No medium is better than another. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, due to the unique nature of their format. Television shows are much longer-form than movies. This means TV shows can introduce more characters, more plotlines, and give greater focus to any elements that need it.
Despite their shorter runtimes, movies typically have higher budgets. Movies don't have the issues with pacing or focus that can plague television shows. As many excellent television shows as there are, some stories on TV would be far better-suited for the big screen.
10 The Book Of Boba Fett Could Have Been More Refined
The downfall of the Star Wars anthology films is well-documented. The difficult filming process and poor box office of Solo: A Star Wars Story convinced executives to cancel the other planned movies. Some of the films in the pipeline were reimagined as TV shows. One of which was a solo story focusing on bounty hunter Boba Fett.
The Book Of Boba Fett wasn't a poorly-received show, but it has received mixed reviews well below that of The Mandalorian. Many reviews highlighted the disjointed and oddly-paced narrative as a result of extensive flashbacks. Being made as a film would force the storytelling to prioritize plot threads and encourage natural pacing. A film version of Boba Fett would create a better-flowing story.
9 Torchwood Is Better With Singular Narratives
Doctor Who often shines with its imaginative monster-of-the-week episodes and the ability to travel to multiple time periods. Doctor Who's tone is able to vary from comedic to nightmarish. Spin-off Torchwood attempted two seasons of monster-of-the-week stories. Being grounded on earth and attempting a consistently dark tone, these stories came across as far less creative and fun.
Torchwood's later iterations, particularly Children Of Earth, would confirm that the show is far better telling singular, self-contained stories. A film with the Torchwood cast battling a single threat could have been a stand-out piece of media in the Doctor Who universe, aided by a larger budget.
8 Dexter Might Have Avoided Wearing Out Its Premise
Dexter is most notable for its unique premise. Dexter follows a forensic scientist who is also a serial killer. Dexter's initial series made good use of this premise, focusing on the morality of Dexter's actions. Later seasons wore through the premise. Many original ideas proved unpopular with fans - such as Dexter and Debra's relationship.
A movie could have kept things short and fresh, focusing primarily on Dexter's crimes and the investigation into them. A film wouldn't have to diverge into far less satisfying threads. In addition, a less contentious ending could have been easier to make. It may involve Dexter facing justice, or an open-ended conclusion that saw both him and his pursuers continuing their quests.
7 Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life Is Understuffed On TV
Gilmore Girls remains a popular TV series. The mundane-yet-affecting premise followed three generations of women from a single estranged family. Gilmore Girls itself is widely-accepted as excellent television. The revival, A Year In The Life, has proven far more controversial.
This is due to unpopular changes of several characters' portrayal, including Rory Gilmore. A Year In The Life's plot couldn't fill its runtime, which left several vignettes to fill time. A focused film could have avoided many of the unpopular jokes and character moments. The film could tell a tighter story, mitigating fan backlash.
6 The Outsider Could Have Had More Consistent Atmosphere
The works of Stephen King have had countless adaptations into both television and film. Some of his novels have been turned into both. One of the more recent adaptation, The Outsider, was praised in its its initial episodes for its tension, plotting, and fear. The Outsider received mixed reviews as it wore on.
In particular, reviews of The Outsider tend to highlight a decline in the atmosphere over several hours of content. Given the difficulty in maintaining atmosphere, a film could have kept a similar level without losing much from the plot. A film could create a gripping and scary piece of fiction.
5 American Horror Story: Cult Would Have Benefited From Tighter Focus
American Horror Story makes a gamely attempt to reconstruct the horror of films on the small screen. AHS creates extended narratives with its characters in classic, or less traditional, horror situations. Some seasons have made full use of their potential as a TV series. Many others have felt like feature length films stretched into a season of television.
Cult suffers from its length. Despite being an engaging season with timely satire, Cult fails to use a relatively simple plot. Instead, the plot grows more padded and convoluted. A shorter runtime could have let the parts that worked come to the forefront, with a minimum of less-compelling content.
4 True Detective's First Season Is Stellar Television, But A Potentially Legendary Movie
Although later seasons have been more contentious, the first season of True Detective is one of the most well-regarded seasons of television in recent years. True Detective is noted for its subtle and profound exploration of themes including religion, masculinity, and pessimism. With interesting characters and a terrifying mystery, the season continues to make waves.
True Detective could have made for an all-time classic film. With a higher budget and more refined storytelling, there is a potential for True Detective to rival classics of the genre like Silence Of The Lambs.
3 The 100 Becomes Meandering And Repetitive
With an uptick in post-apocalyptic fiction in recent years, the premise of The 100 would fit in with many cinema audiences. As a film, The 100 could have been a breath of fresh air for the stale YA fiction adaptation. The 100's film could have sat far away from various series that were marked by their similarity to The Hunger Games.
The 100 follows group of convicts exploring the Earth to see if it is safe to return after a nuclear apocalypse. As The 100 got more seasons, original plot points began to run out, and it rehashed the same conflicts repeatedly. This is far less likely to happen with a film, preserving the initial originality of the story.
2 True Story Could Have Focused On What Makes It Good
2021's True Story is a crime drama series starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes. The pair play an up-and-coming comedian, and his less successful older brother. They wind up uncomfortably involved with organized crime.
Reviews for True Story are mixed. Many highlighted the chemistry between Hart and Snipes as a strength. Others criticized other characters and True Story's 'dawdling' plot. A movie could have centred itself more on the two stars and their chemistry, with a tighter plot to keep the momentum.
1 Under The Dome Would Have Ended At A Higher Quality
If successful, a television adaptation of a book is likely to be renewed well after the book's story has been told. This forces the writers to come up with their own original ideas. This can happen with films, but it is less common.
Sometimes this proves immensely successful, others less so. A poorly-received case is Under The Dome, the TV adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. After a moderately well-received first season, further seasons diverge heavily from the book to greatly diminshing returns. A film adaptation could have ended far sooner - and far more satisfactorily.