Kickstarting Some Old TV Shows

It used to be in the old days that when one of your favorite TV shows got cancelled, you could write letters to the networks pleading them to change their minds. Then, scorned TV fans became more creative, resorting to campaigns like the fans of CBS’s Jericho, who sent cases and boxes of nuts because one word, “nuts,” became a pivotal line in the series.

But with the news that Veronica Mars fans have succeeded in a Kickstarter campaign to turn the beloved, San Diego-based show into a movie, the ability to extend the life of your favorite, old TV show has changed significantly.

To date, more than 63,000 fans have pledged more than $4 million to the Veronica Mars movie, demonstrating not only the dedication of
devoted fans, but their financial muscle.

With that in mind, what old, favorite TV shows would you like to see revived on the big screen?

Here’s the Patch Goes Pop list:

Terriers – Another show that was set in San Diego, but that not’s the reason why this is at the top of our list.

This witty, breezy show about two slacker private detectives in Ocean Beach was wonderfully written and offered two charming lead characters. It’s the closest TV has come to pulling off the sardonic, laid-back vibe of the old Rockford Files. The heroes were lovable losers who always seemed just one step from blowing the case. And the season-long arc regarding a crooked real estate deal and a shady politician had an ambitious Chinatown noir feel and scope that we would have loved to have seen play out more.

Terriers lasted only one season, leaving us way too soon.

24 – OK, this one should already be already be happening, as we were promised a “24” movie a while ago. Instead, we’ve got Kiefer Sutherland reduced to the boring, repetitive Touch on Fox.

Watching the recently released “Olympus Has Fallen” made Patch Goes Pop yearn for the days of Jack Bauer, and Chloe and Tony and his evil soul patch. We don’t know what the holdup is, but it’s time to get “24” to the big screen before we forget all about it.

Fringe – We know “Fringe” had a long, satisfying run on TV and it even
got a chance to get a proper sendoff with a series finale. However, no recent
TV show is a better candidate for the movies than this fan favorite about a
special fringe division of the FBI that investigates the unexplained.

During its run on FOX, “Fringe” showcased a bizarre array of cases and villains. We’re drooling just thinking about how weirder those cases would be with a big-screen budget and top-notch special effects.

Chuck – Few shows were as tailor-made for its audience as NBC's series about a nerd who becomes a technologically-enhanced super spy. The James Bond series is at a peak right now, thanks to Daniel Craig’s recent outing in Skyfall. A “Chuck” movie could serve as a quirky, little antidote to the new, super-serious Bond. Plus, we wouldn’t mind seeing the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski on a giant, IMAX screen.

Human Target – We give Fox credit for sticking with “Human Target” for more
than a season. But this show about a bodyguard and his unusual partners who
helped people in danger was underappreciated and never got the promotion it
needed from the network.

Each weekly episode had laughs, action and thrills and “Human Target” deserves another shot at success.

Ok, that’s our list. Send us your own.

Patch Goes Pop can be reached at patchgoespop@yahoo.com