The premiere of the 1999 teen sensation "10 Things I Hate About You" as a half-hour series on ABC Family on Tuesday forces an age old question: Should movies be repackaged for television? My answer: No. 

Yes, a few conquests are successful, namely "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and the critically adored "Friday Night Lights," but they're the exceptions to the rule. For the most part, movie remakes don't have such fortunate lifelines on television. "Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles" and "Clueless" come to mind. This fall, NBC and ABC will most likely continue this tradition, with remakes of Steve Martin's "Parenthood" and 1987's "The Witches of Eastwick." What's next? A television remodel of "She's All That?" Although, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook may be free to reprise their roles. Just saying.

But before those premieres, ABC Family jumps on the movie bandwagon this summer. The cable network, in particular, has become a hot teen ticket with "Greek" and "The Secret Life of an American Teenager" boasting ratings and buzz. With "10 Things I Hate About You," they seek to further establish their mark with the tween generation.  

"10 Things...," a present-day adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," was an immediate hit on the silver screen. The story followed the Stratford sisters; Bianca, an eagerly popular princess, and Kat, a social misfit with a sharp tongue and an equally sharp manner. Thanks to an overprotective father, Bianca can't date until Kat does. This encourages Bianca's crush, Cameron, to hire bad-boy outcast Patrick to take out her sister. With newcomer Aussie Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph-Gordon Levitt leading the cast, they spearheaded the movie with the right amount of wit, laughter, and teenage hijinks. The film also featured a killer soundtrack, and probably the most heartbreaking poem reading thanks to Miss Stiles. It's what every teen film could hope to be, making it no surprise for someone to capitalize on its everlasting success. 

But will it work on the small screen?

It's hard to say. While the script was strong compared to other teen films in the past decade, the endearing cast created the ultimate package. Without Ledger's boyish allure, Patrick wouldn't have been nearly as loveable or captivating. Cameron's naïve and innocent crush on Bianca would have been downright creepy if it weren't for Levitt's powerful sincerity and aloof charm. Bad girl Kat wouldn't have been as hardcore without Stiles' snappy delivery and evil death glare. And Kat and Patrick's coupling remained plausible with the palpable chemistry between Ledger and Stiles.

What networks fail to realize is that while most people are eager for an exceptional plot, they become attached to the actors who play the characters even more. It's the performances that allow the words to jump off the page and lift the script from its conception into a moving picture.

The TV version brings back Larry Miller as the Stratford's crazy father, but it seems cliché and only reminds viewers of the lack of career he's had since the '99 debut. Meaghan Jette Martin ("Camp Rock") plays Bianca and looks far too young and ethereal for the role. Kat is played by Lindsey Shaw, who has the biting attitude, but doesn't look like she could hurt a fly. Ethan Peck (grandson of Gregory Peck) takes on the role of Patrick Verona, but unfortunately, a leather jacket doesn't automatically make you look like a badass. (I would never buy that this Verona ate a live duck.) And Nicholas Braun looks like a small boy in a grown man's body and plays Cameron more like a stalker than a fool in love.

I imagine it's a good thing to reintroduce the film to a new generation; one thing that has been missing in cinema in the last nine years is the meaningless teen films we've come to love. And no, anything Miley or "High School Musical" doesn't count. But this almost feels like a Disney Channel remake of a film that was originally geared toward a more mature audience.

Ultimately, it's safe to say that the actors will have a long ways to go before warming the hearts of thousands of teens like the original cast members effectively accomplished. Case and point: The '90s TV remake of "Clueless." Cute idea for a series, but was there really another Alicia Silverstone to perfectly play Cher? 

In the end, the new "10 Things I Hate About You" will always be second best, as will most series that replicate big screen films.