METTEL RAY

Thursday Movie Picks Television Edition: Book to Movie Adaptations

First Television Edition of the year and I’m so excited! It was a bit difficult to pick four because I also wanted to have the knowledge of at least one or more books under my belt! Luckily I have read exactly enough to share four teen shows, because I’m feeling very youthful at the moment. So here are my picks, guilty pleasures and all, and let me know which ones have you seen yourself!

1. GOSSIP GIRL (2007-2012)

Sure, I fell out of love from Gossip Girls during its last seasons but it was still hell of a good teen drama when it started. I’ve read a few of the Gossip Girl books as well, though they were not as eventful. I think Gossip Girl is one of those shows that improved the books by changing things and it worked out well. Plus, can we all take a moment to appreciate the fashion?

2. THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (2009-2017)

I stopped with this show when Nina Dobrev left, for me, she was the glue that held the show together and it was impossible for me to continue. By then the show had lost a lot of its footing already though, so it wasn’t hard to give up the Salvador brothers. That being said, the show has a very strong opening season and a few next ones are even better. Definitely a lot better than the books, trust me, the books were just not even half as good!

3. THE 100 (2014-…)

Have I mentioned The 100 before? Maybe I have, maybe not, but here I am praising a show I have been meaning to get back on track with for two seasons now! I’ve also read the first book of the series and thought that the show did a far better job translating the idea onto screen. It’s like it added a lot more substance to the whole concept and I like that about this show. I really need to rewatch it and catch up!

4. SHADOWHUNTERS: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS (2016-…)

Don’t look at me like that… I did say there are guilty pleasures here and this happens to be a huge one! Shadowhunters is so bad, like, I know it’s bad and it has the worst first season you can imagine. Bad CGI, bad acting, bad stunts and it’s so clichĂŠ, BUT it gets better. It doesn’t get better than other shows, but it improves itself and that’s better than nothing! Also, it does differ a lot from the books but I do think, since I came to this fandom so late in my life, that it doesn’t really matter. What I’m actually looking forward to, is Shadowhunters: The Dark Artifices! I hope it happens, and I hope they learn from their mistakes, and make that show amazing!

 THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES

mettelray

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19 responses to “Thursday Movie Picks Television Edition: Book to Movie Adaptations”

  1. Brittani Avatar
    Brittani

    I didn’t watch any of these shows but I loved looking at picture of Gossip Girl because the costumes were so fabulous. lol

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      It was a beautiful show! 😀

      Reply
  2. joelnox Avatar
    joelnox

    Yikes! I haven’t seen any of these though I think I saw one episode of Vampire Diaries. I haven’t read any of the source novels either but my niece is crazy about The Mortal Instruments and watches that show. Based on what you said about it and the fact that I’m not much for sci-fi I doubt I will though.

    I chose three from a while back but that were all based on novels I had read and liked. The first is actually based on my all time favorite book and I love this adaptation.

    East of Eden (1981)-Comprehensive telling of the John Steinbeck masterpiece itself a twist of the Cain and Abel parable is effectively rendered if slightly weakened by a mushy performance by Timothy Bottoms as main protagonist Adam Trask. But it is entirely worth seeking out for Jane Seymour’s virtuoso turn as one of the most venal females in literature. Her work as the soulless Cathy/Kate is a revelation-she is by turns vindictive, coy, feral, enchanting and chilling. It is one of THE best pieces of acting in television history. For her work alone this is a must see but it is a very effectively told tale with many other fine performances especially Lloyd Bridges as a version of the author’s own grandfather Samuel Hamilton.

    Tales of the City (1993)-Based on Armistead Maupin’s first book in his Tales series this is a bittersweet look at the denizens of the bohemian apartments of 28 Barbary Lane in swingin’ 70’s San Francisco whose owner Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) is the freest of spirits. Full of wonderful period detail and fine acting from at the time rising performers such as Laura Linney as naïve new girl in town Mary Ann Singleton and Chloe Webb as nonconformist Mona Ramsey as well as Parker Posey, Paul Gross, Thomas Gibson and a wealth of others. Followed by several sequels.

    The Stand (1994)-Solid rendering of Stephen King’s chronicle of a nearly annihilating plague followed by a battle of good versus evil features an excellent cast (Gary Sinise, Laura San Giacomo, Ruby Dee etc.) and involving story telling though it does have some ill-conceived special effects even for the time. Outside of that misstep this is about as good a version of the story as can be had.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      The Mortal Instruments is so bad but it’s like my biggest guilty pleasure so I’m still sticking with it. Hopefully it will improve to a point where I feel a little less embarrassed by it. 😀

      Reply
  3. Big Screen Small Words Avatar
    Big Screen Small Words

    I don’t think I finished a season of Gossip Girl, but I began watching parts of it when Dan and Blair got paired up. I was one of those people who liked their pairing, and I wasn’t a fan of Chuck. The fashion in the show was one of its highlights.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I liked Chuck, but then again, I’ve always liked the bad boy. I think that’s where I stopped watching the show though, but I kept up to date with the spoilers so that’s why I thought it was a little weird what they ended up doing with the big secret. Funny. 😀

      Reply
  4. Sonia (A Film A Day) Avatar
    Sonia (A Film A Day)

    I didn’t know Gossip Girl was adapted from a book! I loved that series and I had a huge crush on Nate. I started watching The Vampire Diaries when I was in high school but I stop at the beginning of season 3. Or maybe it was the end of season 2, I’m not sure. I don’t know why I stopped watching it, I remember enjoying it.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      You learn something new every day! But yes, it’s a series of books. I read it in my native language but I think the original series is called Gossip Girl too.

      TVD was good until like season 4 or 5, can’t remember when it went to the train but so many long running shows do, so I’m not surprised.

      Reply
  5. Kat Impossible Avatar
    Kat Impossible

    Watched and read all four :O I really didn’t think that would happen. I have to say I liked the shows for everything better, except for The Mortal Instruments. I can only hate-watch Shadowhunters haha

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      WOAH! That’s like.. is it the second week it’s 100% match with the picks, but this week’s even more wow, since it’s also the books that are included!

      Same a little with Shadowhunters because it is so rough. But, I mean, do you agree that season 2 was miles better than the first? Like, the acting is improved, the CGI looks less clumsy, the writing is a bit better. Like, it’s still shit, but I mean, a bit less smelly!? 😀

      Reply
      1. Kat Impossible Avatar
        Kat Impossible

        Hahaha yes, I cannot disagree with it being miles better in S2. It’s as if they suddenly got a budget now that they knew people were watching 😂

        Reply
        1. mettelray Avatar
          mettelray

          Phew, then I’m not going crazy! 😀

  6. Sofia da Costa Avatar
    Sofia da Costa

    Had no idea Gossip Girl and TVD were based on books! I enjoyed both immensely until yeah, it got kinda bad. I dropped TVD… not sure when, perhaps when the doppelgänger thing happened. Gossip Girl I did watch all the way through!

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      How come people don’t know these things? I’m surprised. 😀
      I didn’t watch Gossip Girl all the way through, like literally the only one I’m caught up to is Shadowhunters, which is a shame, because that’s the worst from the entire list. 😀

      Reply
  7. Birgit Avatar
    Birgit

    Big sigh…I haven’t seen any of these although I know Gossip Girl and Vampire Diaries.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      The 100 is good too, though I don’t recommend Shadowhunters, because it’s more like a guilty pleasure thing.

      Reply
  8. Wandering through the Shelves Avatar
    Wandering through the Shelves

    GG – Enjoyed the TV series.
    I still enjoy The Vampire Diaries even without Elena
    The 100 TV series is I think very good, but it being on the CW and based on YA novels…I don’t think a lot people watch beyond people who watch CW shows.
    ShadowHunters – I read City of Bones because I wanted to watch the movie. Did not like the book, so considering that, the movie was not too bad. I’ve only seen the first episode of the TV series and it was atrocious, so not going to continue since I didn’t like the book to begin with.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Shadowhunters started so rough, I agree. And it’s still so bad, but it’s a great way to spend 40 minutes laughing at something, so I sort of like it. The books were rough too, the first 3 I disliked, the next 3 got better! And The Dark Artifices series is by far my favourite! The writing, the style, the story build up, Cassandra Clare gets a lot better, but yes, I struggled with the first three books so much. I pretty much hate read them.

      Reply
  9. CB: Rewind << January & Monthly Awards – METTEL RAY

    […] I’m also taking part, for the second full year in a row, in the Thursday Movie Picks series, and here are all my recommendations for the January themes (ironically, I discovered I titled the TV theme “movie” by accident but nobody called me out on it, so not going to change it now), Character Name In the Title  /  Once Was Enough (Movies You Don’t Want to Watch Again)  /  Sundance Favourites  /  Television Edition: Book to TV Adaptations . […]

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