You may not realize it, but most of your favorite actors have starred in at least one TV series adapted from a book. In recent years, Book-to-TV adaptations have surged in popularity, thanks to the rise of mini-series across major streaming platforms like HBO, Apple TV+, Netflix, Hulu, and more. As an avid book reader and lover, I take adaptations very personally. I don’t mean to, but when you’ve imagined every detail, every quirk of a character, it’s hard to let it go. From the color of their nails, to how they walk, to even aligning them with actors in my own head (I wouldn’t call myself a casting director, but my choices are spot-on!). Once this story hits the screen, my vision is replaced by that of the producers, showrunners, and actors. Sometimes it works, and sometimes… not so much. This is my list of my favorite Book-to-TV adaptations of the 20th century.
Of course, there are many that didn’t make the cut (sorry, not sorry!).
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty, this show took HBO by storm,. Big Little Lies” weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers — Madeline, Celeste and Jane — the series’ narrative explores society’s myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent “mothers of Monterey.”
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern
Normal People (Hulu)
Normal People was Sally Rooney’s 2nd novel (becoming a bestseller), but first TV adaptation. Adapted into a miniseries by Hulu, this show centers around Marianne and Connell who grow up in the same small town in Ireland. It chronicles their journey from high school to adulthood as they explore their relationship with each other and themselves. Touching, heartfelt, and unbelievably real.
Starring: Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar Jones
Shōgun (Hulu)
Shōgun is a historical drama television series based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell. Though this isn’t the first adaptation (previously adapted in 1980), it is the most notable – with the help of Hulu bringing this series to the forefront. The show is set in Japan in the 1600s. A European ship settles in a nearby village, with it’s navigator (John Blackwell) setting off a warfare in local politics and increasing cultural tensions. Lord Yoshii Toranaga, alongside a noblewoman (Lady Mariko) vies for control of the country while navigating a treacherous political landscape.
Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis
Presumed Innocent (HBO)
Apple TV+ gives a stunning take on this 1987 novel by Scott Turow. The first adaptation was a film in 1990 starring Harrison Ford. This take is a minseries with a twist that differs from the book and first film adaptation. In the legal thriller, murder upends the Chicago prosecuting attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. This series challenges not only the characters, but the viewers as we’re left with a twist no one saw coming.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Peter Sarsgaard, Renate Reinsve
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
Reese Witherspoon strikes again. This Hulu series was first brought to my world by being a Resee’s Book Club pick of the month. Originally written by Celeste Ng, this Hulu adaptation follows the lives of the picture-perfect Richardson family in Shaer Heights, Ohio in the 1990s. An enigmatic mother and daughter come into town and upend their lives forever.
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington
The Undoing (HBO)
Nicole Kidman has a nack for characters that are always in the middle of a of a familial crisis. The Undoing is psychological thriller television miniseries on HBO based on the 2014 novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The husband of Grace Fraser (a wealthy therapist) becomes the prime suspect in a brutal murder. Their seemingly-perfect lives unravel in the midst of an elite New York.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant
Forever (Netflix)
The once-controversial book by Judy Bloom was reinvented through the eyes of Mara Brock Akil over a Netflix. These two childhood friends reunite as teenagers and fall deeply in love. They experience the joys, disappointments, and growth of a first romance.
Starring: Lovie Simone, Michael Cooper Jr., Karen Pittman, Wood Harris, Xosha Roquemore
Lessons In Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, Brie Larson portrays a scientist in the 1950s when women are expected to stay within the domestic sphere. She accepts a job on a cooking show that catapults her to stardom by her unconventional ways around the kitchen all while navigating love, motherhood, and societal expectations of a woman.
Starring: Brie Larson, Aja Naomi King, Lewis Pullman
The Perfect Couple (Netflix)
Netflix’s The Perfect Couple is an American mystery drama miniseries based on Elin Hilderbrand‘s 2018 novel of the same name. When a lavish wedding out in Nantucket strikes a tragedy, the local police must work to find out the suspect within one of the wealthiest families on the island. With ensemble cast and incredible visuals, this series shows why murder-mysteries and thrillers will always pair well.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning, Liev Schreiber, Meghann Fahy
The Better Sister (Prime Video)
Jessica Biel + Elizabeth Banks star as sisters in this gripping thriller by Amazon Prime. It’s based on the 2019 novel by Alafair Burke. The store follows Chloe, a high-profile digital media executive, who lives a picture-perfect life with her family. When her husband is murdered these two sisters reunite which brings more complicated history and past amongst this dark tragedy while fighting off suspicion from the local police.
Starring: Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Banks
