10 Best TV Adaptations of Movies, Ranked
We journey from the big to the small screens.
'Fargo'
The path from movie to television series happens all the time now, with studios trying to capitalize on popular titles for multiple seasons.
Today, I want to go over the 10 best TV adaptations of movies that I could think of, and if you think of others, feel free to reach out.
Let's dive in.
10. Parenthood (2010-2015)
Based on the 1989 Ron Howard film of the same name, Parenthood took the movie's central theme of the messy, complicated, and ultimately rewarding journey of being a parent and added in a couple generations to make the story have legs.
What we got was a Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights) special of drama and complex issues tackled with nuance.
9. Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)
This one is wild because the 1994 Roland Emmerich film Stargate created such a massive world that it felt like a TV pilot itself.
This series picked up right where the movie left off and introduced us to a new cast that was able to entertain for a decade.
8. Westworld (2016-2022)
Michael Crichton's 1973 film about a technologically advanced theme park where androids run amok was fun, especially since he used the same concept for dinosaurs just a decade later.
But in this one, HBO took the core idea of the movie and made it feel even more modern...and vintage.
The series spawned a ton of debates about AI, robots, and autonomy.
7. Hannibal (2013-2015)
To say that Bryan Fuller's Hannibal had big shoes to fill is an understatement, given Anthony Hopkins' iconic portrayal of Hannibal Lecter. And also, this was on network TV, so you couldn't be too gory or weird.
And yet this version really stood out with its epic cinematography and performances of Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy. It had the creep factor of the movies and lots of twists along the way.
6. What We Do in the Shadows (2019-present)
The FX series What We Do in the Shadows was able to successfully transition the cult comedy movie into a series without missing a comedic beat.
The series has been a consistent critical and audience favorite and shows no signs of slowing down.
5. Cobra Kai (2018-2025)
Initially a sleeper hit on YouTube Red before exploding in popularity on Netflix, Cobra Kai is a masterful continuation of The Karate Kid film series. I don't know if people talk about this enough, but the idea for the show was like a recurring joke on How I Met Your Mother, of what if Daniel was actually the bully, and this show took that and turned it into so many great seasons of TV.5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
The 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a fun, campy horror-comedy but Joss Whedon took his original concept and deepened it, creating a rich metaphor for the horrors of adolescence.
And then it became a massive hit. Buffy was a huge part of the 90s and of the cultural lexicon. It made these witty characters in genre movies so cool to watch and they became a trope unto themselves.
3. Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)
Man, this TV show was so good that I think people forgot it was originally a movie...and a book before that.
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" became more than a motto; it was a testament to the show's characters and stories. This makes me want to rewatch it right now.
2. M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
Robert Altman's 1970 film MASH was a groundbreaking, anti-war black comedy, and somehow the TV show was allowed to the the exact same thing.
The beloved sitcom-dramedy ran for 11 seasons. And its finale remains one of the most-watched television broadcasts in American history. Its longevity and cultural impact are nearly unparalleled.
1. Fargo (2014-present)
I want more seasons. Just give me more. This show is so impossibly good, and all the seasons are standalone (mostly). You can just rewatch them in any order and have so much fun.
Noah Hawley's brilliant work riffing on the Coen Brothers' 1996 masterpiece is sort of unparalleled. It's all really, really good and weird and unique.
Summing It All Up
When done right, a TV show can expand upon a film's universe, go deeper into its characters, and tell a story that is not only worthy of its predecessor but occasionally even surpasses it.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
