Film

The Beverly Hillbillies

Name: The Beverly Hillbillies
Genre: Comedy, Family
Released: 1993
Cast: Jim Varney, Diedrich Bader, Erika Eleniak, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin

Other titles called The Beverly Hillbillies: the 1962 series (CBS).

Comedy
Light-hearted

A 1993 comedy remake where an Appalachian family strikes oil and relocates to Beverly Hills. It's broad, earnest slapstick with a gentle heart—the Clampetts' decency becoming the joke's real point. Unambitious but cheerful; a palate-cleanser for people who like their comedy obvious and their family units intact.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you grew up on broad, big-hearted fish-out-of-water slapstick and enjoy a cast that commits fully to cartoonish characters, with Lily Tomlin's deadpan sniff doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Skip it if you want sharp, modern satire about wealth; this stays gentle and goofy, leaning on pratfalls and sight gags rather than any real bite about Beverly Hills or the rich.

What it asks of you: Ninety-three minutes of easygoing, bright, one-note comic energy; it moves briskly and wants you to laugh at the same kind of joke it returns to, rather than follow a complicated plot.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Ghostbusters II1989

Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver and Bill Murray repeat their chemistry with genuine affection for each other. More focused than the sequel's reputation suggests, and genuinely funny between the set pieces.

But Lacks the raw invention of the original. The plot is thinner than most TV pilots, and it leans on callbacks rather than building new jokes.

Coming to America1988

Eddie Murphy at his most charming, playing fish-out-of-water with real sweetness beneath the comedy. Generous ensemble, clever satirical ideas, and it cares about its characters' happiness.

But Premise wears thin by the midpoint. Murphy's talent carries it further than the script probably deserves, and the romance isn't convincing.

National Lampoon's Vacation1983

Chevy Chase as an everyman destroyed by circumstance. The script finds fresh ways to humiliate him across the country, and the family dynamics are genuinely touching beneath the chaos.

But Meanness accumulates—watching the hero fail is the whole premise, which exhausts before the credits. Some of the dated jokes don't land anymore.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Beverly Hillbillies

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Soap1977

Both trust that comedy comes from characters staying true to themselves in absurd situations, never from the characters themselves being the joke. The Beverly Hillbillies earned its gentle heart the same way.

A soap opera that laughed at soap operas while being genuinely engaging. Cast of deadpan icons (Robert Mandan, Katherine Helmond, Billy Crystal) deliver ridiculous plots with complete commitment. Comedy from sincerity, not winking.

But Tone is genuinely odd—it's funny in a way that feels alienating if you're not on its wavelength. Pacing expects patience modern viewers might not have.

Uncle Buck1989

John Candy is a disaster of a human being, but the film trusts that kindness matters more than competence. Surprisingly tender about family obligation and letting people be themselves.

But The problem uncle trope has been done to death since. Some tonal whiplash between heartfelt moments and crude gags.

Brewster's Millions1985

Richard Pryor and John Candy as a mismatched duo trying to spend a fortune. High concept that actually works; witty, loose, and genuinely good-natured about money being irrelevant to happiness.

But Wildly inconsistent in tone. Long stretches feel aimless, and the moral message can tip into preachy.

Crocodile Dundee1986

Paul Hogan as a fish-out-of-water who's too decent and competent to fail at anything. The comedy comes from his bafflement at city life, never from cruelty. Unexpectedly charming.

But Premise is simpler than it seems, and it coasts on Hogan's likability. The romantic subplot feels obligatory and plays by tired rules.

Splash1984

Tom Hanks as an ordinary guy besotted by Daryl Hannah's mermaid. Sweet-natured fantasy romantic comedy with real affection for its characters. Funny without punching down.

But The romance is more earnest than most modern comedies can handle. Second half abandons comedy for sentiment, which will feel slow to some.

Trading Places1983

Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd as social opposites whose positions swap. Clever satirical edge, genuine chemistry, and it has real stakes despite the comedy.

But Starts slowly with exposition. The gender and racial jokes were dated even in 1983 and haven't aged well in most ways.

Stripes1981

Bill Murray and Harold Ramis as misfits in basic training. Ramis directs with warmth; the screenplay balances absurdism with unexpected heart about belonging.

But The plot is perfunctory—just a frame for sketches. Drags noticeably in the second half when it tries to get serious.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?2000

Both films refuse to mock their characters' origins or accent them into caricature. The humor in *Beverly Hillbillies* and *O Brother* comes from situations, not from derision toward rural America itself.

Coen Brothers film steeped in Depression-era Americana, bluegrass, and con-man schemes. Every frame is lovingly composed. Operates as both satire and genuine love letter to rural culture—no contempt anywhere.

But Deliberately oblique storytelling. If you need plot clarity and emotional resolution, the studied artificiality will frustrate you.

Schitt's Creek2015

Same premise as *Beverly Hillbillies*—displaced wealth leads to community—but inverted: not adaptation to new wealth, but loss forcing connection. Both eventually discover that community matters more than money, played with equal warmth.

A wealthy family loses everything and moves to a small town they own but have never visited. Starts as fish-out-of-water comedy; becomes a show about genuine growth and found family. Cast commits completely to both the humiliation and the heart.

But First season is rough and relies on mean-spirited humor. Takes 2-3 seasons before the emotional center becomes clear; requires patience and faith.