Thursday Movie Picks: TV Series Based on Movies

In the 31st week of 2020 for Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We go into the world of TV by showcasing shows that are based on films as it’s become a thing as of late with shows based on movies and so on. Here are my three picks:

1. Spartacus

From 2010 to 2013 on Starz is a TV series that is more of a violent and sexually-driven take than the 1960 film by Stanley Kubrick. Instead, it’s about the titular character who is taken into slavery and becomes a gladiator only to lead a rebellion. For four seasons, it was an intense show that had lots of gratuitous sex and violence for all of the right reasons with characters that you get to know and care about. Even the women get to be involved in some killing with Lucy Lawless appearing in three seasons as the wife of a master. Andy Whitfield played the titular role in the first season but sadly died of cancer leading a prequel-season made focused on the character of Gannicus played by Dustin Clare. Liam McIntyre would replace Whitfield in the third season as he and Gannicus would become allies to fight against the Romans as it’s just an incredible show where it really finally came together in its third season.

2. Westworld

While the third season of the series based on the Michael Crichton novel and the 1973 film is a mixed bag, it is still a fascinating TV show that played into people wanting to create a fantasy world with androids being used as objects of fantasy or violence. Yet, it is the androids that start to rebel and create chaos. The first two seasons are incredible as it play into these androids trying to get a control of the world though the third season started to lose me despite the incredible performances from its main cast in Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, and Tessa Thompson.

3. Cobra Kai

A show created for YouTube Red by the trio of Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg that is based on The Karate Kid film series. It is an impressive show that is about the film’s antagonist John Lawrence trying to redeem himself and rebuild his old dojo by teaching socially-outcast kids not just to stand up for themselves but also become better people and in the process, Lawrence becomes a better person. While his old rival Daniel LaRusso isn’t happy about Cobra Kai’s return, he does realize that Lawrence isn’t a bad guy as the second season has the return of Lawrence’s old sensei John Kreese where things definitely get intense for both Cobra Kai and the rival Miyagi-Do karate with both LaRusso and Lawrence feeling guilty over what happened and Kreese being the one to stir the pot. It is a great show with a third season coming on Netflix as it might bring the return of Elisabeth Shue as LaRusso and Lawrence’s former flame Allie.

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