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1
Margo’s Got Money Problems
A24/Apple
Based on Rufi Thorpe’s comic novel of the same name, this adaptation stars Elle Fanning as the daughter of a former Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler who turns to OnlyFans to make money after she gets pregnant, following an affair with a married professor. While this could easily become a turgid drama in the wrong hands, showrunner David E. Kelley (of Big Little Lies and Ally McBeal fame) keeps things light and bright. It’s a fun, binge-able romp where Fanning is able to flex her comedic chops alongside a strong supporting cast, which features a scene-stealing performance from Michelle Pfeiffer and some scenery-chewing courtesy of Nicole Kidman.
Watch now on Apple TV
2
Waiting For The Out
Based on Andy West’s memoir The Life Inside, Waiting for the Out is about Dan, an obsessive compulsive philosopher who begins teaching a class of men in prison. A premise like that could easily veer into clichéd “and by teaching those men, he learns a little more about himself” territory, but Waiting for the Out avoids any hackneyed tropes by delivering a thoughtful portrait of a man going through an intense personal crisis. Josh Finan (who you might recognise from his turn as a younger Gerry Adams in Say Nothing, another excellent book-to-TV adaptation) is phenomenal. It’s not light viewing, though.
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
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3
The Leftovers
If I had a pound for every time I’ve recommended The Leftovers to someone, I’d be rich. Or, at the very least, be able to buy a round of drinks at the pub. Running for three seasons from 2014 to 2017, this show – which is based on a dystopian novel by American author Tom Perrotta – has a simple, gripping premise: what would you do if 2% of the world’s population vanished into thin air? The narrative kicks off three years after the “Sudden Departure”, a global rapture-like event which results in just that happening. Some people lost no one, others lost their entire families in one fell swoop. It’s a beautiful, meditative look at human existence and a prime example of why Carrie Coon is one of the best actors working today.
Watch now on HBO Max
4
Trespasses
Channel 4
Set in 1970s Northern Ireland against the backdrop of the Troubles, Trespasses is a beautiful and heart-wrenching adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s searing debut novel which follows the dangerous affair between a young Catholic teacher (Lola Pettigrew) and a married Protestant man (Tom Cullen). Told in four parts, it’s a compulsive watch that will give your heart a good kicking. Oh, and it’s got Gillian Anderson in it. And you love her, don’t you?
Watch now on Channel 4
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5
The Other Bennet Sister
If you want to watch something that’s the textbook definition of “just lovely”, then I’d strongly suggest you put on The Other Bennet Sister. Starring Ella Bruccoleri and Ruth Jones, this ten-part series is an adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s 2020 bestseller, and a must-watch for any Austen heads out there. It starts off as a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead-like retelling of Pride & Prejudice, told from bookish Mary Bennett’s point-of-view, before moving past the plot of the book and following the unmarried Bennet sister’s further adventures in London. It’s a warm, funny, and supremely charming show with just the right amount of bonnets. Which is lots.
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
6
Normal People
Element Pictures / Enda Bowe
Remember the pandemic? Social distancing? Eat out to help out? The ‘R’ number? I can’t say I look back fondly on many of my COVID-era memories, but watching Normal People in 2020 along with what felt like an entire nation of bored and horny twenty-somethings was a definite highlight during a time when highs were hard to find. This sad, sexy adaptation of Sally Rooney’s sad, sexy coming-of-age novel introduced us to the talents of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and increased sales of slutty little chains tenfold. It’s not easy to adapt such an interior novel, where most of the action happens within the character’s heads but – directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald with a script written by Rooney, Alice Birch, and Mark O’Rowe – this series managed to bottle lightning. It holds up for a rewatch, too.
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
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7
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
I haven’t included Game of Thrones on this list of the best book-to-TV adaptations because the last two seasons were so bad that I can’t help but cringe every time I think about it, a bit like looking back at your text history from a past situationship. But I have included HBO’s latest sojourn to Westeros, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, on this list because it reminded me why I fell in love with Game of Thrones in the first place. Unlike its predecessor, it’s a brief and jocular dip into George R.R. Martin’s universe which follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (a himbo knight played by ex-rugby player Peter Claffey) and his diminutive squire, Egg. The chemistry between Dunk and Egg is adorable, and its brief six-episode first series means you’ll be left wanting more.
Watch now on HBO Max
8
Daisy Jones & The Six
Amazon Prime Video
The best Fleetwood Mac biopic that’s not actually a Fleetwood Mac biopic, Daisy Jones & The Six is about the rise of a fictional rock band in the ’70s LA music scene and the tumultuous relationship between the band’s lead singers. It’s worth a watch for Sam Claflin’s dimples alone, but the music is surprisingly good for a band that doesn’t exist. The chemistry between Riley Keough and Claflin is undeniable, and the committed product design and costuming really does make it feel like you’ve been thrown into the time period. Is it slightly too long? Yes. Do I have still have three of the songs stuck in my head? Yes.
Watch now on Amazon Prime
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9
Leonard and Hungry Paul
A small and sweet story that follows two thirty-something friends as they try to navigate grief, the expectations of adulthood, and just generally try to figure out their place in the world. Leonard writes children’s encyclopaedias… and Hungry Paul? Well, he doesn’t seem to do much at all. Created for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland, this adaptation of Rónán Hession’s 2019 novel is wonderfully low-stakes rom-com with a lot of heart, and a genuine salve in a television landscape populated by Mr Beast reality shows and endless Married at First Sight spin-offs. Julia Roberts’s (yes, that Julia Roberts) narration is just the cherry on top.
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
10
Slow Horses
Apple
A spy drama that sits somewhere between John le Carré and Johnny English, Slow Horses is a darkly funny show about a dysfunctional group of MI5 rejects. Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb is the leader of the troop and living, farting, burping proof that there’s nothing Oldman can’t do. Each series is based on a different entry in Mick Herron’s excellent Slough House book series, which means there’s plenty of episodes for you to get through, too.
Watch now on Apple TV
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11
Station Eleven
Some adaptations work because they’re completely faithful to their source material. Others work because they take the vibe of the book on which they’re based and take the story in a new direction. Created by Patrick Somerville, and based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven is a miniseries which does the latter. It’s a beautifully shot post-apocalyptic drama about a nomadic group of actors putting on Shakespeare performances across a ravaged America. It’s heady, and heartfelt. A show that’ll make you mull over the importance of art.
Watch now on Apple TV
12
Agatha Christie’s Poirot
ITVX
Agatha Christie was the master of golden era mysteries and David Suchet’s take on her most-famous fictional private investigator, Hercule Poirot, is nothing short of iconic. With 70 episodes in total, and each based novel or short story by Christie that featured Poirot, there’s an almost exhaustive number of mysteries for you to sink your teeth into. The bottled nature of each episode’s narrative means you can basically watch any episode in its run and still get the same satisfaction from trying to solve the mystery before Poirot does. It’s the epitome of a comfort watch, and a welcome reminder of just how good television used to look.
Watch now on ITVX
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