When TV shows have made the leap to the big screen, the results have not always been great, except when they keep the same cast and come up with a good story that builds on the series, like Sex and the City and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. The same is true of some TV movies that have built on a show's lingering appeal even after it's been canceled. James Garner came back for a couple of Rockford Files movies, for instance, and The Return of The Man from UNCLE with David McCallum and Robert Vaughn was excellent. Of course, it doesn't always work -- the Rhoda and Mary reunion was painful to watch -- but I'm still a fan of the follow-up TV movie.

Here's my ideas for ten TV shows I'd like to see as TV movies.

This question has been asked a couple of times here, in the comments for my latest West Wing review and in an earlier post I believe. Who was that sixth pallbearer at Leo's funeral? There was the President, Josh, Charlie, Santos, the DNC guy, and in the back a guy with short light hair.

Anyone know who he was? Really odd that they didn't have another regular cast member to be a pallbearer.

Regular readers of my West Wing reviews know that I haven't been a fan of the show the past two years. Oh, it has had a certain quality, but it's nowhere near the level that we saw in the first four seasons, when Aaron Sorkin was in charge. But I gotta tell ya: if the remaining episodes continue the quality we've seen this season, then at the end of the year I'm not only going to name this show Comeback of the Year, it's going on my Top 10 list.

While it's always great to see characters and references to the old, great West Wing (tonight's opening had scenes from past episodes and the return of Danny Concannon), it clashes with the new West Wing, which is all cynicism and bitchiness and tension between C.J. and Josh and the boring character of Kate. But at least there's a glimmer of that old West Wing, if simply because the White House was prominently featured. When there's more scenes in the White House than on the Santos campaign trail, that's a good thing (even if it means Donna isn't around.)