Inspiration for a television show for the small screen can come from anywhere, even the big screen. Over the decades shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and MASH have just as successful (or in the case of Buffy FAR more successful) than the cinema which inspired them. But not every show inspired by a movie can find this success so here are five forgotten TV shows based on films.
Harry and the Hendersons: To this day 1987’s Harry and the Hendersons is beloved by those who grew up with the film. Beyond the amazing work of Rick Baker in bringing Sasquatch to life there is a heart in this flick about a family bonding with a cryptozoological beast is amazing and heartfelt. However the 1993 syndicated series which followed the movie’s gigantic footprints instead opted to go the route of a standard family sitcom.
Turner & Hooch: The most recent entry on this list was one of the early shows from Disney+ and was quickly forgotten because who in honesty was clamoring for a Turner & Hooch continuation? In a hackneyed set-up, Turner Jr. inherits Hooch to be his own law enforcement partner. Together they investigate the truth behind what happened to the real Turner. Like most streaming services Disney+ went through their programming with a chainsaw and Turner & Hooch was one of the casualties of this.
Ferris Buller: In 1986 Buller famously had a day off, but he could not do that every day so in 1990 NBC swooped in to show what happened when the 4th wall breaking high schooler has to go to class. Many of the hallmarks of the classic John Hughes film are present including the before mentioned wall-breaking and the outwitting of Principal Rooney. It only lasted 13 episodes and aside from having a pre-Leprechaun Jennifer Anniston in the role of Ferris’ sister Jeannie there was really nothing of note about it.
The Thin Man: Throughout the 1930’s and 1940’s the Thin Man movies were tentpoles films for MGM as audiences ate up the movies’ combination of pulp mysteries and sharp humor. These films were carried effortlessly on the shoulders of stars William Powell and Myrna Loy with their flawless chemistry as the witty and clever Nick and Nora Charles. So it is not a massive stretch of the imagination to believe trying to replicate the Thin Man without Powell and Loy to be a fool’s errand, but that was not going to stop NBC who put Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk in the roles. While lasting longer than the other entries on this list with 2 seasons and 72 episodes the show is a mere footnote in pop culture history surviving now merely as extras on the Blu-Ray release of the classic film which inspired the show.
Delta House: To this day, Animal House stands as one of the great masterpieces of raunchy comedy. In 1979 ABC tried to capitalize on Ivan Reitman’s classic with a TV series which actually reunited much of the cast from the film. Naturally the biggest exception would be John Belushi as the scene-stealing Blutto being replaced by Josh Mostel as his younger brother Blotto. Given that the source material is renowned for booze, sexual content and foul language, one would assume the network would air Delta House in a late night time slot. Instead they aired it squarely in the 8pm primest of prime time slots forcing the subject matter to be watered down and diluted. Of course an Animal House adaptation lacking all the stuff that made it Animal House had the deck against it. Even introducing viewers to the always fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer could not save it.