Ferris Bueller

The TV series Ferris Bueller premiered in the Autumn of 1990 as the 1990-1991 TV season was starting. None of the actors who starred in the film reprised their roles in the TV series. The series premeired on the NBC TV network. It's loosely based on, and loosely adapted from, the film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", which was a popular movie during the Summer of 1986. This series premeired four years after the film.

The series is not a continuation of the film. It is actually a prequel series as when the first episode premeired, the main character states that he hated how Matthew Broderick, who portrayed the title character in the film, and even chainsawed a cardboard cutout of Matthew Broderick in the first episode. The rest of the series doesn't make any more references to the film.

In the film, Ferris was a senior and his sister Jeannie as a junior. In the TV series, it was the other way around.

This TV series is one of those that fall into the category where the film it's based on is much better than the TV series.

This series suffered from a lack of real creativity. With the exception of Jennifer Aniston, who portrayed Jeannie Bueller in this TV series, this series suffered from bad acting, bad writing and also, sloppy direction. The worst part is that Charlie Schlatter, who portrayed the title character here, does a lousy recreation of Matthew Broderick's performance. The series was dull and boring as it lacked real comedy. The actors who portrayed the respective characters in the film were much better. The film was a very charming, entertaining and hilarious experience, but this TV series goes downhill.

This series lasted only thirteen episodes. Twelve episodes aired from August to December of 1990 while the final episode didn't air until August 1991. NBC canceled the series overall. Thank goodness for small favors.

Overall, one of THE worst TV series based on a popular film. The film is much better than this pathetic excuse for a TV series.

You can't blame them really. With 'Ferris Bueller' being such a hug film (which it still is to this day) you can't blame TV networks for wanting to exploit that in some way.

This TV series version of the film isn't bad, it just pales heavily in comparison, and everyone playing the main roles sadly isn't as good as their film counterparts.

It was a nice idea, it just didn't work.

The road to you-know-where is paved with good intentions.

And I'm sure there are a lot of producers, directors and so forth who are headed that way after seeing the prime-time terror they have wrought here.

"Ferris Bueller" is a TV version of the everyday high-school life of the lead character from John Hughes' brilliant movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". And while the basic idea is good, everything else is completely done wrong.

Schlatter is a lot of the problem. Though he looks appropriately young, he just seems too cocky, too arrogant and too smug as Ferris to appeal the same way as Matthew Broderick did. He manages to begin the ship sinking early.

Not much better are Aniston as his sister, Riehle as Ed Rooney and not even the actors that play his parents, girlfriend or best pal Cameron Frye make as much of an impression as their counterparts did on film.

And then there were the scripts; not half as inventive as the movie; not even cameos by whomever happened to be on the NBC studio back lot that day make much difference. No, even good direction (by Bixby, Lynn, etc) helps.

In the end, the "Ferris Bueller" series didn't even last 13 episodes. What do you know, looks like Ed Rooney got his revenge after all.

No stars. Hardly worth thinking about; unless you just want to get a headache.

Omg! I did not know they even tried to make a series out of the movie!! (which was amazing) If I ever saw this I'd scream in horror!!!! This is so dumb thank god I was born in '92 and not '90 because I would have been horrified! They should of made fun of this on "I love the '90's part Deaux" Whoever came up with the idea of making the series must of been seriously drunk! Matthew Broderrick must of thought this was the most dumbest idea in centuries! Cant believe this blasphemy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel bad for all those you had to see this series!! This is the nest worst thing right next to "My So Called Life" and "Freeks and Geeks"!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean for real we seriously need to think and we also need to stop making series out of every movie out there!! I mean come on what is next "Gigli: the series" We need to stop the madness!! Its driving all of us mad!

OK--this was not up to the original movie (which was great)...but how could it be? For what it was (a TV series) it was pretty good. I thought Schlatter was dead on as Ferris--his talking to the audience was well-done and I laughed out loud when he took a chainsaw to a cardboard cutout of Matthew Broderick from the film. And I though Jennifer Aniston was perfect as his obnoxious sister. I seem to be alone in liking this, but I think people are comparing it way too much to the movie. There's no way any TV series could measure up to that. Taken on it own I thought it was a fun TV series.