5 TV Shows That Nailed the Book to Show Adaptation & 5 That Flubbed It

5 TV Shows That Nailed the Book to Show Adaptation and 5 That Flubbed It

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re comparing books that made for great TV shows and ones that didn’t quite stick the landing. There are some spoilers here, so tread carefully.

#5: Nailed It: “Big Little Lies” (2017-)

Co-executive producers and co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman snapped up the rights to Liane Moriarty’s novel soon after it was published. Transplanting the story from Australia to Monterey, California, HBO’s “Big Little Lies” is a murder mystery that takes place among the cutthroat world of a renowned elementary school. The novel and the series share the same strengths. They both work backwards to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death of one of its characters, whose identity isn’t revealed until the climax. The makers also nailed the original story’s balance of humor with deadly serious topics. While its second season seemed to show there was little story left to tell, the first remains a near-flawless season of appointment television.

#5: Flubbed It: “Hemlock Grove” (2013-15)

Original author Brian McGreevy had a hand in bringing his own story to life for Netflix. This Pennsylvania-set horror thriller includes a whole host of supernatural creatures amid the murder mystery at its center. “Hemlock Grove” is kind of a lot. The show throws every gothic monster trope at the wall to see what sticks, and judging from the critical response, not much did. Initial reviews were mixed at best, but many critics felt it was unfocused and messy without much payoff. Despite the series’ promisingly high viewership when it first premiered, “Hemlock Grove” didn’t improve quality-wise - and some would even argue got worse - as the seasons progressed.

#4: Nailed It: “Normal People” (2020)

Author Sally Rooney’s novel, “Normal People,” is about the romance between two teenagers that follows them into young adulthood. The Irish miniseries follows Connell and Marianne as they first fall in love, as two teens from different worlds, and we watch every beautiful and heartbreaking turn in their road. But its release early in the COVID-19 pandemic made its story of the couple struggling to keep contact over space and time especially poignant. “Normal People” also helped launch the careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Like the book, the miniseries isn’t overly-sentimental. It makes you sit in the real human moments these two have, whether they’re sweet or ugly.

#4: Flubbed It: “Under the Dome” (2013-15)

One thing remains consistent about Stephen King adaptations through the years: there are just as many great ones as there are stinkers. This three-seasoner sits squarely in the stinker category. When the town of Chester’s Mill is enclosed in a dome and cut off from the rest of the world, characters on both sides of the barrier work to figure out what it is and where it came from. The first season got decent reviews, but as soon as the second season came around, its cyclical storytelling began to wear on viewers. By the end, many felt that it had wasted its potential and the suspension of disbelief around its entire concept.

#3: Nailed It: “Sharp Objects” (2018)

Midwestern nice turns poisonous in this small town mystery. In her debut novel, Gillian Flynn, writer of “Gone Girl,” turned her pen to toxic mother-daughter relationships. The HBO miniseries expands upon her novel without taking away from its honest and brutal handling of trauma, secrets, and shame. Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson do career-best work as a journalist investigating a murder, and her overbearing, emotionally destructive mother, who sabotages her at every opportunity. “Sharp Objects” never lets you relax. There’s something evil and ugly behind every corner. Even conversations between characters are filled with danger.

#3: Flubbed It: “Game of Thrones” (2011-19)

Few shows had as much anticipation and acclaim going into its last few seasons as the HBO adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy, “Game of Thrones.” From the moment it premiered, it was true appointment television. And yet, despite several seasons of good writing and strong characterization, the conclusion left many fans furious. Critics felt that as the series began moving past the published books, the plot became less focused on the characters and more dependent on spectacle. But the rushed storylines of its final season were the final straw. Daenerys Targaryen’s inevitable descent into madness and the bewildering choice to make Bran Stark the new king felt unearned, alienating fans and tarnishing a stellar legacy.

#2: Nailed It: “The Leftovers” (2014-17)

Here, we have the somewhat apocalyptic series about what happens after 2% of the world’s population vanishes without warning. Those left behind either form cults or try to resume life as normal. Based on a novel by Tom Perrotta, “The Leftovers” didn’t start off with as glowing a reputation as it would end up earning. The first season was admired, but criticized for its somber tone. However, its quality only got better with each successive season. By the end of its brilliant third and final year, some TV critics were touting it as one of the greatest series ever.

#2: Flubbed It: “The Stand” (2020-21)

Maybe releasing an epic about a deadly pandemic was not the move in 2020. Or, maybe it just wasn’t that good. Paramount+’s miniseries based on the Stephen King epic, “The Stand,” had some good moments, but it was largely overblown and underwhelming. A far-reaching story about a deadly global pandemic and a humanity-defining battle between good and evil shouldn’t leave its audiences shrugging. While it wasn’t a disaster, given how incredible the book is, just okay isn’t okay. “The Stand” had a cast that included such heavy hitters as James Marden, Alexander Skarsgård, and Whoopi Goldberg, but it left them all with not much to do. The 1994 miniseries might be a bit dated, but it does the book more justice.

#1: Nailed It: “Watchmen” (2019)

Showrunner Damon Lindelof considered his HBO limited series a remix, rather than an adaptation of the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Set within the continuity of “Watchmen,” the series acts as both an adaptation and sequel to the story. Starring Regina King as Sister Night, its expansive and groundbreaking storytelling reignited interest in the legendary source material. It fused American history with the alternate history of the original book, shining a light on the largely forgotten Tulsa race massacre of 1921. But apart from all that, it was just a masterful series in its own right.

#1: Flubbed It: “13 Reasons Why” (2017-20)

Skepticism and downright hostility surrounded the Netflix adaptation of this already controversial young adult novel. Told from the point of view of Hannah Baker, a high schooler who takes her own life, it got heavy fast and never let up. But the first season was at least well-made and had a purpose. Once Hannah was no longer the focal point, and it became about the people left behind, the show started spinning its wheels. Salacious storylines and traumatic events were chucked at viewers at an alarming rate. While it started out as a bleak but somewhat grounded show about a sensitive topic, the show continued to paw at disturbing subjects without giving them much depth.

What book would you like to see made into a TV series? Tell us in the comments.