerling, who had directed the original movie as well.
The Outsiders
Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Outsiders” was an intense drama based on the misfortune of a teen gang. The 1983 movie was recreated in 1990 as a television series that lasted for four months. It saw a steep rise in viewership after the first few episodes but failed to maintain that surge in the longer run.
Bad News Bears
This well-crafted comedy was one of our favourite movies during childhood. It follows the challenges of a grumpy coach who has to train one of the worst teams at the minor league. The dramedy was a far cry from a typical sports film. Its child actors delivered a super entertaining and intense performance throughout the story. Watching the kids swearing with passion and getting away with it was what made the movie so hilarious. While the TV show followed the same plot, it decided to drop the swearing and take away the essence of the original.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventures
The weird TV show was based on Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter’s “Bill & Ted” franchise. Unfortunately, not only did the series fail to recapture the thrill of the source material, it couldn’t even dress up its characters properly. The replacements looked like cheap knock-offs in terrible clothes and wig. We are not surprised that the show lasted only for 7 episodes.
9 to 5
The 1980 film was a comedy featuring three secretaries who sought vengeance from their misogynistic boss. The satire was carried further to the small screen where the protagonists were replaced by the real-life relatives of celebs. Dolly Parton’s role was taken by her sister Rachel, Lily Tomlin was replaced by Rita Moreno, and Jane Fonda’s character was played by Jane Curtin’s cousin, Valerie.
Uncle Buck
Comedy is inevitable when Uncle Buck is called to babysit his brother’s children. The 1989 film followed the journey of kids with an uncle they had previously underestimated. It was hard to trust the children with a man who seemed callous. But things played out differently when Uncle Ben taught them a lesson. As impossible as it sounds, someone managed to ruin this beautiful movie. The show based on it flopped so badly that it was taken off the air before anyone could learn about it.
