13 Best TV Shows Based on Books Movies to Watch

This historical fantasy show is based on the best-selling novel The Saxon Stories, a story set during the Viking / Dane invasion of Britain.

Uhtred was a small boy when he was kidnapped and then raised by the Danes. When he unexpectedly gets caught up in the conflict, his half-Saxon half-Dane mix makes at the same time valuable and untrustworthy for both sides.

There has never been a better alternative to Game of Thrones. The great writing and great performances from a cast of newcomers inevitably induce the same sense of addiction.

Genre: Action, Action & Adventure, Drama, History, War & Politics

Actor: Adrian Bower, Adrian Schiller, Alexander Dreymon, Alexandre Willaume, Amy Wren, Arnas Fedaravicius, Brian Vernel, Cavan Clerkin, David Dawson, David Schofield, Eliza Butterworth, Emily Cox, Eva Birthistle, Ewan Mitchell, Gerard Kearns, Harry Gilby, Harry McEntire, Henning Valin Jakobsen, Ian Hart, James Northcote, Jamie Blackley, Joseph Millson, Julia Bache-Wiig, Mark Rowley, Matthew Macfadyen, Millie Brady, Ola Rapace, Peri Baumeister, Peter Gantzler, Phia Saban, Ruby Hartley, Rune Temte, Rutger Hauer, Simon Kunz, Stefanie Martini, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Thomas Gabrielsson, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Thure Lindhardt, Timothy Innes, Tobias Santelmann, Toby Regbo

Rating: TV-MA

Vibrant and quirky in a way that always rings true for its plucky protagonists, this abruptly cancelled children's series embodies the optimism and empathetic spirit that we should all hope to gain from the younger generations. By starting their own neighborhood business, the core characters of The Baby-Sitters Club (played with undeniable star power and chemistry by its young ensemble) learn how to bring joy and healing to others while facing everything from discrimination and generational trauma to their own imperfect family lives. Behind the club's humorous, sugarcoated antics is a real sense of helplessness that each character struggles with—forging ahead and doing whatever they can to fix things that they've been told are out of their control. It's an unexpectedly touching gem of a show that proves kids' entertainment can be truly beautiful.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Kids

Actor: Alicia Silverstone, Anais Lee, Aya Furukawa, Jessica Elaina Eason, Kyndra Sanchez, Malia Baker, Marc Evan Jackson, Mark Feuerstein, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph, Sophie Grace, Vivian Watson, Xochitl Gomez

Rating: PG

Adapted from Caleb Carr's blockbuster crime novel, The Alienist follows a team of amateur investigators in 1896 New York: Daniel Brühl as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, the formidable titular “alienist” who studies the psychology of those alienated from society; Luke Evans as John Moore, a newspaper illustrator; and Dakota Fanning as Sara Howard, the first female employee of the New York Police Department. The show’s trio of amateur yet brilliant detectives need to solve crime mysteries involving haunting and gruesome murders, while the dynamic among them is key to the success of their detective work. Compelling characters, dark aesthetics, and an interesting and unconventional plot are some of the characteristics that make The Alienist a fascinating must-watch for crime lovers.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Brian Geraghty, Dakota Fanning, Daniel Brühl, Douglas Smith, Luke Evans, Matt Lintz, Matthew Shear, Q'orianka Kilcher, Robert Wisdom

Director: Jakob Verbruggen

Rating: TV-MA

A lot of things are at play in The Other Black Girl, a 10-part series adapted from the novel of the same name. The first half is a workplace horror that cleverly sets Nella’s career ambitions against the racial microaggressions she endures daily, while the second half is more of a mystery, with Nella digging deeper into Hazel’s sketchy past. At the same time, The Other Black Girl is also a comedy, a social thriller, and a revealing satire about the state of the publishing industry and companies at large. It doesn’t always succeed in balancing all the things it tries to be, but when it does, it soars; it becomes an exciting and meaningful piece of work you can’t stop watching. And even when it falters (it’s not as good at mystery as it is at commentary), The Other Black Girl remains largely enjoyable—addicting, even, since each episode runs for a breezy 30 minutes. Anchored by an extremely likable performance by Daniel and a chilling one from Murray, The Other Black Girl is easily one of the best multi-genre shows to come out in a while. 

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Ashleigh Murray, Bellamy Young, Eric McCormack, Garcelle Beauvais, Hunter Parrish, Sinclair Daniel

There’s a faint mystery vibe to this that serves as a surprising hook. The atmosphere-setting is top notch, with the small county, the deteriorating cabin, and the acoustic soundtrack. It throws you off scene for a bit, washing the cheese off a meet cute, but the safety of the show reveals itself soon enough. The narratives that eventually unfold always leave room for intrigue, but the pace it goes at is not the best in the early going. The most interesting part of this whole ordeal is the power dynamic when Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) tries to assert herself to Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson), but the soap opera tropes — abandoned babies, cheesy flashbacks, et al — are predictably what the show chooses to focus on.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Alexandra Breckenridge, Annette O'Toole, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Colin Lawrence, Jenny Cooper, Lauren Hammersley, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson

Rating: TV-14

Dirk Gently is not an easy watch. Right from the get-go, it comes bursting with wild mysteries, supernatural elements, cartoonish developments, and very loose ends. But there's something to be said about its inexplicability. It doesn't dumb things down or mold itself into anything recognizable, and that ambitious feat alone makes it a standout in a sea of TV replicas. It is its own weird thing, and it's hard not to like that about the show.

The characters seem random at first, but they will disarm you with their unexpected humanity. The titular Dirk Gently, for instance, initially comes off as a Doctor Who-like know-it-all, but underneath his chirpy facade is a hurt man who longs for connection. Inversely, his accomplice Todd Brotzman may seem like a typical nice guy, but his darker nature reveals itself incrementally and rather smartly. 

This is a show that requires you to trust the process, to believe in "holism" as they say (aka the interconnectedness of everything, even the most seemingly random thing), and the sooner you submit to that belief, the easier and ultimately enjoyable the show gets. 

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Science Fiction

Actor: Aaron Douglas, Agam Darshi, Ajay Friese, Alan Tudyk, Amanda Walsh, Christopher Russell, Dustin Milligan, Dylan Schombing, Elijah Wood, Fiona Dourif, Hannah Marks, Hunter Dillon, Izzie Steele, Jade Eshete, John Hannah, Lee Majdoub, Michael Eklund, Miguel Sandoval, Mpho Koaho, Neil Brown Jr., Osric Chau, Richard Schiff, Roger Cross, Samuel Barnett, Tony Amendola, Tyler Labine, Viv Leacock

Rating: TV-14

It’s a Hallmark welcome from the get-go, as we open to a flashback of the day a family breaks apart, then quickly transitioning to present time with workaholic Abby and all her work drama. The lines are universally cheesy, stiff, and generally atrocious (and that’s with the Hallmark consideration). There is some sincerity and gentleness to the handling of the parents’ separation, as well as the family side of the drama. But the same can’t be said for the reconnection of the two ex-lovers. The three sisters’ dynamic is arguably the biggest spark the show produces, which is a shame given it’s a tertiary priority compared to the lovey dovey story.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Andrew Francis, Barbara Niven, Brendan Penny, Diane Ladd, Emilie Ullerup, Jesse Metcalfe, Laci J. Mailey, Laci Mailey, Meghan Ory, Robert Buckley, Treat Williams

Rating: TV-PG