Mini-series adaptations of classics like The Pursuit of Love and The Sandman, as well as topical and culturally crucial bestsellers like medical memoir This is Going to Hurt, and historical novel The Underground Railroad, bring a new literary dimension to our evening’s viewing …

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

In reality, the “Underground Railroad” was a network of abolitionists, hidden routes, and safe houses that helped enslaved African-Americans escape to freedom in the early to mid-1800s. In Colson Whitehead’s universe, the Underground Railroad is an actual railway network, complete with engineers, conductors, tracks and tunnels. Bringing the legendary metaphor to vibrant life, the story follows Cora, an enslaved black girl in Georgia, whose goal is freedom, and whose way out is a subterranean train.

Published in 2016, Whitehead’s historical novel quickly became part of the canon of black literature, winning the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction. It helped support the conversation about black culture when the Black Lives Matter protests erupted around the world in the summer of 2020, and acted as a great tool for education on the topic, as well as a thrilling story.

In September 2016, it was announced that the novel would be adapted into a limited series, to be directed by Barry Jenkins and produced by Adele Romanski and Brad Pitt, among others. Starring South African actress Thuso Mbedu in the lead role of Cora, the series is now finally set to air after several Covid-related filming setbacks. Catch it on Prime Video now.

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Published in 1945, Nancy Mitford’s classic (and more than loosely autobiographical) novel about an upper-class English family and the romantic trials and tribulations of the narrator’s cousin, Linda Radlett. The narrator herself, Fanny Logan, balances refreshing wit with darkly poignant observations as she describes Linda’s life.

The Pursuit of Love is now a series, compliments of BBC One and creator Emily Mortimer. Judging by the early reviews, Mortimer, who writes, directs and stars, seems to have hit an impressive home-run.

Also starring the transfixing Lily James and the charming Irishman Andrew Scott, The Pursuit of Love premiered on May 9 and is set to replace Line of Duty as the new obsession for British and Irish audiences.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Italophiles, rejoice – the much-loved Neapolitan Novels, written by Elena Ferrante and published in 2012, have arrived on the silver screen. Classed at the perfect coming-of-age tale, and described by Ferrante as “a single novel” (despite the story spanning four books), this Italian epic was adapted for HBO in 2018.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season received a standing ovation with a 93% “certified fresh” rating, reflecting reviews that hailed its beautiful portrayal of an intimate friendship, set against a gruelling difficulty suffered by the characters’ poverty. The second season managed to do even better with a 100% rating – this time with the reviews commending its excellent cinematography and wonderful acting performances. Watch My Brilliant Friend from the start on Amazon Prime anytime.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Liane Moriarty’s 2014 novel Big Little Lies packs a punch – and more so, because it was prejudged as chick-lit. As Janet Maslin of the New York Times wrote: “A seemingly fluffy book suddenly touches base with vicious reality…” The dramatic narrative of these secret-keeping not-so-Desperate housewives is set in Sydney, Australia – just as sunkissed a setting as the TV adaptation’s California backdrop.

The book follows a number of couples whose children attend the same school in a privileged suburb, and whose interests are satisfied by mutual manipulation. The TV adaptation premiered in 2017 to broad acclaim, for its dark, biting humour and exceptional acting. Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley do a particularly compelling job… Catch it anytime on Amazon Prime.

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Published in 1967, Picnic at Hanging Rock is an Australian historical fiction novel by Joan Lindsay. Widely considered to be one of the best novels to come from Australia, the story describes the effect of inexplicable tragedy for a local community. Set in 1900, a group of schoolgirls, of Appleyard College boarding school, suddenly vanish while enjoying a Valentine’s Day picnic at Hanging Rock.

While the tale is fictional, it is framed as a true story – the reader invited to picture the event alongside ambiguous pseudohistorical references. Author Joan Lindsay famously said that the narrative came to her in a dream – and the dreamlike quality of the story carries this through.

The television series premiered on Foxtel’s Showcase on May 6 2018 – to the delight of those lucky ducks down under – but has now been acquired by the BBC, RTÉ, and Amazon Video. Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer takes the lead role, and Orange is the New Black’s Yael Stone supports. It is available to watch anytime on Amazon Prime.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Don’t panic, there is still time to get into The Handmaid’s Tale. Since its debut in 2017, the dystopian tragedy series has seriously stood the test of time, and fostered fans across the globe. A quick run-down for those who don’t know: Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss plays one of many enslaved fertile women (“Handmaids”) in the dystopian, totalitarian and theonomic society of Gilead. In this world, environmental pollution and widespread disease has led to an all-time low global fertility rate, meaning women find themselves disempowered and their reproductive choices confiscated.

Based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s incredible 1985 novel of the same name, the series is beautifully shot. The Handmaid’s Tale struck a chord with audiences the same way its story did in the 1980s. Season Four of the series has just aired on Hulu and can be viewed on RTÉ2 on Thursday nights.

The Night Manager by John le Carré

There has been a perturbing lack of good spy-stuff out lately, don’t you think? Perhaps the streaming services are overwrought with compelling fiction, or addictive true crime, or must-watch romance.

Good thing there’s a le Carré adaptation hidden in the rough. The Night Manager is an espionage novel, published in 1993, about former British soldier Johnathan Pine. He is now a night manager – as the title suggests – tasked with keeping an eye on the Hotel Meister Palace in Zurich, where we first meet him. The story brings the reader on a whirlwind ride, that details Pine’s journey to take down an international arms dealer. The first episode was broadcast in 2016, and since then, fans have been hooked.

It was quickly commended for its grandeur – the show boasts gorgeous setting choices, usually in glamorous and exotic hotel locations, as any good spy show should. Hugh Laurie nails it as the supervillain, and Tom Hiddleston offers a super portrayal of the protagonist Pine. Hunt it down on Amazon Prime now.

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

Long before people were clapping for carers, or queueing for vaccines, in 2017, publisher Picador released the informative, hilarious, raw and often gory bestselling memoir by former doctor Adam Kay, and it was instantly celebrated for its humour and revealing perspective on working life in the UK’s National Health Service.

The book came about when Kay, five years after his resignation from the medical register, was prompted to dispose of all of his medical files that he had been keeping as part of a reflective journal. In these files were notes on life as a “low-grade superhero”, as Kay calls it – surviving off the lift he felt from helping his patients, while simultaneously suffering from lack of sleep, intense stress, and few days off.

BBC Two ordered the adaptation in 2018, however plans to films were set back by the coronavirus pandemic. Last February, film and TV production was allowed to continue under new lockdown rules, following strict government guidelines, and plans to shoot returned to order.

The lead role has been given to Ben Whishaw, of James Bond and Paddington Bear fame, and stars Lucy Forbes. Whishaw has said of the series, “It’s an honest, hilarious, heart-breaking look at the great institution and army of unsung heroes who work there under the most stressful conditions.” The series is set to air on BBC Two later this year.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

In 2019, much to the delight of Sandman fans all over the world, Netflix announced that it had completed a deal with Warner Brothers to develop Neil Gaiman’s classic graphic novel into a live-action television series, and that Gaiman himself will produce.

Known often as “the story of stories”, The Sandman is a narrative of undoing past sins, changing old ways and the personification of dreams. The titular character, also known as Morpheus, The Dream King or Dream, begins his journey with an escape from imprisonment by the occult, and is faced with rebuilding his old kingdom – a task that requires him to redo the bad deeds his old self did. Although first published in 1989, The Sandman series ran for 75 issues, until March 1996, and was followed up with multiple spin-offs, all of which experienced great success.

Given the fact that the original creator of this legendary fantasy story is involved in the project, there is no doubt that the story will be well represented. Add that to a sparkling cast – Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Tom Sturridge, and Charles Dance all star – and it’s easy to get hopeful about finally filling that Game-of-Thrones shaped void in our watchlist. The Sandman hits Netflix later this year.