One of the greatest joys for many avid readers is when their favourite novel is adapted to the big screen. Personally, I prefer when my favourite books are made into television shows, where the story has room to develop further than it would in a 3 hours movie. Through my years of reading and television watching, I have composed a list of a few of my favourite adaptations:
The Handmaid’s Tale: The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in the dystopian society of Gilead, where women are considered property of the state. Many environmental disasters cause an increase of infertility among citizens of this society, which causes a decrease in the birth rate. In an attempt to repopulate, women who are able to conceive become forced into sexual servitude in order to bear children for the elite. The show focuses on the experiences of Offred, a women who has been forced to be a handmaid and must give up her life and her family. Unlike most handmaids who unhappily accept their new reality, Offred becomes determined to escape and be reunited with her family. Based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood, this show provides an incredibly captivating premise and does a truly wonderful job at bringing the authors ideas to life. It is also a favourite among many celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner!
The Sinner: Cora Tannetti (played by Jessica Biel) lives a rather uninteresting life. Raising a toddler son with her rather dull husband, they’re the epitome of a stereotypical family. Cora’s life takes a drastic turn when she unexplainably murders a man during a family beach trip. With no recollection of why she had committed such a horrible crime, a local detective becomes very interested in her case and attempts to uncover the mysteries of her mind. Based on a book of the same name by Petra Hammesfahr, this show provides elements of mystery, drama, and action.
The Haunting of Hill House: This horror genre television show follows a group of five siblings who grow up in what becomes one of the most popular haunted houses in America. Flashing back and forward from the siblings as children to adults, this show possess every characteristic of a great horror movie alongside a exhaustive storyline. Fighting demons, real and mental, these siblings must work through incredible obstacles in order to live regular lives. This show is recommended for those who are true horror movie fanatics! For those who love reading horror stories but don’t enjoy pop-up scares, the novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson is considered one of the greatest ghost stories published in the 20th century.
Mindhunter: Serial-killer minds are incredibly puzzling places. This show, set in the 1970s, follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they attempt to understand and develop what is known today as a serial killer. Through intensive interviews, they attempt to understand what drives people to kill. Based on a true crime book of the same name by John E. Hunter and Mark Olshaker, this show demonstrates how modern serial-killer profiling was created.
You: This new Netflix original psychological thriller is based on the life of Joe Goldberg, a New Yorker with many hidden secrets. Once he becomes infatuated with Guinevere Beck, his world begins to change. Soon becoming his obsession, he spends his days following her every move, determined to be a part of her life. Soon, Joe manages to win her heart, but little does Guinevere know all the secrets that Joe keeps hidden from her in order to make all of her dreams become a reality. If you’re interested in thrillers that keep you on your toes, this is the book for you!
I always struggle to find interesting TV shows with captivating storylines. Hopefully this list will help those who also have a problem with that!