Entertainment
7 Stephen King Books That Are Perfect for TV
When it comes to blending horror and suspense in book form, no one does it quite like Stephen King. Debuting on the literary scene in 1974 with Carrie, King has become one of literature’s most astute novelists, especially in the horror and suspense realms. One of the reasons why King’s novels are such a hit is how each tells the story of the “everyman,” the flawed, working-class heroes who overcome personal hurdles to fight off evil. His books, ever provocative, suspenseful, and terrifying, have made him a true “Master of Horror,” and it’s no wonder that a plethora of King’s novels have been adapted over the years as movies and TV shows.
With so much of his work coming to visual life in both movies and television, it leads us to ask a question amongst ourselves: What are some of the works that deserve to be adapted into a television series? Believe it or not, there are a lot of King’s novels that have yet to get the television treatment, and we wanted to do sort of a thought exercise and research into which of his adaptations could very well work on the small screen.
‘The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon’ (1999)
Stephen King is well-known for his horror novels, but in 1999, he took a rather unusual turn from his normal lane, and decided to focus on a story of survival, within the King universe, that is. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon focuses on a young girl who, after getting lost from her family on a hiking trip, has to face her internal fears to survive the elements.
While the story lacked the usual horror bravado King is known for, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon was widely praised for its character development and tense atmosphere; and, in this day-and-age, this book would make for a great miniseries. While there is a movie adaptation of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon currently in development, going the miniseries route would probably be a better way of setting the tone and atmosphere as we follow along on this girl’s journey and her quest to beat the odds. Some may say that there may not be enough material to stretch this novel out into a miniseries, but all a showrunner would need is three-to-four episodes to expand and tell this grounded tale of survival, thanks to her Walkman and her favorite baseball player, Tom Gordon.
‘Rage’ (1977)
Before I dive in, let me give you some context behind a writer named Richard Bachman. This novelist was right up there with King when it came to delivering on horrific and suspenseful moments. It’s almost like Bachman channeled King when he was writing his intricate stories. Well, because Bachman is King’s pseudonym, and he used this name when he published Rage in 1977. The book tells the story of a high school senior who takes his classroom hostage. The book has become quite controversial over the years as it was linked to several real-life school shootings, prompting King to pull the book out of circulation.
While the novel is controversial, Rage could actually make for a compelling and raw TV miniseries. Showrunners could use the premise to tell the story of teenage angst and existentialism rather than focus on the violence. In the book, Charlie, the kid who took his class hostage, is an unreliable narrator who views himself as a victim rather than a criminal, and we’ve seen how well this type of narration can be in the hit HBO series Euphoria. The subject matter may be a bit heavy, which is why we’re recommending it be a miniseries rather than an episodic series.
‘The Regulators’ (1996)
You normally wouldn’t put Stephen King and “cartoon” violence in the same sentence, but with his 1996 novel The Regulators, you certainly could. The violence that was depicted in the novel, which follows an evil entity named Tak that possesses an autistic child in suburban Ohio, was pretty graphic for a King novel; and the cold and bleak nature of the novel made this book quite depressing to read.
Having said this, The Regulators could easily be adapted into a TV series, following a family who is being tormented by an evil entity. While you could make The Regulators into a miniseries (and, to be honest, would probably be the best format to tell this story), one could reasonably imagine that the series could be some sort of horror anthology series, with a new story every episode that follows the same format. The Regulators is a bizarre novel that works as an exciting and weird Western tale, and it’s actually quite shocking that this story hasn’t been turned into a TV series already.
‘Insomnia’ (1994)
Derry, Maine is a fictional town that is best known as being the setting for King’s It novel series. But in 1994, this seemingly cursed town was the setting for a different kind of King novel that deviated from the usual supernatural horror ethos he’s known for. That book was 1994’s Insomnia, which follows a widowed retiree who suffers from severe sleeplessness. His insomnia, which gets worse by the day, allows the widow to see entities that manage death.
As per its title, Insomnia is quite a slow-burn, and it will take readers some time to get to the terrifying good stuff. However, if Insomnia were adapted into a TV series, it would allow the story to be fleshed out to see the totality of the main storyline and really dig into the widow’s past to try to establish a link as to why he suffers from debilitating insomnia. With the novel nearly 800 pages long, there is a lot of territory a TV version of Insomina could cover, especially when it comes to aging and the surreal challenges they face when they lose someone they love. Insomnia would make for a great TV series.
‘Roadwork’ (1981)
Along with supernatural horror, Stephen King is a master of the psychological thriller, weaving tales of dread within the mundane existence of everyday life. In 1981, under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, he published one of his most underrated novels, Roadwork. The novel tells the story of a man who becomes mentally unstable and violently resists the government after they plan to destroy his home and workplace because of a highway project.
Roadwork is a very dark and bleak novel that captures in stark detail a man’s descent into madness, and this is a story that is perfectly ripped for being adapted for TV. It will have everything you need to make a thrilling miniseries. You’ll have a main character who is going through extreme grief and emotions, a storyline that makes the government “evil,” and a polarizing theme that will bring both horror and suspense to the story of a working man who just wants to keep his home and business. While Roadwork may not be adapted anytime soon, one should think about just how much of a ratings’ goldmine this potential series could be.
‘Rose Madder’ (1995)
Like most of Stephen King’s bibliography, Rose Madder carries some pretty heavy themes that can make for a tough read for some readers. The central storyline of this fantasy-horror novel, released in 1995, centers around a woman who escapes from an abusive marriage, and discovers that a mysterious and supernatural painting can aid in her survival from her abusive husband. While it was a national bestseller, Rose Madder is often considered one of King’s most overlooked novels, with even King himself being very critical of the book.
But this is a subject that deserves a lot of attention, given that domestic abuse is a real problem in America today. This is where Rose Madder would be helpful being adapted into a TV series. With a protagonist that is compelling and easy to root for, and the abusive husband being the “human monster” that we all fear, Rose Madder‘s storyline would resonate with men and women who suffer from toxic relationships. It may be one of King’s most underrated novels, but it’s also one of his most important things that should be adapted to the small screen.
‘The Eyes of the Dragon’ (1984)
While Stephen King excels in the horror arena, he can also write compelling epic fantasy novels that aim to make its readers spellbound by the mythical story that’s being told. One of his best epic fantasies was 1984’s The Eyes of the Dragon, which tells the story of two princes whose seemingly perfect lives are upended by an evil sorcerer. This is a novel that involves no twists or turns. This is a traditional fairy tale through and through, one that deviates from the usual supernatural horror in exchange for a novel that appeals to a wide audience.
This simple fairy tale makes The Eyes of the Dragon a perfect story to be adapted into a fantasy show that is suitable for all audiences. With its folksy narration and fast pacing, it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to think that The Eyes of the Dragon would be a hit among viewers. There are so many ways the TV adaptation of this book can go, and the possibilities are simply endless. If there is one book from this piece that definitely deserves to be a TV series without hesitation, it’s this one.