As a lifelong bookworm, it's saddened me to see the popularity of reading decline during my life as people gain access to other, more convenient forms of entertainment.Sure, there's been a bit of a revival thanks to the "BookTok" phenomenon, but by and large the average person would rather open the Netflix app than crack open a book.Ironically, the people at Netflix seem to be reading , because so many of the streaming service's popular shows are adaptations of books.
Some of which are pretty obscure.While not every one of these will surprise you all, I'm sure you had no idea that some of these shows started as actual books and not a spec script written by a Millennial or Gen-Z in a coffee shop.The Queen’s Gambit In addition to being a massive bookworm who read around 150 books a year when I was younger, it probably comes as no shock that I was the chess team captain for most of my school career, before being knocked from that position by someone better.
What's surprising to me is that I didn't know about the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, who I knew through his excellent science fiction story which was the basis for the movie starring David Bowie and happens to be a favorite of mine.The Netflix adaptation has been explosively popular and critically acclaimed, while also starting a "global chess revival," according to Chess.com.It's one of those rare cases where an adaptation of a book is much better known than the source material.
Though, of course, now everyone would be happy if you also bought the book with its bold Netflix sticker on the cover.The Queen's Gambit Sport Drama Release Date 2020 - 2020-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Cast Anya Taylor-Joy, Moses Ingram, Marcin Dorocinski, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Rebecca Root, Christiane Seidel, Harry Melling, Patrick Kennedy, Bill Camp, Isla Johnston, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Chloe Pirrie, Marielle Heller Showrunner Scott Frank Directors Scott Frank Writers Scott Frank Seasons 1 Story By scott frank Streaming Service(s) Netflix Powered by Expand Collapse You The story of a sociopathic stalker who uses technology to follow and interfere with the life of a woman he meets in a bookstore feels like it was scripted perfectly for the present day, but back in 2014, when the book by Caroline Kepnes was published, it still seemed like something from and not an imminent reality.The book was lauded for being unsettling, and the TV series wisely keeps the narration style and framing of the book to great effect.
You'll also be happy to know that, in addition to the first book, , it has two sequels: and You TV-MA Drama Romance Thriller Release Date 2018 - 2025-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY Network Lifetime, Netflix Cast Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Annie Aldington, Nicole Kang, Lewis Goody, Sophie Birnie Smith, Victoria Pedretti, Saffron Burrows, Tati Gabrielle, Charlotte Ritchie, Dylan Arnold, Shalita Grant, Tilly Keeper, Travis Van Winkle, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Luca Padovan, Ed Speleers, Lukas Gage, Ambyr Childers, Zach Cherry, Jenna Ortega, Carmela Zumbado, James Scully, Shay Mitchell, Madeline Brewer Showrunner Sera Gamble, Greg Berlanti Directors Marcos Siega, Lee Toland Krieger, Cherie Nowlan, DeMane Davis, Kellie Cyrus, Marta Cunningham, Martha Mitchell, Victoria Mahoney, Erin Feeley Writers Justin W.Lo Main Genre Drama Producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Sera Gamble, April Blair, Leslie Morgenstein, Gina Girolamo, Neil Reynolds Seasons 5 Cinematographer W.Mott Hupfel, David Lanzenber, Cort Fey, Seamus Tierney Story By Caroline Kepnes Streaming Service(s) Netflix Powered by Expand Collapse Orange Is the New Black is almost as synonymous with Netflix Originals as but not only is the show based on a book, is a memoir by Piper Kerman detailing her 13 months in a women's prison.
However, don't expect to find the same story in that book you saw on screen.The TV show is heavily dramatized and rather loosely inspired by the source material.Which in a way makes the book even more worth reading, don't you think? Orange is The New Black TV-MA Comedy Drama Crime Release Date 2013 - 2019-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY Cast Taylor Schilling, Dascha Polanco, Natasha Lyonne, Samira Wiley, Kate Mulgrew, Danielle Brooks, Michael Harney, Uzo Aduba, Jason Biggs, Laura Prepon Showrunner Jenji Kohan Writers Jenji Kohan, Piper Kerman Seasons 7 Story By Piper Kerman Streaming Service(s) Netflix Powered by Expand Collapse The Witcher A lot of you reading this right now are probably saying, "Who doesn't know is based on a book series?" but I'm willing to bet that, like me, you only know about Andrzej Sapkowski's books because of the excellent series of video games by CD Projekt RED.
The original PC-only installment is one of my favorite games of all time, and that was what put me on to the books.Arguably, the TV series would never have existed were it not for the PR work the games did, but you can easily buy the books now in multiple formats and enjoy this truly unique fantasy world authored by perhaps the world's leading curmudgeon.The Witcher TV-MA Drama Action Fantasy Adventure Release Date December 20, 2019 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Network Netflix Cast Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Eamon Farren, Mimî M.
Khayisa, MyAnna Buring, Joey Batey, Anna Shaffer, Wilson Mbomio, Mecia Simson, Tom Canton, Mahesh Jadu, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Liam Hemsworth, Martin Angerbauer, Leigh Gill, Freddie Stabb, Adam Levy, Graham McTavish, Cassie Clare, Hugh Skinner, Kim Bodnia, Packy Lee, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Atanáz Babinchak Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Directors Stephen Surjik, Charlotte Brändström, Edward Bazalgette, Loni Peristere, Louise Hooper, Bola Ogun, Alex Garcia Lopez, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah O'Gorman Writers Haily Hall, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jenny Klein, Tania Lotia Franchise(s) The Witcher Main Genre Fantasy Producers Beau DeMayo Seasons 4 Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Alik Sakharov, Jarosław Sawko, Jason F.Brown, Karol Żbikowski, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Matthew O'Toole, Mike Otrowski, Piotr Sikora, Sean Daniel, Simon Emanuel, Steve Gaub, Tomek Bagiński Powered by Expand Collapse Mindhunter The sadly now-canceled is one of the best historical crime dramas in history, if you ask me.With chilling portrayals of serial killers by extremely talented actors, the show is a tense and fascinating dramatization of the book of the same name, a nonfiction chronicle of this pivotal time in forensic criminology.
Mindhunter TV-MA Drama Crime Thriller Release Date 2017 - 2019 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Network Netflix Cast Holt McCallany, Munro M.Bonnell, Jonathan Groff, Hannah Gross, Anna Torv, Stacey Roca, Cotter Smith, Joe Tuttle, David H.Holmes, Julia Crockett, Jordan Gelber, Thomas Philip O'Neill, Lee Sellars, Joanna Lowe, Carter Bratton, Jordan Kantola, Zach Steffey, Leighton Samuels, Chris James Boylan, Felix Solis, Tommy Nohilly, Greg Lang, Peter Murnik, Judith Delgado, Andrew Sensenig, Sonny Valicenti, Zachary Scott Ross Showrunner Joe Penhall Directors David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Dominik, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias Lindholm Writers Joe Penhall, Jennifer Haley, Joshua Donen, Courtenay Miles, Carly Wray, Pamela Cederquist Creator(s) Joe Penhall Producers Jim Davidson, Mark Winemaker, Liz Hannah Seasons 2 Story By Joshua Donen, Josh Douglas, Mark Olshaker, Courtenay Miles Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Beth Kono, Ceán Chaffin, Charlize Theron, Courtenay Miles, David Fincher, Jennifer Erwin, Joe Penhall, Joshua Donen Powered by Expand Collapse Bridgerton Known perhaps equally for its creative and diverse casting choices and pop-retro historical style, feels like it's cut from the same cloth as , but the truth is that the series is an adaptation of an 8-part book series that began in the year 2000.
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The book series does not have a trace of the ethnic diversity as seen in the show, but otherwise the twisting plots and breathless romance are all present and correct.If you want to know what's (probably) going to happen in future seasons, you can read all the juicy details for less than $70.Bridgerton TV-MA Drama Romance Release Date December 22, 2020 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Network Netflix Cast Luke Thompson, Ruth Gemmell, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Polly Walker, Florence Hunt, Will Tilston, Julie Andrews, Bessie Carter, Jonathan Bailey, Jamie Beamish, Regé-Jean Page, Luke Newton, Yerin Ha, Adjoa Andoh, Hannah Dodd, Charithra Chandran, Jessica Madsen, Shelley Conn, Golda Rosheuvel, Harriet Cains, Martins Imhangbe, Emma Naomi, Ben Miller, Rupert Young, Molly McGlynn Directors Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson Writers Abby McDonald, Sarah L.
Thompson, Daniel Robinson, Oliver Goldstick, Leila Cohan-Miccio, Azia Squire, Sarah Dollard, Eli Wilson Pelton, Janet Lin Main Genre Drama Creator(s) Chris Van Dusen Producers Sarada McDermott Seasons 4 Creator Chris Van Dusen Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Shonda Rhimes, Chris Van Dusen, Betsy Beers, Scott Collins, Jess Brownell, Tom Verica Powered by Expand Collapse Books will undoubtedly keep serving as an endless source of material for TV adaptations, and there are some books I really want to get an adaptation of, in case any Netflix executives are reading this.While I wait for my wishlist to make it to their desks, I'll keep busy by spoiling these adapted shows and movies on purpose, just by reading some good old-fashioned books.
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