The 20 Best TV Shows Based on Movies, Ranked

by Amber Dowling, for Metacritic – August 5, 2022

Movies have the ability to deliver punchy stories, top-notch action, and ideas that can linger well after the closing credits roll. TV shows, on the other hand, can take those same pros and extend them over a much longer timeframe. Only on TV can viewers really get into a character and get to know all of their nuances, plus watch them develop and change as the episodes or seasons go on.

Given that, it’s no surprise so many TV shows are based on movies. Here, Metacritic has rounded up the 20 best film-to-TV adaptations as ranked by Metascore. Only live-action TV shows from 1985 and onward are eligible for inclusion.

Note also that we opted to make all Marvel Cinematic Universe shows eligible based on their ties to the film series as a whole even though many of the shows are not a direct adaptation of a single film. Don't like that decision? Here are seven honorable mentions that would have made the top 20 if we excluded MCU shows:

  1. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
  2. Obi-Wan Kenobi
  3. The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers
  4. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
  5. Westworld
  6. The Mandalorian
  7. Cobra Kai
12 of 21 photo by Disney/Marvel
78 Ms. Marvel (Disney+, 2022)

adapted from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

(#9) This 2022 TV series features a ton of firsts, including the introduction of newcomer Iman Vellani and the fact that it centers on the first Muslim-American superhero. The series revolves around Vellani’s character, Kamala Khan, discovering her powers despite a less-than-heroic school and home life. It may not have been the most popular of all the MCU TV iterations to debut over the past few years, but it certainly is the most critically beloved.

“Frothy and fun, Ms Marvel’s opening act is relatively lightweight, but for both adults and its teen target audience, it’s a compelling and unique addition to the MCU.” —Destiny Jackson, Empire

Where To Buy
Previous
Next