There are so manylong-running franchisesout there that it can be hard to keep up with everything, and lots of great projects slip under the radar. Whether it’s surprisingly compellinghorror movie sequels, spin-off stories that were even better than the main series, or standalone releases that failed to reach a large enough audience, there are lots ofunderrated moviesand TV shows in major franchises. These projects may not be the most well-known within their series, but they still deserve far more love.
Many of thebiggest franchises of all timehave entries that remain largely unknown to the average viewer, and these offbeat installments and hidden gems are ripe for rediscovery. This phenomenon applies to both decades-old movie sequels and contemporary television series, as many old and newer works have often escaped mainstream attention. From cult classics to releases that have just flown under the radar,all of these major franchise entries deserve far moreattention.
Horror franchises likeA Nightmare on Elm Streethad so many installments that many viewers just dismissed the entire series and focused on the legacy of the original. However, this would be a mistake, as the first sequel, subtitledFreddy’s Revenge, was a fascinating release that, despite receiving bad reviews at the time, has since become a cult classic. With a homoerotic subtext,Freddy’s Revengecould be viewed as an exploration of its protagonist Jesse Walsh’s (Mark Patton) repressed sexual desires.
When viewed as a document of buried homosexual urges, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revengebecomes an intriguing LGBTQ+ movie that captures the fears and anxieties of a teenager trying to come to terms with their identity. This was a thematically rich horror movie that was far deeper than it ever got credit for, and looking back atFreddy’s Revengetoday, it’s clearthe film was about far more than the fearful killer Freddy Krueger.
While no sequel in thePsychofranchise could ever live up to the lofty expectations set by Alfred Hitchcock’s original movie, the made-for-TV entryPsycho IV: The Beginninghas been unfairly forgotten by countless horror lovers. WithAnthony Perkins reprising his role as Norman Bates, this fascinating character study was both a prequel and sequel that used flashbacks to showcase the future serial killer’s unconventional childhood. While not widely seen by modern viewers, the ideas put forward inPsycho IVlaid the groundwork for the acclaimedPsychospin-off TV showBates Motel.
Psycho IVdeserves far more love and was much better than it’s ever given credit for, as it explored the traumatizing effects that Norman’s mother’s schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder had on her son. With incestuous undertones, hearing an older Norman outline the way he was abused by his mother added extra context to the troubled, cross-dressing murderer he would later become. While it was certainly no masterpiece,Psycho IVadded intrigue and depth to the series lore.
Video game adaptations have never had a great reputation, and few were more maligned than the 1993 live-actionSuper Mario Bros.movie. As an unusual, dystopian reimagining of Nintendo’s signature character, viewers were left scratching their heads when they were confronted with Bob Hoskins as the titular plumber and Dennis Hopper as the ruthless President Koopa in a story of a parallel universe where dinosaurs never went extinct.
Instead of a straightforward adaptation of the characters that gamers know and love,Super Mario Bros.was a weird mix of post-apocalyptic terror and fairy tale tropes.Super Mario Bros.was a flop at the box office, although now that there’s been a more faithful adaptation with the 2023 animated filmThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, it’s possible to look back on this odd release with fondness. WhileSuper Mario Bros.baffled audiences at the time, its willingness to be weird has to be admired.
While everyone will have a different answer for who their favorite James Bond was, it’s clear that Timothy Dalton’s tenure as 007 was unfairly judged at the time.The Living Daylightswas the first of Dalton’s twoBondmovies, and looking back, it deserved far more love than it ever got. With a much darker sensibility that did away with the campy energy that overtook Roger Moore’s final outings,this version ofBondaligned far more with Ian Fleming’s depiction of the character on the page.
The Living Daylightsmade Bond a charming, suave, and threatening presence once again, and it’s clear that the Daniel Craig era borrowed heavily from Dalton’s characterization. As the fifteenth entry in Eon’sBondseries,The Living Daylightshas gained some retrospective praise in recent years, although for many, Dalton often gets unfairly left out in discussions around the character’s history. As perhaps the most underratedBondmovie out there, anyone who hasn’t seen it should check outThe Living Daylights.
The rebootedPlanet of the Apesfranchise has gained major acclaim in recent years for its astounding visuals and impressive exploration of the ape-led revolution, although the original film series from the 1960s and 1970s should not be forgotten in the process. While the 1968 version ofPlanet of the Apeshas rightfully been remembered as an undeniable sci-fi classic, the series continued with a succession of great sequels that became increasingly bizarre as they went on.
Escape from the Planet of the Apeswas the third film in the series and saw the chimpanzees Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo repairing a spaceship and entering a time warp back to the 20th century. As the first time that thePlanet of the Apesseries was set in the present day, this movie’s blend of comedy and drama was an enjoyable precursor to what was seen in the later reboot series. With a B-movie aesthetic that embraced the wackier side of the franchise, lovers of old sci-fi movies should be sure not to dismissEscape from the Planet of the Apes.
ThePredatorfranchise has never quite managed to find its footing consistently since the success of the original action movie classic back in 1987. WhilePredator 2has become a cult favorite and Dan Trachtenberg’s prequelPreycould signal a new era for the series, there are a lot of lackluster movies in between that were best forgotten about entirely. However, among these was the high-concept sci-fiPredators, which saw human killers kidnapped and hunted on a Predator game reserve planet.
As an ambitious entry in the franchise,Predatorsopted to try something new and took the action off-world to explore the Yautja’s nature as a trophy hunting species. Featuring several different varieties of the extraterrestrials,Predatorswas far better than its reputation suggests and deserves more love from sci-fi fans. While it may not have reached the heights of the franchise’s best installments, it was a refreshingly bold and inventive direction compared to spin-off entries like theAlien vs. Predatormovies.
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
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The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is a television series exploring the adventures of Indiana Jones as a child and teenager in the early 20th century. From global travels with his family to his experiences during World War I, Young Indy interacts with historical figures shaping the world and his future as an archaeologist.
The Young Indiana Jones Chroniclesis often overlooked in discussions around this Lucasfilm franchise as its canonical status within the series has always been in question. However, this prequel aboutthe adolescence and early adulthood of Indiana Jonesshould not be ignored and featured a standout performance from Sean Patrick Flanery as the titular adventuring archeologist. With Harrison Ford even reprising his role as an older Indy to bookend one episode, this little-seen series was an enjoyable offshoot to the beloved film franchise.
As an action-adventure series that incorporated real historical events,The Young Indiana Jones Chronicleswas notable for the way it combined educational value with fast-paced entertainment. Taking viewers on journeys through time as an older Indy reminisces about his past as a young man, real historical figures including Leo Tolstoy and John Ford even showed up in episodes.
The Netflix animated seriesJurassic World: Chaos Theorywas a direct sequel toJurassic World Camp Cretaceousthat takes place prior to and during the events of the filmJurassic World Dominion. As an enjoyable showcase of this dinosaur-centric franchise’s potential on the small screen,Chaos Theorysaw The Nublar Six reunite to unravel a global conspiracy that threatens mankind and dinosaurs alike.
Jurassic World: Chaos Theoryis a child-friendly adventure series that contains a sense of excitement and intrigue that’s been missing from many of the live-action feature film sequels in theJurassic Worldseries. With mature writing and a thoughtful narrative, despite being aimed primarily at children, this Netflix series can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. While theJurassic Worldmovies may hit big at the box office,the truth is thatChaos Theoryis much better than the films.
TheTerminatorfranchise has had so many terrible installments that most sci-fi fans would just prefer to pretend that the series came to an end with the all-time great sequel,Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, this would ignore the excellent and woefully underseen TV spin-offTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which expanded upon the stories of Sarah Connor and her son John as they tirelessly sought to prevent the creation of Skynet. Running for just two seasons, this incredible spin-off wasthe best piece ofTerminatorcontent not directed by James Cameron.
With futureGame of Thronesstar Lena Headey in the iconic role of Sarah Connor, this Fox sci-fi series featured plenty of overlapping alternative timelines that added depth and intrigue to the franchise’s mythology. The show was frustratingly cancelled following a major cliffhanger in a new timeline where John was no longer the resistance leader, and audiences never got to see how everything was at last resolved. As one of the most annoying examples of a great show canceled before its time,The Sarah Connor Chroniclesproved it was possible to make a goodTerminatorfollow-up that wasn’tT2.
Michael Bay’s litany of lacklusterTransformerssequels may have contributed to the underperformance of the Optimus Prime and Megatron origin story,Transformers One. As an adventure that balanced enjoyable drama with a unique sense of humor, the appeal of this film’s art style suggests that these robots in disguise were always better suited to animation. With a level of complexity that was missing from Bay’s movies,Transformers Onetapped into just why these Hasbro toys turned into such a major franchisefollowing their first animated series back in the 1980s.
With a fantastic story that powerfully explored the motivations of Optimus Prime and Megatron,Transformers Onedidn’t overstay its welcome and, despite its underperformance at the box office, would offer plenty of room for sequels. From director Josh Cooley, this acclaimed filmmaker brought the same sense of heart and humor as he did withToy Story 4intoTransformers One. While there were plenty of disposable entries across thismajor franchise,Transformers Onewas one of the very best and deserves a lot more love.
