Month: July 2021

These days, it seems like every popular book series is getting a chance to shine on the small screen.

But with so many adaptations, there are bound to be some that fail to reach audience expectations. Some adaptations are just so terrible that we like to pretend they never existed.

However, with the news that Disney+ is officially rebooting the Percy Jackson books as television series, and Netflix’s successful reboot of A Series of Unfortunate Events, we cannot help but think about other TV adaptations that deserve a second chance, too. Here are a few book-to-TV adaptations we think deserve another shot on television!

1. Pretty Little Liars

It is no surprise that Pretty Little Liars is the first show on our list. While we cannot imagine another cast as our beloved liars, the show quickly became a complete disaster, proving it deserves a second shot.

For one, the show whitewashed both Wren and Hanna — Wren Kingston is actually Wren Kim, an Anglo-Korean doctor. As for Hanna, she is Jewish in the books — a critical factor of her identity that the show failed to include.

Emily Fields also suffered from an identity change. In the books, she eventually realizes that while she may prefer girls, she is still attracted to boys. She said that gender is not a factor, implying that she is either unlabelled or pansexual.

While lesbian representation is important, no queer representation should come at another variant’s expense. There is already minimal LGBTQ+ representation on television, to begin with, so this was not a good move for the show to make.

Other than marginalized identities, Pretty Little Liars also butchered critical storylines and relationships.

Spencer ended up with Toby Cavanaugh, who, in the books, sexually abused his step-sister, Jenna. The show reversed that storyline, but regardless, Toby joined the A Team on Pretty Little Liars Season 3.

Aria ended up with Ezra Fitz, her high school English teacher. She was sixteen when they started their tumultuous, on-and-off relationship. They always had an imbalanced dynamic, with Ezra holding power. And the show made their relationship so much worse when we learn that he stalked Aria, Alison, and their friends just for his book.

These relationships are toxic, and it was disappointing to see them end up together. Both Spencer and Aria’s endgames in the books are much more realistic.

Spencer ended up with Wren, but they only started dating once she was eighteen. Aria ended up with Noel, who was never the creep the show made him out to be.

Aria and Noel were lovely together. They employed many iconic tropes — including high school sweethearts, I can’t believe a guy like you would notice me, new old flame, opposites attract, single girl seeks most popular guy, true love is exceptional, and will they or won’t they, just to name a few.

Even the mystery of A and Alison DiLaurentis fell flat. No foreshadowing or subtle hints led up to Charlotte or Alex. The books cleverly foreshadowed the mystery, embedding little clues up until the big reveal, which made it so satisfying and mind-blowing at the same time.

To sum it up, Pretty Little Liars as a TV show messed up big time. It would be wonderful to see a reboot of this series that follows the books much more closely without turning into a complete disaster.

2. Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl actually has a reboot that is about to premiere, but the new show will be with an entirely different cast of characters. We would love a reboot with the original characters that would follow the book series more accurately.

That would involve primarily focusing on the iconic love triangle between Blair, Nate, and Serena, as well as Dan and Vanessa’s friends-to-lovers romance.

Furthermore, unlike the current reboot, a TV adaptation that faithfully follows the books would not involve class consciousness. Despite the faults the original Gossip Girl had, it got one thing right — the purpose.

The point of Gossip Girl has always been about making fun of wealthy teenagers and their “rich people problems” while remaining completely unaware of the real world. So, we were highly skeptical when the showrunner of the reboot said they planned to provide commentary on the privilege these characters hold.

We are unsure of how we feel about the new reboot, but we can only hope for the best.

3. Anne With an E

To be clear, Anne With an E was not a bad adaptation of the beloved classic Anne of Green Gables. It was a great adaptation — but one that got canceled way before its time.

Despite fans rallying to save the show, Netflix did not budge, and the show remains canceled. 

Anne With an E deserves a reboot to finish telling the story properly, give the characters and relationships closure, and tie up loose ends.

4. Shadowhunters

As far as adaptations go, Shadowhunters falls somewhere in the middle.

But fans generally agree that the show’s interpretation of Jace Herondale was just so wildly out of character.

In the books, Jace is sarcastic, funny, and closed-off. It takes him a long time to become emotionally vulnerable, which he only does around Clary or Alec. The TV adaptation simply forgot about his humor, and he was way too vulnerable for our liking.

While his character somewhat improved along the way, there are still too many cringe-worthy moments that simply do not do Jace justice.

Shadowhunters had other changes that were not for the better. One of those changes includes the romance between Clary and Simon.

Sure, they also dated in the books, but it was not that serious. Clary spent their entire romance wishing that she could be with Jace. While Simon had feelings for her, it seemed that he was more in love with the idea of being with her rather than the real thing.

We also hated that Jocelyn died — something that never happened in the books.

After her death, Luke and Maryse developed a romantic relationship further down the line, which is just creepy, considering Maryse is Jace’s adoptive mom, and Luke is the closest thing Clary ever had to a father. He arguably is her adoptive father. And Clary and Jace end up together. Yikes.

Furthermore, the ending of the show is just terrible. The way the writers end Clary’s arc illustrates how they always lacked a fundamental understanding of her character.

We still appreciate moments that never occurred in the books, such as Jace and Imogen meeting face-to-face once he knows she is his grandmother, Clary’s corruption arc, and Simon and Isabelle’s sweetly ridiculous pinky swear pact.

But overall, Shadowhunters simply made too many mistakes to be a decent adaptation. The books deserve a second chance. 

5. The 100

From The 100 Season 1 Episode 1, this show has ventured in a wildly different path from the books. This path had its pros and cons, but ultimately, what makes this show deserving of a reboot is a chance to tell Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake’s story properly.

Clarke and Bellamy’s relationship is so complex that there are a million different ways to tell it. Several pivotal moments throughout the show could have transitioned their partnership into romance. They even have their epic canon romance in the books themselves.

But despite the many opportunities the show had, Bellamy and Clarke did not end up together. Clarke shot Bellamy on The 100 Season 7 Episode 13 — an anticlimatic ending for the show’s most popular and beloved couple.

Bellamy and Clarke’s relationship is exceptional in any universe; we see that in the books and on the show. They deserve a real shot at romance on the small screen.

We are not expecting a reboot any time soon, but they will always have a special place in our hearts.

6. Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones has generally been considered a good adaptation, and for the most part, it is. However, there seems to be a consensus that Game of Thrones Season 8 was utter garbage.

The characters went in opposite directions than what their arcs had suggested on previous seasons. These characters deserve a chance for their stories to end the right way, and a reboot could fix that, especially for Daenerys Targaryen and Arya Stark.

Game of Thrones Season 8 essentially forgot everything about the books. 

Unfortunately, a reboot does seem to be the only option here since George R.R. Martin, the author of the books, has left the series unfinished since 2011.

He says that he plans to finish the books, but considering that it has been two years since the last one, a reboot would not be such a bad idea.

Fans certainly deserve a proper ending to their beloved characters, and Game of Thrones Season 8 is anything but that.

We want to hear from you, Fanatics!

What are book-to-TV adaptations you believe deserve a reboot?

Are there any books you would like to see on the small screen?

Or what about book-to-TV adaptations that were well done? 

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Sarah Novack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

Well, that was surprising.

In typical series finale fashion, some things fell right where you’d expect, while other developments came out of left field.

And if there’s one word to describe The Bold Type Season 5 Episode 6 it would be memorable because even if things didn’t play out how we expected, we’ll undoubtedly remember this series ender.

Out of all the characters, Jane had the most surprising sendoff.

Ever since she was a little girl, all Jane has wanted was to work at Scarlet, so it was a complete 180 that the young writer found herself leaving the magazine to travel the world by the hour’s end.

Kat: Oh no, I know that I look. I feel like she’s leaving Scarlet. Are you leaving?
Sutton: She’s not leaving. Are you leaving?
Jane: I found this photo of my mom, and she’s in Paris.
Kat: That’s sweet.
Jane: She loved to travel, and it just got me thinking that I should take what I’ve learned here and apply it to my life. I mean see the world, have adventures, write about failing feminists in different countries.
Kat: I mean I think that sounds amazing, but you can still do that Scarlet.
Jane: I know, but I think I have to let go of my safety net, however scary that may be. I just think this is my time to be in the moment, to take risks, and to embrace all the opportunities my mom never got to.
Sutton: I love that. you’re amazing.
Kat: And you always have a home here.
Jane: I know.

If you’d told me at the start of the episode that Jane would voluntarily leave Scarlet, I’d have had said you were still tripping from the not-so microdosing experiment, but weirdly, her departure worked.

The chain of events that led to her exit started when Jane, thankfully, realized that her dream job wasn’t to become the next Jacqueline.

Jane was so much happier when she was chasing down leads for stories and lowkey stalking celebrities than she ever would have been assuming the role of editor-in-chief.

However, she was hesitant to turn down Jacqueline’s offer because she felt that by rejecting that position, she was failing Jacqueline in some way.

In many ways, Jacqueline has been like a mother to Jane, and the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint Jacqueline.

Jacqueline being Jacqueline just wanted Jane to be happy, and it was nice to know that Jane would always have that support from her mentor and maternal figure.

And with the reminder in hand that it takes courage and conviction to change course, Jane decided to carpe the diem and live life to the fullest.

That meant no longer putting her life on hold and being afraid to take risks. It’s what led Jane to accept a date with Zach and then quit her job at Scarlet to embrace all the opportunities her mother never got to.

Jane: Jacqueline, I need to talk to you.
Jacqueline: Hmm, you don’t want to take over.
Jane: How did you know that?
Jacqueline: I didn’t know until right now.
Jane: Jacqueline, it has been a privilege to work for you, but this isn’t the next step for me. I’m a writer, not a manager. Leading people, board meetings, strategy decks, ad sales, it isn’t my passion.
Jacqueline: Wow, uh, this is a bit of a shocker.
Jane: Do you hate me?
Jacqueline: No, of course not. I’m proud of you.
Jane: I just feel like I failed you.
Jacqueline: Jane, you have not failed me. It takes courage and conviction to change course and to turn down an opportunity you know is not a right fit.
Jane: Thank you. So what now?

Leaving that security net behind and venturing out beyond Scarlet is one of the scariest things Jane may ever do, but if Tiny Jane has proved anything this season, it’s that she can handle more than we sometimes give her credit for.

She may not always get it right on the first try, and there will be some struggles along the way, but Jane is capable of whatever she sets her mind to.

She’ll be missed at Scarlet, but as Kat and Sutton reminded her, this isn’t the end.

And then there’s Kat, who ended up with Adena and crazily, as editor-in-chief of Scarlet.

On the Kadena front, there’s no other way it could have ended than with those two together. 

Kat and Adena have been electric since they first laid eyes on each other, and their connection has been evident since day one.

They’re an amazing team, and when they’re together, the possibilities are endless.

So while it was a little convenient that Kat got over her fear of commitment at the exact right moment for them to reunite, it’s easy to overlook because of how perfectly they complement each other and bring out the best in the other.

Besides, what is commitment to another person when you’ve already committed to becoming editor-in-chief of a big magazine like Scarlet?

Adena: Your speech was really beautiful.
Kat: Thanks. I’m glad you liked it. It was for you.
Adena: Kat, we talked about this.
Kat: I know we did, but being up there made me realize you’re my person like you’re always gonna be my person. Yeah, maybe we’ll fight, and I’m sure we’ll have our disagreements, but we’ll work it out.
Adena: But you don’t know that.
Kat: But I do. I know that. I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. You taught me that I can commit and make it my own, and we can do that too. We can make this our own. We don’t have to play by anyone’s rules. We make the rules together. Does that sound OK?
Adena: That’s perfect.

That was the single most ludicrous plot element of the entire season that Jacqueline and the Stafford board would entrust someone as young as Kat to run the entire magazine.

Yes, Kat has more managerial and leadership experience than Jane, so while Kat’s a better fit to replace Jacqueline, whatever happened with hiring someone with more seniority and years of experience in the industry?

Someone like Kat may be the right choice to succeed Jacqueline, but that doesn’t mean Kat herself is ready for such an undertaking.

Does Kat even know how hectic and crazy it is to be the editor-in-chief?

As inexperienced as Jane would have been, the young writer at least got to shadow Jacqueline and prove that she could handle some of the responsibilities that come with being editor-in-chief.

That doesn’t mean Kat isn’t up for the job, but Jacqueline’s decision seems to be based more on her heart than her head.

There’s the argument to be made that Jacqueline’s faith in Kat isn’t based purely on emotion.

After all, Jacqueline did hear Kat’s pitch for Don’t Turn Away and was impressed enough to make Don’t Turn Away a vertical for Scarlet.

I feel really honored to be standing here on the ground you paved. We are going to take everything Jacqueline and those before her have built and continue to innovate. I’m gonna be honest with y’all, for a long time, I was so scared of the future, but I’m not afraid anymore. I promise you I will approach each and every day with an open heart and an open mind, and we are going to create our very own amazing future. But before we do that, we should take one last look at the past and our fearless leader who brought us here.

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So it’s not a huge leap for Jacqueline to believe Kat can run Scarlet, but it’s still bothersome that more qualified candidates such as Oliver weren’t considered.

However, what’s done is done, and ready or not, Kat is Scarlet’s new editor-in-chief, so best of luck.

Lastly, there’s Sutton, who tried to do the mature thing and let Richard go, even though it would be hard, only for Richard to magically decide he wanted to be with Sutton more than he wanted to be a father.

Suttard ‘shippers are probably dancing right now, but for me, the happy ending didn’t feel earned.

This might be a controversial opinion, but Sutton and Richard getting divorced would have been more satisfying in a way.

Their brief reconciliation would have provided the closure that the couple needed and reminded them that no matter how much they loved each other and always would, they still wanted different things out of life.

As Sutton read her letter to Richard, it felt more like what happened next would be a new chapter for the pair — albeit separately — rather than an ending.

Yes, their marriage was over, but that didn’t take away from the love they shared.

Richard: What’s that?
Sutton: Read it.
Richard: I don’t want to whatever it is.
Sutton: OK, then I will. Richard Hunter is the love of my life. We were married for a brief but wonderful time. A time that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Our marriage ended because of no fault of his or mine but because of the single reason that while I was not meant to be a mom, he was meant to be a dad.
Richard: Sutton.
Sutton: Please let me get this out. Walking away from an amazing husband is the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I also know it’s the right thing to do because letting go means giving a person that I love most in this world a chance at becoming what he was born to be: a father.
Richard: Sutton, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
Sutton: Richard, I saw the way you looked at those kids in the park, and I know what you were thinking. You were thinking, ‘I wish I could have that.’
Richard: What I was thinking was there’s no place I would rather be than by your side. Yes, I always wanted kids, but the thing is I want you more. I mean maybe I could adopt a baby, but without you I wouldn’t be happy. Sure, I could meet someone and we could have a kid, but I don’t want to marry anyone else, Sutton.
Sutton: How do I know you’re not going to regret it?
Richard: What I regret is ever having left you in the first place.
Sutton: I really want to believe you.
Richard: Then believe me because I have never been more certain about anything in my entire life. Sutton Brady, will you not divorce me? I can’t imagine living my life without you.
Sutton: I can’t either.
Richard: So is that a yes?
Sutton: Yes!

Therefore, Sutton’s decision to let Richard go, though heartbreaking, felt mature and earned and the right thing for both of them.

However, all of that was undermined by Richard’s 11th-hour realization that he could stand not being a father, but he couldn’t stand being apart from Sutton.

It was what we all wanted to hear, but it came too late.

If Richard were being truthful — which he believes he is — then what the f*ck have the writers been doing for the past season besides dicking us around?

All of this reeks of unnecessary drama thrown in to create obstacles for the couple because, per the unwritten rules of television, no couple is ever allowed to be happy until the very end of a series.

It all feels needless and pointless and only serves to annoy me further when I remember all the work Sutton did on herself in therapy.

She finally got to a good place and made peace with her marriage ending only for none of it to matter because Richard decided he didn’t want to be without her.

Maybe if The Bold Type Season 5 had been longer, or the writers gave Sutton and Richard more time to work through their relationship issues, I’d feel differently, but it just doesn’t feel earned.

Everything was wrapped up too neatly in a bow, and the writers’ alternate ending of Richard professing his love but Sutton telling him to go have the family he’s supposed to have would have been a better fit.

Sutton: It’s not lost on me what an honor it is to have a chance to style you.
Jacqueline: Well, I wanted the best, and you are the best.
Sutton: I’m hardly the best, but thanks for saying that.
Jacqueline: Sutton, stop. It is time for you to own how great you are. Wow, I can’t believe this is really happening.
Sutton: I’ve never seen you nervous.
Jacqueline: Well, it’s never easy letting go even when it’s right.

As showrunner Wendy Straker Hauser told TVLine, the writers opted against it because it didn’t feel right, but Richard giving up something he desperately wants for Sutton yet again also doesn’t feel right.

Yes, that ending would have been heartbreaking, but as Hauser also mentioned, it would have been “inspiring because they were both in the places that they were potentially meant to be.”

Some stray thoughts:

• I loved the callback to The Bold Type Season 1 Episode 1 when Jane, Kat, and Sutton yelled in front of a passing bus. It was such an iconic moment and set the tone for the series.

• Ryan randomly showing up was unexpected, but it was still great to see him. He helped Jane realize that she was born to be a writer and not a manager, and it was nice to see them reach a cordial place after everything they’ve been through.

• Even Oliver got his happy ending when he reunited with Jasper. It was short and sweet, but something tells me these two will make it.

So what did you think, Bold Type Fanatics?

Did Jane’s decision to leave Scarlet surprise you?

Do you buy Kat as Scarlet’s new editor-in-chief?

What’s your take on Sutton and Richard’s reunion?

Don’t forget to hit the comments below to let me know your thoughts. If you missed the series finale, remember you can watch The Bold Type online at TV Fanatic.

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Jessica Lerner is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.