Top 10 TV Shows Based on Books

In recent years, we’ve seen an explosion of book-to-TV adaptations, with many of our favorite novels being brought to life on the small screen.

From epic fantasy tomes to love stories, these adaptations have kept us hooked to the telly, with their gripping storylines and loveable characters. But, with so many adaptations out there, which ones do audiences think are the best? The team at Betway have looked at the highest-rated book-to-TV adaptations on IMDb, to finally decide the top 10 book adaptations on the box.

1. Game of Thrones – 9.1/10 

Taking the top spot is the HBO fantasy epic that gripped the world across its eight seasons, Game of Thrones. With its complex storylines, loveable (also significantly less-loveable) characters, and cinema-scale battles, there’s no doubt the show is deserving of its lofty rating. Adapted from the novel series A Song Of Ice And Fire written by George R.R. Martin, the show brought the enthralling pages to life on screen with stunning visual effects, giving the fictional land of Westeros a vast scale.

2. Sherlock – 9.0/10 

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman as his right-hand man Dr John Watson, Sherlock was a smash hit for the BBC across its four series. Based on the acclaimed detective novels by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle that were written and set in the late Victorian era, the BBC brilliantly adapted the novels for a modern-day audience, setting the show in contemporary times with loosely the same stories, and cheeky, in-the-know nods to the original texts, keeping fans new and old enthralled.

3. Pride and Prejudice – 8.8/10 

This BBC mini-series from 1995 kick-started the career of Colin Firth, who starred as the famous romantic, Mr Darcy. With an 8.8/10 on IMDb, Pride and Prejudice is considered one of the finest period dramas to ever be broadcast. Based on the 1813 novel of the same name by the iconic period author Jane Austen, this faithful adaptation brought the iconic pages of the novel to life on the small screen.

4. The Queen’s Gambit – 8.6/10 

Dropping on Netflix in 2020, The Queen’s Gambit sees an orphaned girl played by Anya Taylor-Joy become a master at playing chess which turns her into a celebrity in 1960s USA. Based on the 1983 novel of the same name written by Walter Tevis, the Netflix mini-series brilliantly adapts the complex story that covers tough themes brilliantly to the screen.

5. Big Little Lies – 8.5/10 

Big Little Lies follows a group of affluent mothers in the coastal town of Monterey, California. Their seemingly perfect lives are shattered when dark secrets and lies are unraveled after a school fundraiser leads to a shocking chain of events. The show is based on the acclaimed novel by Liane Moriarty, which won awards after its first publication back in 2014.

6. Westworld – 8.5/10

Set in the futuristic theme park of Westworld, a wild western land filled with interactive robots that begin to gain sentience and question their reality, the complex HBO drama could turn out to be a scary reflection of our future.There is nothing more that could fuel your nightmares than the world being taken over by AI robots, but a little-known fact is this series is based on a film that was then novelized by Jurassic Park author, Micahel Chrichton back in 1972.

7. The Handmaid’s Tale – 8.4/10 

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian TV series that depicts a totalitarian society called Gilead, where women are oppressed and forced into servitude to repopulate a world facing environmental and fertility crises. The show is based on a novel of the same name written by Margaret Atwood that was first published in 1985, and the Hulu series does the original novel justice.

8. Normal People – 8.4/10 

Credited for bringing the recently Oscar-nominated Irish sweetheart Paul Mescal into the limelight, Normal People follows the complicated relationship between Marianne and Connell, as they navigate their way through high school and college in rural Ireland.

The series is based on the novel by acclaimed romance author Sally Rooney, and the show’s success led to more of her novels being adapted to the small screen.

9. Poldark – 8.3/10 

The period drama Poldark was a ratings hit for the BBC. The show follows Ross Poldark as he rebuilds his life after returning home from the American Revolutionary war, finding love and making new enemies at home. Based on the series of historical novels by Winston Graham published throughout the 20th century, the enthralling pages are adapted beautifully for television.

10. Killing Eve – 8.1/10 

Another ratings hit for the BBC, Killing Eve follows Eve, an MI5 security officer who becomes obsessed with Villanelle, a skilled and psychopathic assassin, as they end up chasing each other across Europe. The show was adapted from the novel by Luke Jennings titled Codename Villanelle and the BBC have wonderfully adapted the pages to screen.