More recently, however, the trend has come full circle. Hollywood film studios have been busy trying to turn old classic series in successful feature films. Unfortunately for television fans, not all remakes live up to the original series.
For every successful adaptation of a classic television series such as STAR TREK or MAVERICK there are many more megabombs. The most notable box-office bomb was the 1998 update of the classic British series THE AVENGERS.
This hasn¹t detoured the studios in their quest, however. 1999 brings adaptations or remakes of several classic television series from years gone past. We will have more information on these films as their release dates approach. Here are just a few:
DUDLEY DO RIGHT, an adaptation of a cartoon series which was a part of the popular ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE SHOW, comes to the big screen. The original DUDLEY DO RIGHT ran in 1961 and 1962.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2, an update of the successful CBS series which originally ran from 1966 to 1973.
THE MOD SQUAD, an ABC-TV series which starred Michael Cole, Clarence Williams III and Peggy Lipton. It originally aired from 1968 to 1973.
MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, which starred Ray Walston and Bill Bixby, originally aired on CBS from 1963 to 1966.
MUPPETS IN SPACE is another in the line of popular Muppet movies which had their beginnings on SESAME STREET and THE MUPPET SHOW, the later of which aired in syndication from 1976 to 1981.
SOUTH PARK, which is the biggest hit currently on the COMEDY CENTRAL network, is coming out with a big screen adventure. Personally, the series is not my cup of tea, but the film no doubt will make lots of money as it has a lot of fans.
THE WILD, WILD WEST starred Robert Conrad and Ross Martin as secret service agents in the l860s. The series is one of my all time favorites and I¹m anxiously awaiting the release of this film. I just hope they do the old series justice.
ARE YOU READY FOR A NEW STAR TREK SERIES? Rick Berman, keeper of the STAR TREK flame over at Paramount, appeared on KPCC-FM, a local Los Angeles radio station, on January 6th. Berman talked about this being the last season of DEEP SPACE NINE. He said most of the plot lines will be wrapped up by the end of the series. However, Paramount is leaving a few threads unsolved in hopes of either television or feature films in the future.
