Best TV Shows Based on Books

Does a TV adaptation need to be faithful to its source novel to be good?

Not necessarily, and I think this is worth saying clearly before diving into specific picks. A genuinely great adaptation sometimes means making real structural changes that work better for television's pacing, rather than a purely literal translation of the book. The shows on this list range from very faithful to fairly loose adaptations, and I'd argue quality doesn't consistently track with how closely they stick to the source material.

If you want adaptations that closely follow their source novels

Game of Thrones, at least through its earlier, book-adapted seasons, followed George R.R. Martin's novels closely enough that reading the books alongside watching added real depth, before the show eventually outpaced the published material.

Big Little Lies. A genuinely tight, faithful adaptation of Liane Moriarty's novel for its first season, translating the book's mystery structure and ensemble character work effectively to the screen.

If you want adaptations that make real, deliberate structural changes

The Handmaid's Tale. Margaret Atwood's novel provides the foundation and tone, but the show extends significantly beyond the book's original ending, becoming its own ongoing story rather than a strict adaptation once it exhausts the source material.

Sharp Objects. Gillian Flynn's novel gets a genuinely atmospheric, slow-burn adaptation that expands on certain relationships and psychological detail in ways the more compact novel doesn't have room for.

If you want a genuinely ambitious, sprawling literary adaptation

My Brilliant Friend. Elena Ferrante's celebrated Neapolitan Novels get an Italian-language adaptation that takes its time across multiple seasons, treating the source material's decades-spanning friendship with real patience rather than compressing it into a rushed single season.

Shogun. James Clavell's sprawling historical novel gets a genuinely lavish, detailed adaptation that takes real advantage of television's extended runtime to build out its political intrigue and cultural specificity.

If you want genre fiction adapted with real care

The Witcher, adapting Andrzej Sapkowski's novels and short stories, though its adaptation choices have been more divisive among book fans than some entries on this list, particularly around its non-linear early season structure.

Outlander, based on Diana Gabaldon's novels, gives its source material's romance and historical adventure elements real room to breathe across a long-running, faithful adaptation.

My honest opinion on why some of the most successful book adaptations diverge from their source

I think the shows that eventually outpace or significantly alter their source material, Game of Thrones and The Handmaid's Tale specifically, often do so because television's ongoing, open-ended structure demands more story than a single novel or even a completed book series can supply. That's not a flaw in the adaptation, it's a structural reality of the different mediums, and judging these shows purely on faithfulness to the book misses what they're actually trying to accomplish once they become their own ongoing story.

How should you actually pick between a faithful and a looser adaptation?

If you want to read the book alongside watching for a richer, complementary experience, a faithful adaptation like Big Little Lies or My Brilliant Friend rewards that approach. If you're fine with the show becoming its own distinct thing over time, The Handmaid's Tale or Game of Thrones offer a genuinely different kind of engagement once they extend past their source material.

Frequently asked questions

What's a TV adaptation that stays very close to its source novel? Big Little Lies' first season is a genuinely tight, faithful adaptation of Liane Moriarty's book.

Does The Handmaid's Tale follow Margaret Atwood's novel exactly? No, it uses the novel as a foundation but extends significantly beyond the book's original ending as an ongoing story.

What's a good literary adaptation that takes its time across multiple seasons? My Brilliant Friend, adapting Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels with real patience across a decades-spanning friendship.

Is it worth reading the book before watching an adaptation, or after? Depends on the show. For faithful adaptations, reading first can add depth. For shows that diverge significantly, like Game of Thrones' later seasons, it matters less since the show becomes its own story.

Want to discover the book behind a show you loved, or vice versa?

Our book recommendation quiz and series recommendation quiz can help you find your next read or watch based on what worked for you here.