Big screen movies to small screen series

mcs328 · 02-24-2003, 01:15 PM

After My Big Fat Greek Wedding raked in millions they're debuting the tv series tonight. Who thinks this will be watchable?

BTW...they're also debuting Tremors: The Series on Sci-Fi channel too I think. Errr...yah.

whitak24 · 02-24-2003, 01:44 PM

i predict that "my big fat greek life" will be a total failure. it will last half a season, most likely. possibly a full season.

it's just too difficult (in most cases) to a take a great story from a movie, which is by definition a self-contained vehicle, and transform it into an ongoing story that happens week after week.

it's especially unfortunate for Nia Vardalos. she's a decent actress, imo, but this is going to solidify the type-casting of her. she's going to be on "i'm a celebrity, get me out of here" in 5 years or so.

sbp · 02-24-2003, 01:46 PM

The success of big screen movies to tv has been mixed. Some have badly flopped, while a few have had great success. Generally most are not successful as whitak24 points out.

jujubees · 02-24-2003, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whitak24
i predict that "my big fat greek life" will be a total failure. it will last half a season, most likely. possibly a full season.

it's just too difficult (in most cases) to a take a great story from a movie, which is by definition a self-contained vehicle, and transform it into an ongoing story that happens week after week.

it's especially unfortunate for Nia Vardalos. she's a decent actress, imo, but this is going to solidify the type-casting of her. she's going to be on "i'm a celebrity, get me out of here" in 5 years or so.

This show might last for a full season based on scheduling alone. It starts tonight right after a popular show, "Everybody Loves Raymond," and will then air regularly after "60 Minutes." As long as it's not stuck in an 8pm slot on Fridays ( R.I.P. Firefly

), I think this show has a decent shot.

mcs328 · 02-24-2003, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkFury
Heh.. most times it just goes from Movie to being a cartoon. Just like MIB did.

But then again... look what they did with Stargate SG-1. Stargate the movie was cool, but SG-1 went SO much farther...

Yeah...SG-1 is sooooo good. I think the straight to TV cartoons don't do so bad. Hmmm...Ghostbusters was a movie first right before it became a cartoon right.

whitak24 · 02-24-2003, 05:25 PM

well, i didn't elaborate too much in my original post, but here's my theory:

productions based on imagination (such as superheros or stargate or whatever) have a much better chance of making a successful switch from the big screen to the small screen (or the other way around, for that matter) because of their content.

basically, you have programs that are about good guys defeating the bad guys.

if you're converting a movie to a tv series, you can have the good guys use their superpowers week after week in different ways to defeat different bad guys, just on a smaller scale than what people saw in theatres.

on the other hand, if you're moving from TV to movies, then you can have the hero take on a really sinister bad guy, build up the climax a lot more, and use some really cool special effects.

but if you take the typical relationship movie, it's just not going to transfer to a tv series. the story ran its course (in fact, the movie already had the "trite ending" built in). now, you're trying to go re-invent. and i think that's where greek life is going to flop. the jokes just won't continue to be that funny week after week....

sizemic1 · 02-24-2003, 05:47 PM

I thought MBFGW was VERY funny.
But i have absolutely NO intention of watching a tv show on the same premise. I can at least justify hollywood making crappy movies because they expect to make most of their money on video rental sales. But to intentionally make a crappy show always baffles me. I like to think i have a pretty good barometer as to what will be a successful tv show and what wont. This one is gonna be a dog and will only last 2 episodes before it's pulled.

02-24-2003, 01:15 PM	#1
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	Big screen movies to small screen series After My Big Fat Greek Wedding raked in millions they're debuting the tv series tonight. Who thinks this will be watchable? BTW...they're also debuting Tremors: The Series on Sci-Fi channel too I think. Errr...yah. __________________

02-24-2003, 01:46 PM	#3
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	probably not but wait and see The success of big screen movies to tv has been mixed. Some have badly flopped, while a few have had great success. Generally most are not successful as whitak24 points out.

02-24-2003, 05:47 PM	#7
sizemic1 Owww, I feel good! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Beautiful Temecula CA Posts: 2,002	I thought MBFGW was VERY funny. But i have absolutely NO intention of watching a tv show on the same premise. I can at least justify hollywood making crappy movies because they expect to make most of their money on video rental sales. But to intentionally make a crappy show always baffles me. I like to think i have a pretty good barometer as to what will be a successful tv show and what wont. This one is gonna be a dog and will only last 2 episodes before it's pulled. __________________ [___] (O lllllll O) []==O=[]

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02-24-2003, 01:44 PM	#2
whitak24 easily amused Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: my office Posts: 9,781	i predict that "my big fat greek life" will be a total failure. it will last half a season, most likely. possibly a full season. it's just too difficult (in most cases) to a take a great story from a movie, which is by definition a self-contained vehicle, and transform it into an ongoing story that happens week after week. it's especially unfortunate for Nia Vardalos. she's a decent actress, imo, but this is going to solidify the type-casting of her. she's going to be on "i'm a celebrity, get me out of here" in 5 years or so.

02-24-2003, 05:25 PM	#6
whitak24 easily amused Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: my office Posts: 9,781	well, i didn't elaborate too much in my original post, but here's my theory: productions based on imagination (such as superheros or stargate or whatever) have a much better chance of making a successful switch from the big screen to the small screen (or the other way around, for that matter) because of their content. basically, you have programs that are about good guys defeating the bad guys. if you're converting a movie to a tv series, you can have the good guys use their superpowers week after week in different ways to defeat different bad guys, just on a smaller scale than what people saw in theatres. on the other hand, if you're moving from TV to movies, then you can have the hero take on a really sinister bad guy, build up the climax a lot more, and use some really cool special effects. but if you take the typical relationship movie, it's just not going to transfer to a tv series. the story ran its course (in fact, the movie already had the "trite ending" built in). now, you're trying to go re-invent. and i think that's where greek life is going to flop. the jokes just won't continue to be that funny week after week....

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