EDITED: This is NOT the correct post for this week’s TMP! Your girl just messed up the weeks, but enjoy this NEXT week’s theme while this week’s theme will be posted next week.
This week’s theme is like scrolling through Twitter and stumbling on a pervy tweet. Meaning: there’s a lot to choose from! And honestly, I had a hard time narrowing down a theme with this one. Luckily, I’ve trained myself well. This week’s TV shows based on books are inspired by one common theme – CRIME! Added similarities between the recommended shows are: 1) all three shows have ended, 2) I’ve watched at least 7 seasons of each of them, and 3) I’ll never read the book(s) their based on. Narrowing them down this much proves my first point – there are a sh*t ton of shows based on books!
1. BONES (2005-2017)
Let’s throw it back first. Bones was THE show back in 2005. I watched it religiously and loved everything about it. There was crime solving, weird murders and a quirky main character. Plus, to my utmost lovesick brain back then (and let’s face it, now as well, though it has evolved to more raunchy pastures), the will they won’t they was like a drug! But like every show that goes beyond 6 or 7 seasons, things get a little dull after a while. So I stopped watching but I still have fond memories about it.
2. RIZZOLI & ISLES (2010-2016)
With a much shorter run, and a more successful one in my opinion, Rizzoli & Isles combined police work and medical examining. We have two very strong female characters, who have a wonderful friendship. They also solve crimes, which for me is an added bonus. The show also features many great supporting characters, especially Rizzoli’s mom – who is portrayed flawlessly by Lorraine Bracco. Season 4 was probably the hardest for the fans to watch, because Lee Thompson Young who played Barry Frost, took his life during the filming of said season. Season 5 follows with a heart breaking episode titled “…Goodbye” and I think I’m crying again…
3. DEXTER (2006-2013)
During the height of crime shows, Dexter arrived like a breath of fresh air. It took a completely different approach to crime – by having the main character be the criminal! It kind of started its own trend of antiheroes taking over the television screens. Which I didn’t mind at all! Dexter is probably the strongest of the three because it’s the heaviest and most serious. And if anyone has seen it, just close your eyes and try not to remember one of the cleverest intros to a show! It was so good I always watched it and never got tired of it. Now that I think about it, I have a deep urge to rewatch Dexter.. just so I could witness this again.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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I think this is next week’s theme 🤔 anyway, Dexter is the only I’ve seen and I really liked it. I don’t know why but at some point I stopped watching it.
You are correct, and I am stupid! 😀
I legit had a mild panicky moment thinking I’d either chosen the wrong theme this week or lost a week of my life – ha!
At least I can start thinking about what my own picks will be! Looooove that you picked Dexter. I’ll always be gutted about how it ended but it’ll always be one of my favourite shows of all time.
Hah, sorry for doing it! I actually realised I had made a mistake on Thursday, 3 hours after I had scheduled it but like, it’s too late now so.. here’s like a really good way to steal some picks, you know! 😀
I love Bones and I really need to rewatch it.I think I reached the place where they had a kid together and that was probably several seasons ago 🙂
Yeah, but they weren’t together by that point, right? I remember it being like a very weird season for me. But I agree, I really would love to watch it again too but it’s so long and there are so many other things to watch. When will I have the time… ever?! 😀
I already prepared my post for next week, and I can’t believe I didn’t think of Dexter. Although I’m not too big on crime shows, I certainly enjoyed that one! The same can’t be said about the books. I read the first one and hated it sooo much LOL.
Hah, well you can still add it as a bonus because maybe me messing up happened so you could mention Dexter!? 😀
LOL, what you said about Bones and the whole…more than 6-7 seasons things…I felt that after season 1. I just couldn’t take that show.
Totally okay, I feel like I can’t get through many shows and their first season 😀
Nice picks! I had no idea that any of these were based on books. I don’t think I ever would’ve guessed either. lol
Well I missed that you did this last week but it works out since I have mine ready for the theme now. I loved Bones and Dexter but agree that both fell off in quality towards the end. It is a common thing, the only two shows I can think of that stayed the course the whole way through are Frasier and M*A*S*H.
My sister loved Rizzoli & Isles but I just never got around to it.
I don’t watch much serialized TV anymore so I went with a trio of special programs that I loved that were derived from books.
A Doll’s House (1959)-This Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the Ibsen story (back when that program was the benchmark for quality TV-years before it became the dispenser of treacle that Hallmark is today) traces the emotional awakening of Nora Helmer (Julie Harris) from her previously unexamined life of domestic wifely comfort. Ruled her entire life by either her father or husband, Torvald (Christopher Plummer) Nora finally comes to question the foundation of everything she believes in when her marriage faces a profound test. Stacked with an astonishing cast, beside Julie Harris & Plummer it includes Jason Robards, Hume Cronyn, Eileen Heckart and an eight year old Richard Thomas this is currently showing on Amazon Prime.
East of Eden (1981)-Miniseries adaptation of the entirety of the John Steinbeck sprawling novel (the James Dean film only dealt with the final third) of brothers Adam & Charles Trask (Timothy Bottoms & Bruce Boxleitner), Adam’s sons Caleb and Aron (Sam Bottoms & Hart Bochner) and how their lives intertwine with the Hamiltons lead by patriarch Samuel (Lloyd Bridges) and especially the unknowable Cathy Ames (Jane Seymour) throughout the decades of the late 19th and early 20th century. With a who’s who of notable names in support the highlight of this is a riveting turn of nearly unbridled evil by Jane Seymour as human succubus Cathy/Kate.
Lonesome Dove (1989)-Beginning in the small Southern town of Lonesome Dove around the 1860’s two former Texas Rangers and best friends Gus McCrae (Robert Duvall) and Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones) head out to Wyoming on a cattle drive that takes a heavy toll on all involved. Massive, violent and intense adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s epic tale is loaded with talent-Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Anjelica Huston, Chris Cooper and Steve Buscemi to name just a few- won unanimous praise upon its release.
For some reason, I missed Bones but i think it is because I felt like i watched too much already and didn’t want to get hooked on another show. Bones is right up my alley. I tried to watch Rizzoli and isles but my hubby would make faces and scoff so, rather than getting hooked on another show, I gave up. Not because my hubby can be a dumb dumb but because I didn’t want to get hooked. Dexter..I know it looks good and has dark humour but i just can’t get into making a killer a “hero”. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth