Television: Incredible Shrinking Movies

Great Movie, Great Show

M*A*S*H The bloody antiwar comedy was an edgy hit, while affable Alan Alda and smart writing made the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital prime time friendly

THE ODD COUPLE Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau were great actors; Tony Randall and Jack Klugman were Felix and Oscar

PEYTON PLACE Ensemble casts and brooding sensuality work on both big and small screens

Mediocre Movie, Great Show

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Kristy Swanson’s film was cute, but Sarah Michelle Gellar’s series has way more bite

THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER Remember the movie? Neither do we, though we actually cared about Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz

THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS Beatnik Bob Denver, pre-Gilligan, gave the teen sitcom a cool cachet that the square movie lacked

Great Movie, Lousy Show

ANIMAL HOUSE John Belushi’s Bluto ruled; the series (did you even know there was one?) just blew

CASABLANCA Not one, but two spin-off attempts. Apparently it can’t be played again

CLUELESS So, like, the film totally modernized Jane Austen’s Emma, while the series limply lived up to its name –By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles