book-to-screen adaptations you need to watch: tv shows
some of my favourite tv shows adapted from books
Every reader knows that conflicting feeling when an adaptation of a book you loved is announced or released: excitement that you get to see the story played out on-screen, but also fear that they may not have imagined it as well as you did in your head.
There are some books that as soon as you read them, you just know they would make a great TV show or film. As you flick through the pages, you can hear the character’s voices and the dramatic soundtrack scored behind them, you can vividly picture the settings in your mind as if it’s already playing out on the screen in front of you.
Of course, not every book is going to lend itself well to an adaptation. Sometimes what makes a particular story so amazing is the fact that it’s a great novel, and some novels should remain novels. I feel (very strongly) this way about Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Many fans of The Secret History clamour for a film or TV show adaptation, but I’m one of few that balk at that idea. Some things are sacred, and Hollywood needs to keep its grimy hands off my favourite book, thank you very much.
But, when an adaptation of a book you like is done well, it’s a great feeling. Sometimes it can add a new dimension to the story you never considered before, or it’s simply just satisfying to watch these characters you’ve read about come to life on the big screen.
So here are some TV shows adapted from books that I’ve enjoyed, and thought were adapted well. Another part with my favourite film adaptations is coming soon!
My Brilliant Friend (HBO, 2018)
“When the most important friend in her life seems to disappear without trace, Elena Greco, an elderly woman living in a house crammed with books, switches on her PC and starts writing her own story, and that of Lila. She tells the tale of their friendship, which started at school in the 1950s.”
Adapted from: The Neapolitan Quartet (book series) by Elena Ferrante
Little Fires Everywhere (Amazon Prime Video, 2020)
“The flawless Richardson family invites a mother and daughter into their lives, unaware of the consequences. However, unforeseen events occur, turning the family upside down.”
Adapted from: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Normal People (BBC, 2020)
“Follows Marianne and Connell, from different backgrounds but the same small town in Ireland, as they weave in and out of each other's romantic lives.”
Adapted from: Normal People by Sally Rooney
This Is Going to Hurt (BBC, 2022)
“Set on a hospital labour ward with all its hilarity and heart-lifting highs and gut-wrenching lows, the show delivers a brutally honest depiction of life as a junior doctor on the wards, and the toll the job can take back home.”
Adapted from: This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
My Lady Jane (Prime Video, 2024)
“Lady Jane Grey and her husband Guildford live during the reign of Edward, son of Henry VIII. She unexpectedly finds herself crowned queen overnight and becomes the target of criminals who want her throne and her head.”
Adapted from: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, & Brodi Ashton
Pachinko (Apple TV, 2022)
‘The hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family, beginning with a story of a forbidden romance that leads to a sweeping saga taking place in Korea, Japan and America.’
Adapted from: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Daisy Jones & The Six (Amazon Prime Video, 2023)
“In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world; the band had risen from obscurity to fame, and then, after a sold-out show at Chicago's Soldier Field, they called it quits; now, decades later, the band members agree to reveal the truth.”
Adapted from: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Everything I Know About Love (BBC, 2022)
“Follows the lives of childhood best friends Maggie and Birdy as they navigate their early 20s. Set in a 2012 London house-share inhabited by four girls, the group face bad dates, heartaches and humiliations, and the question of whether platonic love can survive romantic love as people change, grow, and grow up.”
Adapted from: Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Sweetbitter (Starz, 2018)
“22-year-old Tess arrives in New York and lands a job at a celebrated downtown restaurant. Swiftly introduced to the world of drugs, alcohol, love, lust, dive bars, and fine dining, she learns to navigate the chaotically alluring, yet punishing life upon which she has stumbled.”
Adapted from: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Sharp Objects (HBO, 2018)
“After treating her mental illness, crime reporter Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to solve the murder of two young girls. However, she is forced to face and deal with her own demons too.”
Adapted from: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
The Flatshare (Paramount+, 2022)
“After a brutal breakup, journalist Tiffany agrees to timeshare a bed with hospice nurse Leon; in theory, they'll never have to meet; but as the Post-its start to fly, things get complicated.”
Adapted from: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Sweetpea (Sky Atlantic, 2024)
“In this twisted and darkly comic 'coming-of-rage' tale, Rhiannon is a quiet wallflower who develops a vengeful and liberating taste for murder.’
Adapted from: Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse
so perfect and detailed, just added the recs in my tbr and watchlist!!
omg perfect perfect cant wait to add everything