According to IMDb, there are some pretty great shows out there that are based on books that most people have not read. It’s unfortunate that people don’t realize that a lot of the shows they have been raving about and recommending to people are based on books that other people have been talking about for years.
So many popular TV shows started out as a single book and have turned into a smash hit show and completely forgot the roots it once started at. We know that people usually say the book is better but with ratings like these, IMDb begs to differ. Rest assured that even if you don’t read any of these books, the shows on this list will give you just enough to keep up with the book heads in a heated conversation.
Updated July 15, 2020 by Gabriela Silva: There are countless miniseries, short-lived shows, and fan favorites that got their inspiration from published pages. Some novels or book series were so loved that they just needed to live on screen so the storylines people loved could become a visual reality. More and more hit shows are popping up with characters that first came to life in the minds of readers, so we've added a few more to the list.
The Outsider: 7.9
When the trailer for Stephen King novel of the same name. That trepidation went faded quite quickly and soon enough fans couldn't get enough.
A straightforward case of murder concerning a young boy in Georgia becomes everything but ordinary, and the seemingly open and close case takes a dark turn as mysterious supernatural forces arise. The horror crime drama had fans' skin-crawling and questioning every episode.
Defending Jacob: 8
Defending Jacob has gotten high praise as a crime drama miniseries on Apple TV+. The show is based on the book of the same name by William Landay, and the plot follows a Boston Assistant District Attorney and his family as their teenage son is accused of murder.
The book and show have almost no differences as audiences follow the whirlwind of turmoil and emotions behind the murder of a student. Parents become divided as one belives their son's innocence and the other starts to question his morals. For a miniseries, the show received a pretty warm reception on IMDb. And for good reason, as the show keeps audiences on the edges of their seats and has a finale that no one saw coming.
Good Omens: 8.1
Despite Good Omens being a miniseries, it did well with audiences and received an 8.1 rating on IMDb. Whether or not you're a fan of the original novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman the show is still a good watch. Before being fully released on Amazon Prime, the show aired weekly on BBC.
The show follows the representatives of Hell and Heaven on earth, who must stop the coming end of the world. Having grown comfortable in the human world, they band together to stop the antichrist and Armageddon. It's a classic tale told many times on-screen but this time it's more comical and witty.
A Discovery Of Witches: 8.1
Deborah Harkness’s novel series A Discovery of Witches is a series of 3 books with a few companion novels. The book follows a young woman who discovers she is a witch through an ancient book. She soon meets and falls in love with a vampire who also wants the book.
The tale of romance translated so well to a TV series that IMDb gave it an 8.1 rating. So far there is only one season to binge but he second season has been confirmed and will follow shortly. So, why do people love this show? It’s a love story and not just any love story - a forbidden love story. What more encouragement do you need?
Watchmen: 8.1
This isn’t the first time that the Watchmen graphic novel has been adapted for the screen. Fans know about the film by Zack Snyder and how underwhelming it did. This isn’t to say it was a bad film. It was almost shot for shot of the original graphic novel. However, the show has seemed to find it’s own little corner of the world.
It doesn’t follow the storyline of the film or the graphic novel it makes its own path. Fans were initially wary of yet another adaptation of this graphic novel but it seems to have made a positive impact.
Looking For Alaska: 8.1
Looking for Alaska had a short run but it was a success among audiences for a reason. The show is based on the highly popular teen coming of age novel of the same name. Looking for Alaska was John Green's first novel, having been published in 2005. The book was originally meant to be a film before being scrapped and turned into a Hulu series.
The book and show follow a young teenage boy who looks for a meaning to his life. He attends boarding school, makes a close group of friends, and even falls in love. A sudden tragedy has him and his friends trying to come to with what happened. The show encomes the emotion, grief, friendship, and teenage love that the book is well known and loved for capturing.
Sharp Objects: 8.2
The psychological thriller miniseries Sharp Objects takes its story from the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn. The show totally hooked fans with its dark portrayal of murder tied in with the main character's own dark past.
An alcoholic crime reporter returns to her childhood home (after being released from a mental hospital) to investigate the murders of two young girls. What made the show intriguing to watch wasn't just the suspense of the murders themselves but the inner turmoil of the investigator. She finds herself reeling back down the rabbit hole under the intense scrutiny of her mother.
The Handmaid’s Tale: 8.4
Many people know that The Handmaid’s Tale is based on a book. Mostly because of author Margaret Atwood. She is a beloved Canadian treasure and we must protect her at all costs. The book, much like the show focuses on a dystopian world where only certain women can still bear children.
These women are forced to be handmaids to women who cannot have their own children. The book is about strength, control and basic human rights. Initially, it was published in 1985 so most of the series is based on the first book. However, recently, Atwood wrote a sequel to the book due to the popularity of the show titled, The Testaments.
The Witcher: 8.4
Most people who aren’t in the know don’t even realize that a monster hunter who is quickly finding out that people may be worse than the hideous monsters he fights. The first book that featured Geralt of Rivia was The Last Wish.
It was a collection of short stories that told several tales that included some of the characters we saw in the Netflix series. Altogether there are eight books featuring Geralt written by author Andrzej Sapkowski. The last book was written in 2013 and since then they have been kept on going through graphic novels.
Outlander: 8.4
Romance, danger, drama - what more can one ask for? IMDb has given Outlander an 8.4 out of 10. This could be because it isn’t just a regular love story. The time jumps, the olden day chivalry, or complete lack thereof, are just some of the things that fans have grown to love.
In addition, watching a woman like the main character Claire Randall bring her own flair and independence of 1946 to 1743 is spectacular. The book series has 9 books and they all revolve around Clair and how her life is progressing as she travels back and forth in time.
