• Old Jimmy Twodicks@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    I’m bending the premise a little bit: The Boys is based on a graphic novel and bears almost no resemblance to the source material. I think the show is way more compelling and engaging than the graphic novel, probably because the show is written to be aggressively topical, while the graphic novel concluded over a decade ago.

    • Zahille7@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Also I’ve heard that the comic is gruesome, gratuitous, and horrifying just for the sake of it.

      • Zero22xx@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 days ago

        Yeah, the author, Garth Ennis, seems to be pretty polarizing in comic book fandom based on what I read on Reddit over the years. I haven’t actually read any of his work but from what I gather, being edgy the sake of being edgy is his thing.

        Another series based on one of his books that people say is better than the source material is Preacher.

        • DibbleDabble@lemmy.ml
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          1 day ago

          Preacher series does not come close to the quality of the source material. The comics are far better than the series, in my opinion.

          • Zero22xx@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 day ago

            Yeah, what I was saying is definitely not a universal opinion. It’s just that Ennis’ work seems to be more for some than others. What I’ve seen people say is that they prefer it toned down a little bit, as adaptations tend to do. Wouldn’t mind taking a look at the comic and seeing for myself though.

  • SatyrSack@feddit.org
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    2 days ago

    I cannot remember the details that led to this opinion, but I remember preferring the first season of Dexter to the novel that it was based on. I think that was the only season that was even close to a direct adaptation of the novels, but I liked the changes that were made.

    • RowRowRowYourBot@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      The show was consistently better except what they did with Doakes. Doakes innthe books still chases after Dexter after having been mutilated to a killer. He was in a chair without a tongue still trying to get Dexter Morgan.

      • Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 day ago

        I could not disagree more. The show’s decision to ground everything in the “real world” changed Dexter from an avenging angel to a person with emotional/psychological problems that are actually pretty far removed from reality.

        The conceit of a “dark passenger” that identified evil, rather than just Dexter’s subjective decisions or evidence-based judgements brought Dexter into a certainty that is missing in the show, and ultimately planted the seeds of doom for the series. Once Dexter is ambivalent it’s over.

        IMO

          • Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 day ago

            Really? Time for a re-read.

            Just checked and you are mistaken. Book one chapter one is full of references. Starts in the third paragraph.

      • SatyrSack@feddit.org
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        2 days ago

        Oh, he didn’t die at the end of the first book? Or did we just think he died, but he came back later or something?

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I’m not sure about “better” but I would point to the IT and the Stand miniseries from the 90s that were excellent. Both books had parts that were problematic to put on screen, and a lot of fans felt the omissions were improvements. Also, the author was heavily involved in the productions, writing the scripts and consulting with the directors.

    I don’t think they make tv shows out of bad books, though, so I’m having a hard time thinking of other examples.

    • eRac@lemmings.world
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      2 days ago

      Similar with The Expanse. There isn’t a huge difference, but changes were largely for the better. The authors of the books also wrote the show, so they could polish things while adapting it and know where things were going in the future.

      I really hope that the adaptation comes back for the rest of the books at some point. In the final season, they included a short story in the show that occurs at the same time, but is only there to set up the last arc of the series. I didn’t get why it was there in the show until I read the later books.

  • Okokimup@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    The Fall of the House of Usher not only improves the original story, but beings many of Poe’s works to life in a cohesive, beautiful way.

    I’m also much more a fan of Flanagan’s Haunting of Hill House than Shirley Jackson’s, but I understand that’s a controversial opinion about a widely loved book.

  • Theo@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Do comics count? The Walking Dead because it was way different and more creative. But I still like the comics.

      • edric@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Yeah, but I didn’t like the character change they did in the series, simply because it wasn’t necessary. Nothing would’ve changed if they just followed the book, because it’s pretty straightforward and should work as a straight-up adaptation.

        • The Infinite Nematode@feddit.uk
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          2 days ago

          As in, it was a different actor playing Kovacs in the second series? Wouldn’t it have been more weird for him to have found an exactly similar sleeve on a totally unrelated world?

          Of course it should have felt like exactly the same person in a different skin - if that’s not true blame the acting and directing!

          • edric@lemm.ee
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            2 days ago

            No, I’m talking about making Reileen Kawahara his sister (in the show) instead of having no relation to him (in the books). There wasn’t any emotional connection anyway with how they executed it in the show, so I don’t see the point of making them related.