Unless you live on a secluded island or Amish country, adapting novels into movies isn’t a new concept to you.
It has become one of the most common formulas for making movies and TV shows.
From Netflix to Amazon, everyone wants a piece of the pie.
While not every project is a success, viewers have seen some successful franchises thrive through this approach.
The Harry Potter films, The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, Fifty Shades of Grey, and even the Bridget Jones films come to mind.
It’s not just the big screen. The television world saw this opportunity, churning out shows like “The Vampire Diaries,” “Game of Thrones,” “Percy Jackson” and “The Witcher.”
Our current state of adaptations probably owes a lot to the 1697 classic Cinderella. In 1950, this fairy tale became the first book to be made into a movie.
While streaming services have been the biggest adaptors, some apps have gone too far.
Over the past five years, more than 50% of Apple TV+ shows have been adapted from novels.
Apple TV+ won’t exclude kids because they don’t have a credit card
Because fiction encompasses so many genres, the medium has been a shortcut to stories for all ages for years.
So it’s no surprise that streaming giants like Apple TV+ are opting for children’s books for families and younger audiences.
While kids aren’t exactly signing up for streaming services, kids can be a huge motivator for parents. Who doesn’t love family TV night?
First up is Amber Brown, an adaptation of Paula Danziger’s 1990s book series.
The series follows Amber Brown, a multiracial girl, as she navigates the typical pitfalls of growing up while dealing with her parents’ divorce. This is heavy stuff for kids.
and “Surfside Girls,” adapted from Kim Dwinell’s graphic novel.
The Apple TV+ series follows best friends Jed and Sam as they encounter a ghost who tells them about a pirate ship and a curse surrounding a hidden treasure in Surfside.
They may be shows aimed at kids, but Apple TV+ knows how to pick up some exciting stories for kids.
Comedy is a genre that thrives as it moves from the page to the screen
Still, the streamer’s adult-oriented catalog far outweighs its catalog for younger viewers.
If there’s one thing that everyone on the planet can agree on, it’s that one of the best feelings is laughter.
Comedy can be difficult to convey in the written word because tone can be difficult to nail down.
However, when an author gets it right, the humor often transforms and amplifies when the novel is adapted for the small or big screen.
Film and TV creators can flesh out their projects and enhance their stories with a wealth of visual elements and components.
If you’ve seen “Palm Royale,” starring Kristen Wigg and based on the book “American Pie” by Juliet McDaniel, then you’ve You will know that the use of color is very helpful in telling stories.
Even “Bad Monkeys,” Vince Vaughn’s TV adaptation of Carl Hiasson’s novel of the same name, made sure the physical comedy and visual humor matched the book’s quirkiness.
Adapting novels for the screen is also a great way to bridge language barriers.
“In the Land of Women,” starring Eva Longoria, is based on Sandra Barneda’s novel of the same name, but in Spanish, balancing between English and the characters’ native languages.
There are many interesting books on Apple TV+, including The Doorstep, based on MO Walsh’s novel of the same name.
But these children’s shows and comedies aren’t why we’re worried about Apple TV+’s obsession with adaptations.
Apple TV+ is the origin and instigator of this drama
Have you ever heard the saying, “All good things come hard”? Well, the same goes for any TV or movie genre. Apple TV+ seems to have its share of as many dramatic stories as possible.
Most of the streamer’s series are dramas, and most of the shows are based on novels.
Let me clarify, every streaming app develops stories from books, be it literary or graphic.
However, Apple TV+ seems to specialize in adaptations, at least for the past five years, with more to come.
Nonetheless, it has to be said that the stories chosen by the top brass provide an exceptional level of entertainment.
Especially when the drama is introduced with a comedic flair, a deeply dark tone, or science fiction that makes you question reality.
Rashida Jones’ sci-fi drama It’s Always Sunny, adapted from Colin O’Sullivan’s The Dark Handbook, is a whirlwind of comedy, drama and action-thriller.
In fact, Apple TV+ makes sense. Although the app plays show after show, each project always has a huge name attached to it.
Take “The Lady in the Lake,” an adaptation of Laura Lippman’s 2015 novel of the same name.
Natalie Portman stars as a Jewish woman who gives up her life to pursue her dream of becoming an investigative reporter after a local woman is found dead in a lake.
If you love visual fever dreams, acting masterclasses, and incredible stories, then this is the career-defining series for you.
It’s not just that show, it’s a series based on one book after another of the same name. It’s a long list.
“Defending Jacob”, “The Mosquito Coast”, “Lise’s Story”, “Foundation”, “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”, “Pinball”, “Shining Girl”, “Ai Sykes”, “Memorial Day”, “Santaram”, “The Last Thing He Told Me”, “The Silo”, “City on Fire”, “Shapeshifters”, Chemistry Course , Pirates , Air Master and Dark Matter .
Wow!
Of course, we have to include a disclaimer for the upcoming Cate Blanchett series about a journalist who finds herself the protagonist of a novel that reveals dark secrets from her past.
Just when you thought Apple TV+ couldn’t get any better, it updates its library cards to offer even more exciting adaptations starring heavyweight Hollywood stars
Wait, you thought we weren’t done yet, did you? Oh, dear readers, we have good reason to worry about Apple TV+’s use of adapted content.
That said, there are some shows that make us understand why the streamers are so enthusiastic about bringing novels to the screen.
For one thing, that’s how we created the amazing series The Morning Show, based on Brian Selter’s 2013 book The Morning Show: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning Television.
Remember what I said about star power? “The Morning Show” has not one, but two heavyweight Hollywood stars.
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon star as contrasting reporters who come to the news desk with their own baggage and problems.
Apple TV+ continues to deliver award-winning programming. While some content doesn’t always hit the mark, streaming services are constantly adapting.
These include “Tell the Truth,” “Slow Horse,” “Roar,” “Blackbird,” “Crowded Room,” “Manhunt,” “Franklin” and “Presumed Innocent.”
So whether Apple TV+ is obsessed with adapting novels into TV series or has just found a foolproof formula is anyone’s guess.
To be sure, though, the streaming giant has been making waves in the premium TV space, so there could be a correlation.
Either way, you can trust me to be glued to the TV screen to watch every perfectly packaged item Apple TV+ throws at TV Fanatic.
Which of the many adaptations of this streamer have you seen?
Will you be watching Cate Blanchett’s new miniseries Disclaimer?
Let us know in the comments below, and join us again as we review all of your favorite new and returning Apple TV+ shows!
