There are plenty of largely forgotten TV shows based on movies but did you know that there are just many cinematic TV series adaptations that have not stood the test of time? See for yourself by taking a look at some notable (or should we say “obscure”) movies based on TV shows that you likely forgot about.
Munster, Go Home! (1966)
If you are not a fan of Rob Zombie’s Munsters movie, you should check out Munster, Go Home! Released in technicolor months after the final episode of the original sitcom, the film (also starring original cast members) sees Herman, Lily, and the rest come at odds with their neighbors when they inherit a lavish estate in England.
The Avengers (1998)
Not to be confused with a Marvel movie with the same title, The Avengers is based on a British spy TV show from the 1960s. A critically reviled box office bomb, the film stars Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman as secret agents out to stop Sir August de Wynter (Sir Sean Connery) from taking over the world with a weather control device.
Return To The Batcave: The Misadventures Of Adam And Burt (2003)
One of the first feature-length, live-action Batman movies was a direct spin-off of the Adam West and Burt Ward-led TV show released in theaters months after it premiered in 1966. Nearly forty years later, the actors played themselves in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, which is both a biopic (starring Jack Brewer and Jason Marsden as West and Ward) and a reunion film in which the Batman stars must retrieve the stolen Batmobile.
David Brent: Life On the Road (2016)
Before fans started demanding a reunion special starring NBC’s The Office cast, the original U.K. version already got its own spin-off movie. Ricky Gervais reprises his role in David Brent: Life on the Road, in which the former office manager chases his dream to be a rock star.
The Brady Bunch In The White House (2002)
Gary Cole and Shelley Long assumed the roles of Mike and Carol Brady in two theatrically released movies that both recreated and hilariously poked fun at the classic 1970s sitcom. They would return for a third installment, The Brady Bunch in the White House, which originally aired on Fox.
Car 54, Where Are You? (1994)
Before playing Herman and Grandpa on The Munsters, Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis starred as bumbling cops on Car 54, Where Are You? The latter would reprise the role in a feature film starring David Johansen, future Scrubs cast member John C. McGinley, Rosie O’Donnell, and Fran Drescher.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)
Every episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 is feature-length to give the rotating human hosts and their robotic friends enough time to snicker at various cheesy movies. The one time the Satellite of Love’s riffing was shown on the silver screen was in a box office bomb in which Mike (Michael J. Nelson), Tom Servo (Kevin Murphy), and Crow (Trace Beaulieu) are screened 1955’s This Island Earth.
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002)
The success of The Crocodile Hunter led to the production of a feature film that was part nature documentary and part comedic espionage thriller. The late Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri, portray themselves in The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, in which they become unwittingly wrapped up in the search for a lost surveillance satellite part swallowed by a croc.
The Nude Bomb (1980)
The 2008 adaptation of Get Smart with Steve Carell was not the first feature based on the hit 1960s spy sitcom. Don Adams first reprised the role of CONTROL agent Maxwell Smart in The Nude Bomb.
Dragnet (1987)
Star and creator Jack Webb’s seminal police drama, Dragnet, has inspired various subsequent iterations but the one feature-length adaptation is nothing like the rest. It is an overt comedy starring Dan Aykroyd as Sgt. Friday’s straight-laced nephew and Tom Hanks as his less reserved partner, Streebek.
Æon Flux (2005)
Originally premiering as a six-part serial as part of MTV’s Liquid Television, Æon Flux branched off into its own show and became one of the network’s most engaging animated series. Charlize Theron brought the role of the eponymous dystopian secret agent Karyn Kusama’s live-action feature, which was not received quite as well, including by series creator Peter Chung.
The Dukes Of Hazzard: The Beginning (2007)
Years after Tom Wopat and John Schneider originated the roles of Bo and Luke Duke on the original hit series, The Dukes of Hazzard, Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott reimagined the “good ‘ol boys” in a 2005 feature adaptation. Two years later, Freeform (when it was still called ABC Family) aired a prequel called The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, starring Jonathan Bennett and Randy Wayne as the cousins in their teens.
The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
While it was not well-received upon release, 1994’s live-action adaptation of The Flintstones is considered a masterpiece when compared to its prequel. The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas stars Mark Addy as Fred, Kristen Johnson as Wilma, Stephen Baldwin as Barney, and Jane Krakowski as Betty, who all meet for the first time and spend a romantic trip in Sin City.
Hey Arnold!: The Movie (2002)
The theatrically released spin-off to the hit Nicktoon Hey Arnold! turned out to be a critical and commercial disappointment, leading to the cancellation of the second intended feature. Luckily, Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie would finally become a reality in 2017 and is now the preferred feature-length edition of Craig Bartlett’s beloved creation.
The Gong Show Movie (1980)
The Gong Show was a popular talent competition hosted by Chuck Barris. The feature spin-off, The Gong Show Movie, is not a theatrical showcase of people participating in uproarious acts but a fictional depiction of a week in Barris’ life.
The Honeymooners (2005)
Star and creator Jackie Gleason’s landmark ’50 sitcom, The Honeymooners, saw his Ralph Kramden and Art Carney’s Ed Norton hatching ill-fated, half-baked schemes. Cedric the Entertainer and Mike Epps assumed the roles for a film adaptation which received a rare positive review from none other than Roger Ebert.
I Spy (2002)
I Spy was as groundbreaking as the first TV series to feature a Black lead actor – namely Bill Cosby, opposite Robert Culp as secret agents Alexander Scott and Kelly Robinson. However, there was absolutely nothing groundbreaking about the film adaptation starring Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson.
Jetsons: The Movie (1990)
The futuristic animated series, The Jetsons, is one of Hanna-Barbera’s most beloved creations. Yet, critics were not very kind and audiences were largely ignorant of George, Jane, Judy, and Elroy’s first trip to the big screen.
Leave It To Beaver (1997)
The ultimate family sitcom from the 1950s was Leave It to Beaver, which followed the misadventures of the young title character, Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, and his brother, father, and mother. The Cleavers were reimagined in the late ’90s with a film starring Christopher McDonald and Cameron Finley that did not charm critics or audiences quite the same way.
Johnny’s Golden Quest (1993)
Hanna-Barbera’s Johnny Quest saw the young title character embark on various memorable adventures with his scientist father. One of his lesser-remembered adventures was depicted in the feature-length spin-off, Johnny’s Golden Quest, which originally aired on the USA Network.
Lost In Space (1998)
The most memorable thing about the cinematic reboot of the 1960s sci-fi series Lost in Space is the inclusion of Friends cast member Matt LeBlanc as the pilot of the ill-fated spacecraft. Netflix’s series reboot from 2018 would make a far greater impression than the largely negatively received 1998 film.
The Mod Squad (1999)
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Michael Cole, Clarence Williams III, and Peggy Lipton starred on The Mod Squad as three young rebels coerced into becoming undercover cops to avoid jail time. Giovanni Ribisi, Omar Epps, and Claire Danes assumed their roles for a movie reboot that was a widely panned mess and proved to be a box office bomb.
DuckTales The Movie: Treasure Of The Lost Lamp (1990)
Following Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s exciting adventures with their wealthy Uncle Scrooge, DuckTales is one of the best-animated TV shows ever produced by Disney. However, while generally well-liked by critics, its theatrically released spin, DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, was not a hit at the box office and cost itself the chance to garner sequels.
Clifford’s Really Big Movie (2004)
Based on PBS Kids’ series adaptation of Norman Bridwell’s children’s books about a giant red Labrador Retriever, Clifford’s Really Big Movie did not live up to its title in terms of critical reception or box office success, proving less profitable than the 2021 live-action film. However, one way that audiences can and should remember it is as the final film starring the late John Ritter, who voices the titular dog.
Blue Mountain State: The Rise Of Thadland (2016)
It would take five years after the end of Blue Mountain State‘s run on TV (along with its relevance) for it to finally receive a feature-length follow-up with The Rise of Thadland. Of course, the raunchy straight-to-video comedy featuring many returning actors from the sitcom, following the titular college’s football team, has the potential to gain more notoriety following the success of star Alan Ritchson of Reacher fame.
CHiPs (2017)
CHiPs made stars out of Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox, who played highway patrol officers Frank “Ponch” Poncherello and Jonathan “Jon” Andrew Baker. The 1998 made-for-TV sequel feature, CHiPs ’99 was nothing special but not even the theatrically released update with Michael Peña and Dax Shepard (who also co-writes and directs the film) made much of an impression on audiences either.
Boris and Natasha: The Movie (1992)
Years before animated icons Rocky and Bullwinkle became the stars of their own live-action movie, two of their archenemies were given said treatment in the form of a Showtime original special. Boris and Natasha: The Movie stars Dave Thomas and Sally Kellerman as the eponymous European criminal “masterminds.”
Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird (1985)
The very first movie based on one of the Sesame Street characters is Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, which puts the spotlight on actor Caroll Spinney’s beloved, fowl character, Big Bird. The film chronicles the bird’s journey back to “where the air is sweet,” with some help from his supportive neighbors after he is sent to live far away.
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
The success of the hit animated children’s series, VeggieTales, would inspire two theatrically released movies – the second of which, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything from 2008, was not as commercially successful as its first. However, Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, which retells the biblical story of a prophet who was swallowed by a whale, has since become something of a distant relic in the history of the otherwise successful series.
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
Despite essentially being an adaptation of a Nike ad, 1996’s Space Jam remains one of the most enduringly popular theatrically released, feature-length spin-off of Looney Tunes. The same cannot quite be said about director Joe Dante’s Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which sees Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck team up with a stuntman (played by Brendan Fraser) and a Warner Bros. executive (played by Jenna Elfman) on a secret mission to stop the ruthless chairman of ACME (played by Steve Martin).
Teacher’s Pet (2004)
Produced by Disney, Teacher’s Pet tells the story of a dog with the ability to talk (voiced by Nathan Lane) who poses as a human boy in order to fulfill his dream of attending school. The feature-length adaptation is a basic remake of the same exact story, including the same cast members, but makes it into a musical.
Bewitched (2005)
At a time when remakes were far too frequent in Hollywood, the cinematic reboot of Bewitched at least tried something different by imagining what would happen if an actual witch got the part of Samantha on a modern retelling of the hit supernatural sitcom. However, for those who remember it, the comedy is largely considered a blemish on both Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell’s resumes.