Books that need to be adapted into TV Shows

When I was in university, I wrote an article for my school paper on books that should be adapted into TV shows. One of the books I chose was Lemony  Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events which, a few months later, was picked up by Netflix and became a wonderful adaption of a beloved book series. Am I psychic? Possibly. But it’s more probable that the entertainment industry had just started becoming aware of the potential of book to TV adaptions.

For one thing, it’s easier to pace the story of the source material without having to cut fan-favorite scenes, and it adds the “binge” appeal that people look for when wanting to watch a new show. Since the television adaption of A Series of Unfortunate Events, a number of other books have been adapted to television: The Handmaid’s Tale, Outlander, You, Good Omens, and most recently The Witcher and Little Fires Everywhere.

But as an avid reader, I want more! So here’s a list of five of my favorite books that I would love to see turned into TV shows.

1) The Villains series by V.E. Schwab

I know this series already has Marvel movie appeal, but look at comic-turned-television series like Supergirl and Agents of Shield. There’s definitely a market! The first book in the series, Vicious, follows two cocky and brilliant university roommates Victor and Eli who decide to run an experiment on near death experiences with the belief that people come back from death with new abilities, as extraordinary. Ten years later, Victor has broken out of jail and is looking for Eli, with help from young girl with uncanny abilities like himself

Time jumps and supervillains—what’s not to love from that storyline? I was on the edge of my seat reading the series, and I know putting it to screen would have the same reaction. Everyone loves a villain, and this series is full of them!

2) Sadie by Courtney Summers

This book follows Sadie who, after the murder of her sister, goes on a journey to find her sister’s murderer and bring him to justice. Sadie also follows podcast host West McCray as he investigates Sadie’s journey one year later and tries to find out what happened to her and if he can find her.

Arguably from the plot alone Sadie would make a great podcast, but the audiobook already does an excellent job of that by having a large cast tell the story. I still think this book could be an amazing TV series by following both Sadie and West’s stories. Just swap out the true crime podcast to a documentary, and we’ve got ourselves a show.

3) The Gone series by Michael Grant

I read this series in high school and wanted it to be made into a television show so bad, but that’s not to say the teens of tomorrow can’t get what I couldn’t have. The series follows a group of kids in the beach town of Perdido Beach, when suddenly all the adults disappear. There are no teachers, no parents, no adults at all (and also no phones, internet, or television to tell them what’s going on). In their place is a large dome covering the town that they can’t cross or see through. As the kids try to figure out what’s happening, another threat appears. On your fifteenth birthday, you disappear, too.

The series offers suspense and thrills that teen dramas are accustomed to, as well as supernatural abilities and mystery. The Gone series also seems more than fitting now with the pandemic, as the kids are cut off from the rest of the world. Maybe this adaption could be someone’s quarantine project?

4) Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North

Take Shakespeare’s well-known tragedy of teen lust, combine it with a hilarious choose-your-own-adventure story, and you have Romeo and/or Juliet. I know it seems weird to turn a choose-your-own-adventure book into a television series, but Black Mirror did it with Bandersnatch, and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt did it with the episode Kimmy vs The Reverend. I think it could be a great way to give people a taste of Shakespeare and play with more choose-your-own adventure screening options.

5) A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

I personally don’t think there are enough horror shows. We have a huge market for horror movies but very little for TV shows. The last successful one I can think of was The Haunting of Hill House, which also happens to be an adaption from a book of the same name.

A Head Full of Ghosts would be perfect because it plays with the idea of horror, mental health, and the entertainment industry. The story follows the Barrett family whose fourteen-year-old daughter Marjorie has started showing signs for acute schizophrenia. As Marjorie’s mental health worsens, her home life suffers, and her parents turn to their priest Father Wanderly. He doesn’t believe Marjorie has any health problems and instead believes that she is being possessed by a demon. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism and that the family be part of a documentary series to film the exorcism.

Because the Barrett family struggles to pay for medical bills, they agree to be filmed for the documentary. They find themselves to be the stars of the hit reality show The Possession, when tragedy strikes. Fifteen years later, Marjorie’s younger sister Merry is ready to tell the world what really happened on the set (versus what was shown to the audience at home). A Head Full of Ghosts has a lot of Shirley Jackson vibes and would keep viewers wanting to leave the light on as they binge and try to guess what happens next.

What books do you think would make excellent TV shows? Let’s chat in the comments!