'Fargo' & 7 Other Must-Watch TV Series Based on Cult Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

You love a movie, quote it with friends, and know it by heart – and then you suddenly find out it's been made into a TV series. Two questions immediately arise: "Why?" and "What if it's good?" As usual, the answer depends on the specific case.

We've recalled eight TV series that expand the universes of cult movies, deepen their characters, and sometimes surpass the originals – they don't simply exploit nostalgia.

8. 'Westworld', 2016-2022

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

The events take place in a futuristic park where the atmosphere of the Wild West permeates every corner. This attraction draws in visitors with its setting and access to extreme experiences.

The park is inhabited by androids designed to fulfill every desire. At first, guests are guaranteed complete safety, but one day, the system malfunctions.

Westworld is a popular sci-fi series from the 2010s starring Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, and Anthony Hopkins. The show is based on the 1973 movie of the same name, a landmark in the genre.

7. 'Lethal Weapon', 2016-2019

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Fate brings two very different police officers together. Each has suffered numerous traumas in the past. Martin and Roger must confront gangsters and learn to trust each other in order to overcome their inner demons.

Lethal Weapon is a classic buddy movie that spawned a franchise and became a household name and a remake of the movie seemed doomed from the start.

However, the series' creators managed to produce a truly entertaining police action thriller.

6. 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith', 2024-...

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

John and Jane Smith are rookie special agents who have never met. Now, not only must they work as a team, but they must also pretend to be happily married.

While carrying out dangerous missions, the "newlyweds" continually make mistakes and break one rule after another. The situation worsens when passion truly blossoms between the two.

Despite its title, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is not exactly a remake but rather a variation on a theme. The original movie starred Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and was a spy thriller, while the series uses the trappings of the genre to analyze the nature of marriage.

5. 'Hannibal', 2013-2015

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

FBI agent Will Graham can enter the minds of serial killers, but his new assignment is especially dangerous.

Due to the strain of the case, he is referred to psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter, whom the bureau has brought in to consult on the case. Graham is unaware that his doctor is the very maniac he is hunting.

Thomas Harris' series of novels has been adapted several times. In 1991, Jonathan Demme directed The Silence of the Lambs, a film that changed the genre and launched a famous trilogy.

Recognizing that Anthony Hopkins's portrayal of Lecter was impossible to surpass, showrunner Bryan Fuller offered a different take on Harris' work.

4. 'Fargo', 2014-2024

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

A small town in snowy Minnesota becomes the scene of a crime. Sociopath Lorne accidentally meets local loser Lester.

This encounter sets off a string of murders that Patrolman Gus and Deputy Sheriff Molly must investigate.

Fargo is a crime anthology series inspired by the works of the Coen brothers. The first season, which explores human greed and stupidity, is widely considered the best, though the second and third seasons are also impressive.

3. 'Bates Motel', 2013-2017

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

​​Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is a thriller that influenced world cinema. It spawned numerous sequels and a shot-for-shot remake, so it's no surprise that a prequel, Bates Motel, emerged during the golden age of TV series.

Young mother Norma Bates and her teenage son Norman buy an abandoned hotel in a quiet town. The inn was previously owned by the Summers family, and Keith Summers now seeks revenge on the outsiders who have taken over his family home.

The conflict that ensues leads to a brutal crime, engulfing Norman and Norma in a wave of lies and constant fear of exposure.

2. 'What We Do in the Shadows', 2019-2024

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

The characters are a group of vampires who have lived together for hundreds of years. Their faithful servant, Guillermo, dreams of joining their ranks one day and helps them with everyday chores, such as cleaning their vast mansion.

In 2014, comedians Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement released the mockumentary comedy What We Do in the Shadows, which audiences worldwide loved.

In 2019, a TV adaptation of the movie was released on FX. Clement and Waititi wrote and directed several episodes and briefly returned to their on-screen roles.

1. 'Ash vs Evil Dead', 2015-2018

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

Many years ago, Ash fought an evil spirit that had killed his friends in a forest cabin. Now, the aging man works in a supermarket and spends his evenings drinking, having long forgotten his former exploits.

Everything changes when Ash unwittingly awakens the evil spirit again. Armed with a chainsaw, Ash does everything in his power to stop the hordes of the undead.

Ash vs Evil Dead is a series based on the Evil Dead trilogy created by director Sam Raimi at the beginning of his career.