A risky business... Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the shows that succeeded in expanding on or making changes to the stories they were based on. Consider this your spoiler warning.
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00:00My wish was to meet Translucent, that was my only wish, he's my hero.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the shows that succeeded in expanding on or making changes to the stories they were based on.
00:16Consider this your spoiler warning.
00:18This is the way Portugal and Spain carved up to the new world.
00:22Number 10. The Leftovers
00:25I wanted to hold them.
00:31And then I started to lose them.
00:34Based on the 2011 novel of the same name, The Leftovers depicts the lives of people in the aftermath of a rapture-like disappearance of some of the world's population.
00:44The first season follows the events of the book relatively closely, although there are some changes to the career of Kevin Garvey.
00:52Am I awake?
00:54You are now, Chief.
01:00Later seasons expand on the cast's stories in new and often existential ways, creating original arcs unique to the TV series.
01:09Additionally, the overall tone of the show is bleaker in general, and more emphasis is placed on the characters' grief at their loved ones' departures.
01:18What are you doing here?
01:21I live here now.
01:24Number 9. The Handmaid's Tale
01:27My husband was Luke.
01:32My name is June.
01:35This dystopian TV series is based on Margaret Atwood's award-winning novel.
01:40The debut season of The Handmaid's Tale sticks fairly close to the book, albeit with some changes.
01:46In the book, we never learn Offred's real name.
01:49But it tells us in the final moments of the show's first episode that her name is June.
01:54The season ends with a similar cliffhanger of Offred being taken away in a van.
01:58Whether this is my end or a new beginning, I have no way of knowing.
02:04I have given myself over into the hands of strangers.
02:09However, every season after is new material, with entirely fresh character arcs playing out on screen and even more depths for the leaders of Gilead to sink to.
02:19You will bear children for them.
02:22Oh, you are so lucky!
02:25Number 8. Justified
02:27Taking inspiration from stories by Elmore Leonard, Justified primarily crafts its own narrative.
02:33It builds off the fire in the whole short story with attention and care.
02:37Look at you. A suit. A necktie. Looking good. Looking like a lawman.
02:46Despite expanding significantly on its source material, with plenty of new characters and original arcs,
02:52Justified has been hailed as being incredibly truthful to the tone of Leonard's work.
02:57Timothy Olyphant made the Raylan Givens character his own, to Leonard's delight.
03:01Now as I'm raising my weapon, I hear all my ammo hit the ground.
03:06Hopefully I got one in the chamber, but you can bet your life on that.
03:10The down-to-earth way the characters speak has also been praised.
03:13The show even inspired Leonard to write more material featuring Raylan Givens and characters original to the TV show.
03:21Now that's impressive.
03:22Normally, I would have just shot you myself the second you pulled, but I am doing my level best to avoid the paperwork and the self-recrimination that comes with it.
03:32Number 7. Watchmen
03:33While many TV adaptations attempt to translate the source material to the screen, Watchmen is more like a straight-up sequel.
03:51The series picks up with many of the surviving characters from Alan Moore's graphic novel,
03:56illustrating the effects the dramatic events of the original had on the world.
04:00However, it also incorporates all-new stories and conspiracies.
04:10The Watchmen show also delves into the past.
04:13It touches on both overlooked historical events, as well as fleshing out the backstories of previously mysterious side characters, like Buttigieg.
04:22With the cliffhanger ending, we were keen to see the new directions Watchmen could have gone.
04:31Number 6. Dexter
04:34My name is Dexter. Dexter Morgan. I don't know what made me the way I am, but whatever it was left a hollow place inside.
04:43This iconic crime drama is based on a series of novels.
04:46The show's first season about the serial killer who targets other killers sticks fairly close to the first book.
04:53However, there are some key differences.
04:55Like LaGuerta dying early in the book and Deb learning about her brother's criminal activities much later in the show.
05:11The show also does not feature a supernatural origin to Dexter's dark passenger.
05:15While its later seasons didn't receive as much acclaim, for much of its run,
05:20Dexter tells plenty of darkly compelling stories of its own.
05:24I'm a serial killer.
05:30Oh, God.
05:31Number 5. What We Do in the Shadows
05:34While it's based on the New Zealand documentary film of the same name, the show is definitely its own thing.
05:40You're such a mystery. You say you're from Tucson, but you talk all fancy and Europe-like.
05:46This is the way we talk in Tucson, Arizona.
05:48Although set in the same universe, some movie characters even make a guest appearance.
05:53The series follows an entirely different group of vampire roommates.
05:57Vampires, werewolves, give me a moment to find the relevant passage.
06:04These dysfunctional and hysterical vamps have their own unique clashes with each other and the modern world.
06:10The show even develops original monsters, like energy vampires.
06:14We've all met at least one of these daywalkers.
06:17I think the new girl is an emotional vampire. They're an advanced form of energy vampire.
06:24No matter what the medium, What We Do in the Shadows is hilarious.
06:28Number 4. The Boys
06:30No offense, you got a warrant or something?
06:35Well, if you got nothing back there, then you got nothing to worry about, right?
06:38Both this Amazon superhero show and the comics it's based on are full of shocking and dark storylines.
06:45However, the series tones down some of the more graphic and cruel elements from the source material,
06:50while also delving further into the characters.
06:53Some of the cast also change genders in the adaptation, such as Stormfront.
06:58Stormfront may be 100 years old. What's even more incredible,
07:02we have authenticated photos showing Stormfront with Nazi high command.
07:07Perhaps one of the biggest changes is that the titular boys don't obtain superpowers themselves on a regular basis.
07:15This helps raise the stakes in their fight against Supes and makes them feel more relatable.
07:20While the showrunners may have mixed and matched elements from the comics,
07:24the show is generally better for it and arguably surpasses its origins.
07:29Oh no, no, no.
07:34I'm the upgrade.
07:35Number 3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
07:38Don't take this the wrong way, but...
07:40Ow.
07:43What are you doing here?
07:45Five words or less.
07:47It took a second go-round to make the version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that creator Joss Whedon wanted.
07:53Although the series was based on Whedon's script for the 1992 film,
07:57the show took the concept of a high school girl empowered to fight vampires and ran with it.
08:02While the series retains the humor, it goes much darker with the material and doesn't shy away from drama either.
08:08The coroner's coming.
08:10What?
08:11I have to tell Dawn.
08:14She's at school.
08:16I'll go there.
08:17The cast and lore are much expanded as well.
08:20The TV series proved hugely influential on many supernatural teen shows that followed it,
08:26and it has even spawned comics that extend the story further.
08:29It's a credit to how great Buffy is that people often forget there was even a movie.
08:34Are you sure?
08:35Are you sure?
08:36Now this is not going to be pretty.
08:37We're talking violence, strong language, adult context.
08:43They say he can't be killed.
08:46Do you believe them?
08:49No, my lord.
08:52Anyone can be killed.
08:53Look, we know it's pretty universally agreed that this epic fantasy series started to fall off
08:58once the creators ran out of A Song of Ice and Fire books to adapt.
09:02We're not arguing that.
09:04Even if there are a few great moments in later seasons.
09:07But in focusing on the negative, people often forget many of the clever changes and additions
09:12made in the adaptation.
09:14I'm not paid by the Lannisters.
09:15No.
09:19The lancy sword you got there, where'd you get it?
09:22Younger characters were aged up.
09:24Additional scenes between characters who never met were added.
09:27And entire battles were created.
09:29Arya and Tywin's relationship.
09:31Brienne versus the Hound.
09:33Chaos is a ladder.
09:34Chaos.
09:36A gaping pit waiting to swallow us all.
09:39Chaos isn't a pit.
09:43Chaos is a ladder.
09:44These weren't George RR Martin originals, folks.
09:48Without these additions to the source material, many fan-favorite moments would be lost.
09:53Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:57Westworld.
09:58The themes, acting and action all go deeper than the film.
10:02The divine gift does not come from a higher power.
10:10But from our own minds.
10:12The Man in the High Castle.
10:14TV gives more time to flesh out this alternate history.
10:17You are a skeptic?
10:21Invading the West is one thing, mein führer.
10:26Holding it is another.
10:28Reacher.
10:29Jack Reacher is more likable and the supporting cast is fleshed out.
10:33Now you only have to take the sleazy adjacent jobs you want to take.
10:39I'm speechless.
10:41That's a first.
10:43House of Cards.
10:44Unlike the previous books and series, this one came across the pot.
10:48When was the last time they added a partner?
10:50It's been a while.
10:51Well, they know a winner when they see one.
10:53Remy was the best press secretary I ever had.
10:56Why'd you let him go?
10:57Why didn't they steal him away?
10:59Battlestar Galactica.
11:00It's hard to find something this reimagining didn't do better than the original.
11:05How, why doesn't really matter now.
11:11What does matter is that as of this moment, we are at war.
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11:32Number 1. MASH
11:34Everybody knows war is hell.
11:36Remember, you heard it here last.
11:38War isn't hell.
11:39War is war and hell is hell.
11:40And of the two, war is a lot worse.
11:42Based on a film which was itself based on a book, MASH is among the most popular American television shows ever made.
11:51Set during the Korean War, the TV series may include a few of the characters from the film, but it diverges significantly from it.
11:59The film had a darker tone than the television series that would follow it.
12:03Although, as the sitcom went on, it dealt with similar themes and leaned into dark comedy.
12:09I simply cannot eat the same food every day.
12:12Fish, liver, day after day.
12:14I've eaten a river of liver and an ocean of fish.
12:17During its long run, it was able to grapple with America's role in contemporary conflicts, including the Vietnam War.
12:23The changes made to MASH helped ensure its status as one of television's landmark shows.
12:29I comprehend okay, death or worse.
12:33Besides my life, Frank wants my virginity.
12:35We all do.
12:37If only I'd known.
12:38Is there a TV show that exceeded its origins that we forgot?
12:42Share your favorites in the comments.
12:47Wow.
12:52Who taught you how to do that?
12:55No one.
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