Book to Screen
Apparently, there are avid readers who get excited when one of their favorite books is turned into a television series. (It could be a movie, but let’s be honest, in this age of endless streaming platforms, it’s more commonly a television series.)
I am not one of those excited people.
And it’s not because I’m a snob about television. For someone who considers herself a book lover, I watch a lot of TV.
A lot.
In part that’s because I like to motivate myself to exercise by only watching my favorite shows while I’m working out. If I’m doing 30-45 minutes of cardio three to four days a week like I’m supposed to. . . Well, you can do the math. And I don’t just watch TV during exercise sessions. I often let a favorite crime procedural run in the background while I make dinner or fold laundry, and I usually have shows that I’m watching with my husband (currently Slow Horses, which is based on books I never read) and my two boys (most often reruns of The West Wing or Ted Lasso). Typically, I even fall asleep to some show that I’ve taped on the DVR. (I know, I know. Not recommended.)
So, I’m not ashamed to admit—I like television just as much as books. The hurdle for me historically has been shows based on books that I’ve really loved. I just don’t trust them. I’m not talking about situations when a series radically alters an author’s vision or cannot be fairly said to present the same story. I’m talking about what can only be described as minor aesthetic complaints. What if the show isn’t as good as the book? What if they change the story in some way I don’t approve? What if—gasp—the actors don’t look exactly how I imagined the characters?
Yes, it’s ridiculous. A fact I had to acknowledge this summer, when Apple TV premiered two shows based on books I had read and really enjoyed: Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow and Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman. I obviously knew the stories were good, and the casts were impressive—Jake Gyllenhaal as the lead in the first, Natalie Portman in the second.
And yet. . .
What is someone who is (excessively) loyal to the book to do? For what it’s worth, here are some tricks I’m using to overcome my own reluctance.
Tip #1: Wait a long time.
Preferably as long as possible between reading the book and watching the show. Years, if not decades.
I probably read Presumed Innocent within a year or two of its release in 1987, and probably saw the original movie starring Harrison Ford when it came out in 1990. I haven’t thought much about either of them in the more than thirty years since then, which meant I could barely remember the book or Ford’s performance when I finally decided to try the Apple TV version in July.
Bottom line: If you wait long enough, your memory of the story will fade to nothing, and the new show will seem like original material. You might not even realize if they change the ending.
Tip #2: Don’t read anything about the show before watching it.
This obviously relates to Tip #1.
You do NOT want to refresh your recollection by reading reviews of the book or the show or (god forbid) comments from wannabe television critics on social media. Go in blind, so you can appreciate the new version of the story for what it is. No Jake Gyllenhaal is not Harrison Ford or the man you had in your mind as accused prosecutor Rusty Sabich, but he is JAKE GYLLENHAAL and, frankly, quite good in the role.
Tip #3: Get over yourself.
And give up your personal vision of these characters.
I’ll admit this has been the hardest one for me. For example, I love mystery books and am a superfan of both Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series and Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series. So much so that for a very long time, I couldn’t bear to watch the televised version of the Gamache stories called Three Pines (Amazon Prime, with Alfred Molina in the starring role), or the Inspector Lynley Mysteries (Brit Box, with Nathaniel Parker). Those actors in no way captured how I had imagined either lead detective, and neither did the actors playing their investigative partners or other supporting roles. But then—and this was the critical step—I decided to get over myself and tuned in. And in a not surprising development, I liked both shows. No, they weren’t identical to the books, but the essence of the characters was the same, and the stories were excellent. Also, who are we kidding? By the time a show or movie comes out, hardly anyone remembers all the details of the book anyway. (See Tip #1.)
Tip #4: Just Skip The Show.
At least for the moment.
This final tip may seem strange given that the goal is to be more openminded, but if you can’t get over yourself and let go of how you pictured things in your mind, give yourself permission to skip the show, at least for now. So far, that’s what I’ve done with Lessons in Chemistry. Given how much I loved the novel by Bonnie Garmus, a longer wait is required before I’ll be ready to watch the series. (Yes, I’ve heard it’s really good. No, I’m still not ready.) I’ll get to it eventually.
As for Lady in the Lake, about four years have passed since I read the book, which seems like pretty good timing. And I do love Natalie Portman . . .