Best and Worst Television Adaptations Article by: Greg Roberts Share With this Friday’s release of the small to big screen version of The A-Team, Killerreviews.com thought it would be fun to look at other attempts in bringing successful television programs to the local multiplexes. With no shortage of entries for us to discuss, we separated them into the The Good, The So-So and the downright Ugly. The Good Star Trek (Pick your year) Gene Roddeneberry was unable to keep his space trekking crew on television for more than a few seasons. But on the big screen, the franchise was breathed new life. Starting with Star Trek: The Motion Picture back in 1979 through J.J. Abrams Star Trek in 2009, the various incarnations of the Starship Enterprise have churned out film after film with Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike lining up to see where they will boldly go next. The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) Bringing the Brady gang back for a big screen adaptation seemed like a dumb idea at the time. But director Betty Thomas perfectly cast Gary Cole and Shelley Long in the lead roles and transported the family from the 70’s and smacked them into the 1990’s where the Brady gang seemed more out of place than ever. The Addams Family (1991) Gomez and Morticia live the eccentric life while a con artist and someone claiming to be Uncle Fester try to rid them of their untold wealth. The film was edgy and dark and stayed true to the look and feel of both the television show and the comic strip. The Addams Family was successful enough to launch a sequel – Addams Family Values – and introduced audiences who didn’t get to see Mermaids the year prior to a young Christina Ricci. Mission Impossible (1996) Tom Cruise channelled his inner action hero in this Brian De Palma update of the 1960’s television classic. Cruise was agent Ethan Hunt and is framed and hunted by his very own agency. Great action sequences – including the finale atop a speeding train – and a complimentary cast including Ving Rhames and Jon Voight made Mission Impossible one of the highest grossing films of 1996 and spawned two (and soon to be three) sequels. Other Good: Charlie’s Angels The So-So Maverick (1994) Getting director Richard Donner behind the cameras with Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner in front was a good idea. But the movie, which was an action comedy was as forgettable as it was amusing. The Flintstones (1994) Casting genius again with John Goodman taking the role as live action Fred Flintstone. The film did topple the $100 million mark at the box office, but it missed the mark in attempting to bring the cartoon series to life. Starsky & Hutch (2004) Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson brought the cop television series to the big screen then adapted it into more of a comedy than an out-and-out shoot ‘em up. The results were mixed. Snoop Doggy Dog in the role as Huggy Bear was a riot, but the film got sappy and lost its way as it churned towards the end. Get Smart (2008) Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway stepped into the shoes of Agents 86 and 99. The film was definitely better than The Nude Bomb which was the first attempt to bring the television series to theatres, but it still lacked the umph and innocence of the original characters to catapult the film into anything more than just a line item on each actors resume. Other So-So’s: Josie and the Pussycats, Wayne’s World, Scooby-Doo The Ugly Dukes of Hazzard (2005) So, so bad. This film which starred Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott was neither funny nor interesting. All the elements were there including Daisy Duke played by Jessica Simpson (pre-cupcakes) and the General Lee as their get-around-town vehicle. But the story was lame and the jokes fell flatter Gary Coleman on his way home from work. Speed Racer (2008) Big things were expected from the Wachowski brothers in adapting the animated television program to the big screen. These were the same geniuses that brought us The Matrix and their passion for this project had us salivating in anticipation of the release. But a color score that would make Dick Tracy look like it was in black and white and effects that were just as childish as the story left audience in the cold and made Speed Racer one of the biggest busts of 2008. Lost in Space (1998) Joey from Friends battles Gary Oldman who turns into some kind of spider-creature. Nuff said. Wild, Wild West (1999) Will Smith hasn’t made many mistakes in his picks for starring vehicles, but this mess directed by Barry Sonnenfeld was a travesty. With special effect dollars being thrown at a gigantic robotic spider and a uninteresting villain that had no legs played by the usually reliable Kenneth Branagh, the film failed to connect with audiences. Bewitched (2005) Yet again, the casting department did a great job in nabbing Nicole Kidman to play the nose twitching witch Samantha. But adding Will Ferrell’s schtick that was already getting old by 2005 into the mix and a story written and directed by hit or miss Nora Ephron was a disaster. The Avengers (1998) Arguably the worst of the bunch (and that says a lot as we won’t go into the many Saturday Night Live films). How could you screw up a film with names such as Thurman, Connery and Fiennes attached? Easy, have the story surround a weather changing machine and throw in the some terribly executed special effects and action sequences. People were not exactly crying out for a big screen adaptation of the 1960’s British television show back in the mid-90’s. A terrible film ensured there would be no follow-up. Others Uglies: The Beverley Hillbillies, The Saint, The Mod Squad, Masters of the Universe.