What movies became a successful television series?

[Roar More]

Let's arbitrarily say three or more seasons designates success. The series has to be based solely on the movie. If movie and series are both based primarily on a popular book, comic book or radio show, it doesn't count. That would rule out "Dobie Gillis."

Without doing any research, I came up with "Mash," the most successful example. I believe "MASH" was based on a book, but not a popular one.

Another would be "The Courtship of Eddie's Father."

Whatcha got? I eagerly await both your answer and the inevitable turn this will take away from the original topic.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Odd Couple. I guess it is really based on the play, but it was a movie (a great one) before it was a TV show (an even better one in its original form).

 

[Nitwit]

MASH

 

[psulongago]

MASH

Just finished Friday Night Lights, I believe that qualifies, by the way a great movie. If you haven't seen it, it is a must.

 

[Nitwit]

Fargo was a great movie, followed by a TV series. The movie was better IMHO.

 

[AWS1022]

Alice.

 

[wex18]

The Paper Chase

 

[psuro]

Fame. Ran for six seasons. Won a couple awards.

But MASH is the best.

 

[Roar More]

Fargo was a great movie, followed by a TV series. The movie was better IMHO.

The TV series did not meet the three year criteria.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Fame. Ran for six seasons. Won a couple awards.

But MASH is the best.

MASH was great for a few seasons. For its entirety though, it really wasn’t that good. The Odd Couple never went off track.

 

[mediaexpert]

Tenspeed and Brownshoes was great even though it lasted only one year. It was based on two body guards who hung out with the jet set on the upper East Side of NYC from 1976-1978. Benjie was a fast talking Dutch Indonesian who charmed all and Todd looked like an intellectual nerd, who was an athletic freak.

 

[84Lion]

Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea.

And also from that era, Daktari, based on Clarence, The Cross-Eyed Lion.

 

[83wuzme]

Stargate. Saw the movie but never saw much of the series.

 

[84Lion]

Stargate. Saw the movie but never saw much of the series.

Agree. And I really liked the movie. My big problem with the Stargate TV series is that it's not available (yet) in HD. I have the Stargate Atlantis series (very good) and have seen the Stargate Universe series (excellent) in HD.

 

[LighthouseGolfer]

Although girly, Downton Abby was a huge TV success and is currently in production with the movie. It'll be huge when released.

 

[Sam Spade 80]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yeah, I admit it. I used to watch Buffy.

 

[psuro]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yeah, I admit it. I used to watch Buffy.

You are banished to Sunday morning lattes and scones with BobPSU92. Bring you own tongs.

 

[Woodpecker]

Lone Ranger? Superman? Batman? Wonder Woman?

 

[psu skp]

Fame. Ran for six seasons. Won a couple awards.

But MASH is the best.

M*A*S*H was a great movie and Hornberger's novel (on which it's based) was underrated, but the t.v. show only really worked for the first three seasons. Once Blake, McIntyre, and Burns (Stevenson, Rogers, and Linville) left, the show lost it's comedic rudder.

The characters that replaced that key trio didn't have the same weaknesses (hated being there, drank too much, slept around, and in Burns' case was a total hypocrite) and it just wasn't as funny, nor did it have the same anti-war impact

 

[manatree]

The Pink Panther

 

[psuro]

The Pink Panther

Well played.

 

[manatree]

Well played.

The first one to come to mind because I like the films and the series.

Others that I think ran more than three seasons:

Highlander, Terminator, and the Librarians. I was going to add Mr. Belvedere as my grandmother always claimed it was based on a series of movies from the 1940s. However, when I just went to check, it turns out that the movies were based on a book, thus disqualifying it by the parameters set forth by the original poster.

 

[Pinkhippo PeanutButter]

Parenthood

 

[dbbp]

Movie- Moonrunners, TV Show- The Dukes of Hazzard.

 

[dbbp]

I know it’s a bit of a stretch. With the gap of the 60’s and 80’s. For the timeline. But In the Heat of the night.

 

[olelion]

MASH was great for a few seasons. For its entirety though, it really wasn’t that good. The Odd Couple never went off track.

MASH was good until Alan Alda decided he was a comic genious. I guess I didnt get the memo

 

[91Joe95]

If you count the tv series remake, Battlestar Galactica. #nerdcred

 

[HazletonLion]

Psycho - Bates Motel

 

[91Joe95]

You are banished to Sunday morning lattes and scones with BobPSU92. Bring you own tongs.

Big Kristy Swanson fan.

 

[PSUQBKeeper]

Operation Petticoat

I have also heard that the Lethal Weapon tv show is pretty good but I haven't watched any of it

 

[sluggo72]

The Big Easy

 

[Obliviax]

The Paper Chase

That is really an under-appreciated movie and series. thanks for bringing that up. James Houseman was masterful in being that professor that is smart, tough and a little bit of an a-hole but, later, you realize was a big part of your success moving forward.

"Mr. Hart, here is a quarter. Call your mother and let her know that you will NOT becoming a lawyer."

 

[manatree]

"The Paper Chase" was a pretty good book. It was recommended reading by a high school teacher.

Also, I believe it was a dime, not a quarter for a phone call back then. Although once lawyers add their fees.....

 

[OldTiredLion]

12 O' Clock High.

Gregory Peck starred in the (1949) movie version. Robert Stack starred in the (1964-1967) TV series that followed.

 

[Roar More]

12 O' Clock High.

Gregory Peck starred in the (1949) movie version. Robert Stack starred in the (1964-1967) TV series that followed.

Good call, although I believe that was Robert Lansing in the lead role. I guess you just tend to ignore anything with Lansing in the name.

 

[Connorpozlee]

MASH was good until Alan Alda decided he was a comic genious. I guess I didnt get the memo

I thought it was more when he thought MASH was a drama instead of the hilaruous sitcom it was intended to be.

 

[NoVa Lion]

Stalag 17 and Hogan Heroes.

 

[Nitt1300]

 

[nittnee]

The TV series did not meet the three year criteria.

Season 4 of Fargo coming in 2019, so yes it does.

 

[kgilbert78]

I'd add "Young Indiana Jones". I enjoyed it quite a bit, even though it wasn't as big a success as it could have been.