Did you ever wonder what The A-Team would have been like with Moe, Larry, and Curly?
Our cherished (and not-so-cherished) television shows and movies are far more than just mere entertainment—they’re inspiration for many more TV shows. And lots of brilliant Web parodies.
There may not have been a Star Trek without the 1960s Western program Wagon Train. Gene Roddenberry himself even described his beloved science fiction program as “Wagon Train to the Stars.”
In the age of YouTube, many of those who know their way around video editing programs have taken such inspirations to new levels. Combining a comedic eye with in-depth knowledge, the following videos, which feature famous TV shows and movies re-imagined as other TV shows and movies, were born.
1) The Three Stooges as The A-Team
Moe Howard, Curly Howard, and Larry Fine bring their unique brand of over-the-top slapstick to a series known for its over-the-top action sequences. The video serves as proof, however, that some characters simply cannot be replaced.
2) Battlestar Galactica as Dallas
Battlestar Galactica, a major staple of modern-day science fiction, was nothing new when it debuted on the Sci-Fi channel in 2004. The program first saw life in 1978, with a 1980 continuation cleverly titled Galactica 1980. In this video, stars from the revival are introduced to the theme from another program that first came to life in 1978: the drama series Dallas. Who shot Adama?
3) Breaking Bad as The Wire
Modern-day crime drama is perfectly captured in the TV series Breaking Bad. This video decides that it is time for Walter White and company to assume the introductions of another critically-acclaimed crime drama series, The Wire. As an added bonus, user jamesmontalbano offers several different opening sequences.
4) Community as Parks and Recreation
The Internet’s favorite comedy series, Community, ditches its original origami opening in this spot-on parody of fellow NBC program Parks and Recreation. Viewers of either series can enjoy seeing Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman’s credits in the Ang Lee–inspired opening credit sequence replaced with those of Joel McHale and Chevy Chase.
5) The Walking Dead as Growing Pains
The Walking Dead is rife with zombies, gore, and other such necessary television aspects. Unfortunately, it has been lacking in the “learn a life lesson in 22 minutes or less” department. While Timmy Lunsford’s video doesn’t instill such scenes into the horror series, it does give the viewer a more light-hearted approach to the program. Besides, we’d much rather see the catchy “As Long as We Got Each Other” music end on “Well Zombie” than TV-series-Kryptonite “Leonardo DiCaprio.”
6) Star Wars as Magnum, P.I.
Harrison Ford and Tom Selleck were fellow 1980s megahunks. In this tribute video to notable staples of both men’s careers, viewers get to see what Star Wars would have looked like as a Hawaiian action series. Scenes from George Lucas’s space opera fit in almost too perfectly with Magnum, P.I.’s renowned theme music to give us: Han Solo, P.I. Unfortunately, the number of trademark mustaches decreases significantly.
7) Indiana Jones as MacGyver
We aren’t done with Harrison Ford just yet. While Indiana Jones may be far more resourceful than your average early-20th-century archaeologist, he is no match for Angus MacGyver (though his theme music was far better). Indy may have outsmarted ancient traps and recovered sacred artifacts, but he had never defused (or created) a bomb with safety pins and chewing gum. This video gives us a glimpse into what such an adventurer would be like.
8) Rear Window as Three’s Company
Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece about a wheelchair-bound man observing the steadily-intensifying happenings of his neighborhood was sadly devoid of cheesy 1970s theme music. This video fixes such a dastardly mistake by combining some of the film’s more memorable—and sexy—scenes with “Come and Knock on Our Door” from the sitcom Three’s Company.
It isn’t until viewing this video that you realize how similar in appearance James Stewart and Norman Fell are.
As an added bonus, a false 1970s era laugh track is inserted into lighter scenes from the movie.
BONUS: “Perfect Strangers Seattle”
Seattle performing arts troupe the Baggy Pants may not be widely renowned outside of the Emerald City, but they did enjoy a brief bout of notoriety in 2010 with “Perfect Strangers Seattle.” The video is a near-perfect, shot-for-shot remake of the opening title sequence from the 1980s ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers, with that comparison playing side-by-side in this video. The various sights of Seattle are proudly displayed, standing in for its inspiration’s mini-tour of Chicago.
Photo via YouTube
