5 Great TV Shows You Never Knew Were Based on Books
Some of those even turned into modern hit series much more compelling than their original source.
Hollywood works harder than ever in an attempt to catch the audiences’ attention with some fresh ideas brought to small screens, and many of them might not be as original as you’ve always thought.
Sometimes the series’ fame goes way beyond the one that the book it’s based on got at some point, so no wonder why some of ongoing successful shows’ origins remain a mystery.
This, however, might be a good reason to, in case you still haven’t, turn to the book after having it all done with its TV version; some of them might be a surprising and pleasant discovery while others will probably make you come back to the series after all.
Big Little Lies
HBO’s hit criminal drama is based on Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name, and though the book was already quite popular before the show premiered, the latter took the story to another level — and was right to do so.
Moriarty’s book is compelling enough for those who are into all the intrigues that a mysterious murder brings along, but still falls short to how the show ultimately handled it.
In fact, Big Little Lies’s success was so overwhelming it was ultimately (though not officially yet) renewed for a third season, which will pick the story up right where Moriarty’s novel ends.
Pretty Little Liars
Based on the book series of the same name, Pretty Little Liars remains a cultural phenomenon years after its final season, and it’s quite hard to imagine that someone has no idea about the show even without watching it.
It did feature some major changes from Sara Shepard’s books though, filling the storyline with several audacious plot twists, yet it wasn’t a reason serious enough for the show’s fans to give up on it.
Even to new audiences, Pretty Little Liars is a worthy watch that keeps viewers on the hook for 7 seasons straight.
Gossip Girl
More than a decade after the show’s ending, plenty of references to Gossip Girl’s plot keep living on in the modern pop culture, clearly stating that the series was nothing less than a pure cultural phenomenon.
Like many other modern shows, Gossip Girl also had a lot of details from Cecily von Ziegesar’s original book changed, becoming some kind of independent thing on the 2010s’ TV, though it didn’t seem to bother fans in the slightest.
Even with a few controversies regarding the plot and behind-the-scenes scandals, Gossip Girl remains scandalously popular even at the time when it might seem a bit outdated and non-realistic.
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Netflix ’s eerie drama isn’t the streamer’s original idea and is based on Caroline Kepnes’s book series of the same name. It might be right to give credit to Netflix too though.
The story in the books is narrated in the second person, trying to decipher serial killer Joe Goldberg’s most obscure motives; in the show, however, everything is Joe’s own perspective, with Penn Badgley also stepping in as a narrator.
You has so far expanded to 4 seasons and will return to Netflix with a 5th one this April.
The Queen’s Gambit
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Another Netflix-produced hit series with Anya Taylor-Joy in the leading role, The Queen’s Gambit is originally a novel written by Walter Tevis that, despite already being popular, has found a new life with the show’s premiere back in 2020.
Taylor-Joy’s performance and the show as a whole received universal acclaim, especially in regard to the original book which paved the way for those incredibly stressful and compelling chess scenes.