5 TV Adaptations So Good You Forgot There Was Movie First

Sometimes an ambitious series based on a fan-favorite book or movie gets little public attention and fails after its premiere season. But there are other times when adaptations become so well-loved and accepted that we forget there was a source material to begin with.

Here are five shows with massive fan bases that originated as movies, but over the years have surpassed them in ratings and popularity.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Probably the most prominent example of a show that outgrew its source material is Joss Whedon's coming-of-age supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Today, few casual viewers know that Whedon first wrote the 1992 comedy film of the same name and theme.

But the movie ended up straying from Whedon's original idea, so the writer decided to take a second chance with a show that had a much darker tone. And that version became a true pop culture hit, loved by millions.

M*A*S*H (1972-1983)

Few people today are unfamiliar with Larry Gelbart's iconic war dramedy about the doctors and other staff working in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital stationed in South Korea during the Korean War. But even fewer remember that it was preceded by a 1970 black comedy.

While the movie is still widely considered one of the best made in Hollywood, most fans agree that it doesn't hold up to the TV adaptation.

Fargo (2014-present)

The story of how Fargo came to be is a unique one. Noah Hawley was so impressed by the Coen brothers' 1996 film that he wrote a script for a show set in the same fictional universe. The Coens, in turn, liked the script so much that they agreed to become Fargo’s executive producers, giving the green light to one of the best projects in modern television.

The original movie is much loved by fans for being a perfect blend of comedy, thriller, mystery and drama. And the show does exactly the same thing, but with different levels of those genres blended and the addition of the TV format, which takes the Coen-Hawley themes to a whole new level.

Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)

Over the years, the Stargate franchise has become very popular and has gained a cult following. But few casual viewers today will remember that the on-screen intergalactic travel using a special alien wormhole device began in 1994, when the movie Stargate hit theaters.

The military sci-fi show gave us plenty of celebrity crushes and unforgettable moments, not to mention one of the best TV spin-offs, Stargate Atlantis, easily surpassing the popularity of its source.

Alien Nation (1989-1990)

The story of the Alien Nation franchise began with Rockne S. O'Bannon's 1988 film about an alien race known as the Newcomers assimilating in Los Angeles. While the movie was moderately successful and didn't create much of a buzz at the time of its release, it later spawned a series, five TV movies, a number of comic books and novels.

The series, which followed a Newcomer and a human cop working together for the LAPD, was great and vastly underrated. The consensus today is that it was canceled too soon by Fox and could have gone on for many more seasons. Sounds like a perfect idea for modern showmakers, right?