8 Lesser-Known TV Adaptations of Popular Books

Here are 10 lesser-known TV adaptations just as good (or better, even) as Netflix's heavy-hitters like Bridgerton.

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015)

This 7-part British series, based on Susanna Clarke's novel, sets us up in an alternate 19th-century England where magic exists but is rarely practiced. Enter Mr. Norrell, a reclusive scholar who brings stone statues to life and, later, helps the British navy by summoning a fleet of ghostly ships.

Then comes Jonathan Strange, a charming novice who becomes Norrell's pupil. The two part ways after Norrell's magic accidentally sends Strange's wife to another realm. Strange aims to explore darker magic to bring her back, even if it puts the nation at risk.

2. The Magicians (2015-2020)

Based on Lev Grossman's trilogy, this Syfy series gives us Brakebills University, where students learn to harness magic. Quentin Coldwater, a Brakebills student, discovers that Fillory, a magical world from his favorite childhood books, is real. With his friends, he travels between Fillory and Earth, trying to prevent magical disasters. Meanwhile, Julia, Quentin's friend who fails the Brakebills entrance exam, learns magic on her own and struggles with its darker aspects.

3. Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)

This Showtime series, inspired by 19th-century British horror novels, brings classic characters like Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and Mina Harker into one twisted story. Vanessa Ives, a medium, teams up with a sharpshooter named Ethan and Dr. Frankenstein to find Mina, her kidnapped childhood friend. As they confront vampires and demonic possessions, Vanessa finds she's the target of the devil himself, while Ethan struggles with a beastly secret – yup, he's a werewolf.

4. Altered Carbon (2018-2020)

Based on Richard K. Morgan's book, the series is set 360 years in the future, where human consciousness can be transferred between bodies, known as "sleeves". Takeshi Kovacs, a former soldier, wakes up in a new sleeve and is hired to investigate the murder of Laurens Bancroft, an uber-wealthy guy with enough money to live for centuries. To do so, Kovacs has to untangle a disturbing mess of political corruption and virtual realities.

5. The Terror (2018-2019)

Originally a novel by Dan Simmons, this AMC anthology series kicks off with a haunting tale of two Royal Naval ships trying to discover the Northwest Passage. They get stuck in the Arctic ice, and that's just the beginning of their troubles. Mysterious illnesses, limited resources, and something lurking on the ice put the crew at odds. Captain Sir John Franklin is confident, but it's Captain Francis Crozier who pushes for desperate measures as things go south.

6. The Leftovers (2014-2017)

What would you do if 2% of the world's population just vanished? Not died, not kidnapped – vanished. Well, that's the question The Leftovers, based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, tackles. The show kicks off three years after the mysterious event, focusing on a small town called Mapleton.

Kevin Garvey, the chief of police, is trying to keep things normal, whatever that means in a world like this. On another front, you've got a cult, called the Guilty Remnant, who wear white, smoke cigarettes, and silently stalk people. Their mission? To ensure that no one forgets the 'Departure,' as the event is known.

7. Under the Dome (2013-2015)

In this show, based on the novel by Stephen King, the residents of Chester's Mill don't have to wonder what it's like to be trapped like a goldfish in a bowl – they live it. Outta nowhere, an invisible dome descends upon the town, cutting them off from the rest of the world. Panic ensues, resources dwindle, and people start showing their true colors. Local politician Big Jim takes this opportunity to consolidate power while war veteran Dale "Barbie" Barbara tries to maintain some semblance of order.

8. Bosch (2014-2021)

Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch is not your run-of-the-mill cop. No sir, he's a battle-hardened Afghanistan vet with a moral compass that's just as rugged as he is. The series, based on the novels by Michael Connelly, starts with him standing trial for the murder of a suspected serial killer. Meanwhile, he's deep into solving another case: the gruesome murder of a 13-year-old boy. Bosch will stop at nothing to bring the culprits to justice, even if it means bending a rule or two.