Top Ten Tuesday

TTT – Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books

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Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

It’s already the last Tuesday in March, and it definitely feels like it. The weather is all over the place to the point where I’m never sure what it’s going to be like outside at any moment in time. I just need to leave the house with a ton of layers, from a tank top to a scarf, gloves, and winter coat. But I’m looking forward to discussing some of my favorite Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books, and the topic was submitted by Sabrina @ Notes From a Paper Plane Nomad. 

I honestly don’t watch a lot of television or movies, so don’t be surprised if some of these aren’t the most current of choices. I’m sure you’ll understand, because I spend a lot of my time reading. 🤣 Here’s what I was able to come up with for this week:

  1. Grey’s Anatomy. Hear me out on this one—imagine how awesome it would be to read this as a series? It could go in so many directions—a romance series where each character finds their own HEA, a cool medical mystery series where we follow brilliant surgeons to solve mysteries or solve crimes or find an innovative cure for an unusual or difficult medication issue, or even told as contemporary fiction through the eyes of a resident as they travel through the ranks to surgeon and brilliant researcher.
  2. Rescue Me. This series is an older one, and there was so much to love. Denis Leary’s irreverent humor, a bunch of rowdy NYC firefighters, the main character’s ongoing struggles with alcoholism and poor, self-destructive choices, and the gripping emotional rollercoaster between laughter, pain, grief, and loss in a post-9/11 NYC feels like the kind of story that’s made for a book.
  3. Fargo. I really liked the original movie, and I recently completed a full watch of all the episodes of the TV show, and find that both of them are good in different ways. I loved the vibe of the original movie, and adored the show, although some seasons appealed to me much more than others. I would have loved to see what this would have looked like as a book.
  4. Homeland. Another TV show series that I’ve watched multiple times, and love it more every time I watch. But, I can’t help but think how much more awesome it would have been if it was a book and I could have imagined it in my head. Except Claire Danes—I couldn’t possibly have imagined a better Carrie than her.
  5. Queen Sugar. If you’ve seen this show, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you’re doing yourself a serious disservice, and should go watch it immediately. And as usual, I always wonder about how it would be if it was a book or series.
  6. Quantico. I love reading police (or other type of law enforcement agency) procedurals, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I indulge in watching at least one. And as much as I loved watching Priyanka Chopra act in this show, I also think it has potential as the kind of book I wouldn’t be able to put down.
  7. My So-Called Life. I am definitely showing my age here, but I loved this show so incredibly much, and felt seen by a show that felt more realistic than anything else that was on the air at the time. I would have loved if there were books like this out there during my teen years.
  8. Weeds. This show was a cultural phenomenon when it was on the air, and I loved watching it, although things got seriously out of hand towards the end. However, I still enjoyed it, and would still enjoy reading about the suburban mom who winds up selling weed to maintain her lifestyle and keep her kids from finding out their real circumstances.
  9. Nip/Tuck. I remember being obsessed with this over-the-top show about shallow, rich patients at a Miami plastic surgery clinic where the two doctor partners who own the practice find themselves quickly in over their heads. This would be the perfect horror lite series with plenty of gore and gratuitous sex.
  10. Déjà Vu. Funny enough, while I don’t watch a lot of movies, most of the ones that I actually do watch, are the same ones over and over. And this is one of my favorites because I always pick up on something new every time, and it’s just such a good one. If the movie is this good, imagine how great the book could be! 

What are some movies or TV shows that you think would make good books? Would you read any of these?

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35 replies »

  1. I think I watched an episode or two of Quantico when it was new, but didn’t keep up with it. But it might be a good one to binge next time I’m all caught up on more of my favorite current TV shows. 🙂

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    • I remember Quantico getting really busy really fast, which I think is what could make it work really well as a book. And it definitely made more sense watching it a second time and binge watching.

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    • It was revolutionary when it was on, and I remember how excited I was to see a show that really reflected what life was like for teenagers, and then it was crushing to know that it was cancelled so quickly.

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  9. I loved My So Called Life. Jordan Catalano…dreamy!!! I was 13 going on 14 when this show aired. I was the target audience. A girl just starting hs trying to figure out who I was. Loved that show so much!!! It would make for a great YA series. 😀

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    • That series defined a whole generation of teenagers! He was the dream, but I was so jealous of Angela’s bright red hair when I was forbidden from coloring mine at all – so I settled for Sun-In 🤣 But it was the first thing that I can ever really remember seeing that was specifically geared towards teenagers at that stage of figuring out who we were, and it was great. I did a rewatch recently, which was also great!

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    • Yes! There’s so many books that are turned into movies, but it was so interesting to look at it from the other point of view. I bet you’ll be looking at TV shows and movies a little differently for a while!

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  15. Love this list! Turning ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ into a book series really caught my eye – the potential depth in character development and intricate medical plots could be fascinating in written form. Which of these shows do you think would best capture the original’s essence in a book? Or do any of these picks have the potential to even surpass their screen versions when adapted into novels?

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    • Thank you so much! I really enjoyed coming up with ideas for this topic.

      I think that most well-done books have the potential to fully capture the essence of a television show, while also improving upon the screen versions because it allows for greater depth of character development and longer time with the plot.

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