Is everyone as tired of TV reboots as I am?
With so much good material out there, we can do better than yet another remake
Now, picture this: The work week is close to ending. Your boss was moodier than a baby on an aeroplane. Your biggest client changed their brand brief the day before you were about to send them the completed deck, and you had to power through another night of brainstorming fuelled by caffeine and late-night vada pavs that are bound to take a toll on your gut (keep Isabgol handy). But now, the weekend is just a day away, and as you kick off your work shoes and settle down, you’re ready to take in the next big thing to hit the screen. But all you see on Book My Show and OTT platforms are biopics, reboots, and remakes.
We need fresh material, and we’re lucky that writers never fail to disappoint (if anything, we’re disappointing them with our depleting attention spans and increasing disinterest in reading). And we have a plethora of material ripe for the taking.
Take, for instance, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. This gripping YA mystery novel has recently been adapted into a TV show on Netflix, capturing audiences with its thrilling plot and complex characters. The story follows Pip Fitz-Amobi, a high school student who reopens a closed murder case for her senior project, unravelling secrets and lies in her small town. The show has already garnered a strong fan base, proving that fresh, captivating stories are what we crave.
While we appreciate a good dose of nostalgia, we need fresh blood. So, to the entertainment industry worldwide, we offer the following books (and one surprise addition) that need a TV adaptation to shake us out of this reboot rut.
10 books that deserve a TV adaptation
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Chatter about this book being turned into a movie dates back to 2018. Since it’s been five years with nothing to show, I’m going to continue to rally for an adaptation of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s wonderful book.
For the unfamiliar, The Palace of Illusions is a retelling of the Mahabharata with a twist.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandava princes, as she recounts her life and the events leading up to the great Kurukshetra war. Draupadi shares her experiences growing up in a patriarchal society, her marriage to the five Pandava brothers, and her role in the epic tale of power, honour, and destiny.
We get a fresh and feminist perspective on the Mahabharata, delving into the inner thoughts and emotions of Draupadi and giving voice to a character who has often been overshadowed in traditional retellings. We nominate Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make our dreams come true.
Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff
As a New York Times book review called it, this book is a “science-fiction mystery thriller (a trifecta of genres!)”.
Jane Charlotte is arrested for murder, and upon questioning, she shares that she works for an unknown organisation at the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons, also known as Bad Monkeys. Killing bad guys, in short. It’s a short trip to the psychiatric ward after that, where she’s further questioned. Because even if her claim is true, this particular victim wasn’t evil.
Through the interrogation, we learn about Jane’s recruitment into the organisation and the body count she’s racked up along the way.
There are sci-fi guns, assassins in clown costumes and odd timelines, many of which are called out and fact-checked by the doctor interviewing her. It leaves you wondering what’s real and what’s not. Is Charlotte a reliable narrator? Is she playing a different game here, or does she really belong in the psychiatric wing?
I can picture this as a Black Mirror meets Black Widow kind of TV adaptation. What’s not to love?
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Karunatilaka brilliantly blends together magical realism, a warn-torn nation, a whodunnit and a ghost story to give readers a Booker Prize winner.
In the vibrant backdrop of Colombo, circa 1990, Maali Almeida, a war photographer with a taste for gambling and a hidden secret, finds himself waking up in a surreal cosmic immigration office. He has died. His lifeless, dismembered corpse submerged in Beira Lake, with no knowledge of who might have ended his life. With death squads on the prowl and murder-for-hire being a popular profession, the list of possibilities is endless. The vengeful spirits and lingering spectres surrounding Maali can vouch for the countless grudges harboured by those who have crossed over.
Time is of the essence, even in the afterlife. He has seven days, or “seven moons”, to establish contact with the two people he loves most and guide them to the photographs that possess the power to shake the very foundations of Sri Lanka. As he embarks on this ethereal mission, navigating a realm where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur, Maali races against the clock to unravel the truth.
Set Coco (2017) in war-torn Sri Lanka, with an even more serious tone and less singing, and we’ve got a great TV adaptation right here.
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
I need Marti Noxon to do to Invisible Monsters what she did to make her adaption of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects the southern gothic masterpiece it is.
The provocative book by Chuck Palahniuk takes readers into a twisted world of distorted identities and consumer culture.
Our protagonist Shannon McFarland was once a beautiful fashion model. A tragic accident leaves her disfigured and robbed of the ability to speak, causing her life and sense of self to unravel. Stripped of her former existence, Shannon embarks on a tumultuous journey as her path intertwines with that of Brandy Alexander, a captivating transwoman who becomes an unexpected companion in this twisted odyssey.
Palahniuk’s narrative genius weaves a tapestry of nonlinear storytelling, fragments of truth, and disorienting plot twists. Satire and dark humour dance hand in hand as he boldly dissects themes of self-destruction, the illusory pursuit of happiness, and the fierce yearning for individuality in a world driven by appearances.
Take a plunge into the depths of human depravity and the desperate search for authenticity and beauty by peeling back the layers of societal expectations.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
There’s already a Tony award-winning theatrical adaption of Haddon’s book, and the film rights were picked up years ago, so what are we waiting for?
The beloved book revolves around Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We follow Christopher’s investigation into the mysterious death of Wellington, a neighbour’s dog, and the events that unfold as a result.
As he dives deeper into the case, he begins to uncover secrets and unexpected truths about his own family. Along the way, he encounters various challenges and confronts his own fears, pushing the boundaries of his comfort zone. Through his unique perspective and unwavering commitment to logic and order, Christopher navigates a world that often overwhelms him.
Throughout the novel, Christopher’s journey brings him face-to-face with the complexities of human relationships and societal norms. He grapples with his own limitations and learns to navigate the unpredictable terrain of human emotions, all while trying to solve the mystery of Wellington’s death.
Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy
Despite being named one of the greatest works of American literature, people have tried and failed to adapt McCarthy’s book. His other writings, like The Road and No Country For Old Men, on the other hand, have been tremendously successful. While another attempt is being made, according to reports, I won’t hold my breath. What is it about this book that some call it ‘unfilmable’?
Published in 1985, Blood Meridian is an epic saga of violence and moral decay that shattered the traditional Western genre, dismantling the romanticised mythology of the Wild West. With the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s as its backdrop, the narrative shines a spotlight on the brutal realities of America’s past.
Charting the tumultuous journey of ‘the Kid’, a 14-year-old boy from Tennessee, readers are transported into a nightmarish realm where Native Americans are mercilessly slain, and the macabre trade of their scalps thrives. Based on real historical events, this gripping narrative unravels against the backdrop of a lawless and unforgiving landscape.
Perhaps, it is the book’s unflinching portrayal of the human condition in the face of lawlessness that has kept it to just a story on paper rather than on screen. The darker side of humanity can be tough to look at.
Please Look After Mom by Shin Kyung-sook, translated by Chi-young Kim
Bong Joon-ho could make this book-to-TV-adaptation the next Parasite.
The story revolves around the disappearance of a devoted and self-sacrificing mother named Park So-nyo and its impact on her family.
We begin with Park So-nyo’s sudden disappearance in a bustling Seoul subway station. As her family searches for her, they are confronted with the realisation that they know very little about her inner life and the sacrifices she made for them. Each family member grapples with guilt, regret, and a deep longing for her return.
Through multiple narrators, including her husband, daughter, son, and even the mother herself, the story unravels the complex dynamics within the family and their interconnected relationships. Memories, regrets, and suppressed emotions come to the surface as each character reflects on their interactions with the mother and contemplates the depth of her love and sacrifices.
The book empathetically digs into themes of family, identity, sacrifice, and the often-unnoticed labour of motherhood.
I know this isn’t a book, but if video games like The Witcher can be successfully adapted – God of War has been picked up by Amazon as well – then why not Elden Ring?
FromSoftware dropped not one but two Elden Ring live-action trailers, but fans’ excitement was quashed pretty early when they realised that the trailers weren’t hinting at a TV adaptation but just a promotion of the ever-popular video game.
The narrative of the game was already created in collaboration with George RR Martin, who contributed to the game’s world-building and lore. Enlist him to do the TV adaption, hopefully with a better end result than his last endeavour (I will never be over it).
Set in a vast and interconnected open world, Elden Ring presents a dark fantasy universe filled with rich lore, mythical creatures, and epic battles. Players assume the role of a customisable character known as the Tarnished, who embarks on a perilous quest to restore the shattered Elden Ring, a source of immense power and order in the world.
As players traverse the immersive landscape, they encounter diverse environments, ranging from lush forests and sprawling castles to desolate dungeons and forbidding mountains. The world is inhabited by various factions, kingdoms, and powerful beings, each with their own ambitions, conflicts, and stories to unravel. There is just so much to work with in what could be an epic TV adaptation over multiple seasons. HBO, where are you?
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