Monday, April 2, 2012

Bones

As a writer, my A to Z challenge is going to be about books, characters, TV shows and movies that have impacted me somehow. Enjoy! Be sure to check out Lee’s blog to find more bloggers taking on this challenge!


Bones

I’d read several of Kathy Reichs' books before I found the TV series. Tempe Brennan is a really great character. She’s brilliant, but she’s so much more. There’s a lot of history in the books that never makes it on screen. In fact, the two versions of the same story are very, very different - even though they have the same bones (sorry, couldn't resist). I like that. The characters and storylines in the books and on TV develop in very different directions, and most of that is because of the format delivering the story. Really makes me think as a writer.


Do you enjoy any books that have been turned into TV shows?

52 comments:

Laura Pauling said...

I love shows that solve mysteries and murders. I haven't watched Bones. I know did stop watching the ones that got too gruesome. Not sure if Bones was like that or not.

I love when TV shows help our writing!

Unknown said...

I adore Bones! She is one of the coolest characters. My current book to TV fave is The Walking Dead. They are graphic novels, though so does that still count? :)

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A good B word and post.

We have many books turned into TV programmes here especially Agatha Christie, PD James. all which I enjoy watching.

Yvonne.

Amy said...

Great series of books and the show alike! :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

I've heard great things about this but never watched it.

Kelly Polark said...

I had no idea that this series was based on books. Cool!
I've watched a few episodes. My mother in law loves this show. I love the strong female character. And of course David is nice to look at. :)

Shelley Sly said...

I haven't watched Bones, but it's similar to a lot of shows that I like, so I know I'll enjoy it. I'll probably watch it on Netflix when I'm done with the show I'm watching now. I hear the dynamic between the two leads is great!

Old Kitty said...

I've never watched Bones - but it sounds good!! Let me see - I recently enjoyed the tv adaptation of The Slap! Very good! Take care
x

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Bones is one of my favorite shows. Good choice for B.

Teresa

Heather M. Gardner said...

I tried to read the books after I saw the show and couldn't get into them. I wish I had done it the opposite way. But, I love the Bones. I love the characters and the relationships. It may not be accurate but its entertaining.
Great post.
Heather

Unknown said...

I love the show too. And it's coming back this week I think after she had her baby.

Rosalind Adam said...

I've never watched this programme but wonder if the difference in story line is because for a film they seem to dum things down.

I’m doing the A to Z Challenge too at A to Z of Nostalgia

Anonymous said...

I loved BONES too. If you like BONES, you might also like HAVEN, which I believe was a Stephen King book.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I've read the books, but haven't watched the show. Thanks for the review!

Julie Dao said...

I have this weird thing where I absolutely refuse to watch a show if I haven't been watching from the very beginning, so I've missed out on Bones :( But it's always on! Maybe I should start catching up on Hulu or something.

A said...

I've never heard of Bones but now you're making me want to check it out.

Hart Johnson said...

I didn't realize Bones was from books. I've been tempted to watch, as Netflix pops it up (based on my liking of Buffy and Angel) but I don't know anything about it. I will have to give it a watch. Mostly, i think TV doesn't quite live up to books, but TV gets it right more often than movies, which just don't have time to do it right.

Aurora said...

I don't know why I haven't gotten into Bones . . . probably too many other good shows on! Right now I, like half of fandom it seems, am going nuts over Game of Thrones. I had read most of the book before the series started, and I'm into book 3 by now. I hope to keep ahead of the series for as long as I can!


Aurora Celeste
yasff.blogspot.com
dramaticthreads.com

Susan Spann said...

Neat idea for an A to Z challenge lineup - I'll definitely be stopping by to see what else you have in store!

Actually, I didn't realize Bones was based on the characters from a novel - I like the show, so now I'm going to go check out the novels too - thanks for that tip!

Jessica Bell said...

Yep. This one. I'm ADDICTED to Bones! :) Great choice for B!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

I always say I want to watch this show when I see the commercials, but I still never have! Grr...

Unknown said...

I love this show. You got to love a good mystery.

Jemi Fraser said...

Laura - I don't think it's too gruesome. My kids censor shows for me - they let me know which ones I won't be able to watch! :)

Melissa - graphic novels definitely count. I keep hearing great things about the Walking Dead, but I haven't seen it yet!

Yvonne - I love the Poirot and Miss Marple series we had here - so much fun!

Amy - I really like them both too! :)

Natalie - I really like it - and I like how the books/show are different!

Kelly - David certainly is! I like the strong female lead too :)

Shelley - the dynamic is terrific! There are so many shows I know I'd like, but I just refuse to pick up any more series - no time! :)

Old Kitty - I don't know The Slap - I'll have to check it out :)

Teresa - it really is a fun show!

Heather - exactly! I'm glad I read several of the novels before I saw the show. It gave me great background - but let the show be itself too!

Clarissa - the teasers for this week's episode look great! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Rosalind - I actually think it has more to do with short time frames to tell the story - but I could be wrong! :)

Liz - I'll have to check out Haven - I love King's writing - but I'm a wimp with the horror stuff!

Elizabeth - the 2 are definitely different entities, but I like them both :)

Julie - I'm like that with shows too. I like to know the backstory and the build up between the characters!

Agnes - it's really enjoyable - a good relaxer for me :)

Hart - time frames are definitely a problem. I've found the show to be very different from the books - but good!

Aurora - too many good shows is a problem. I haven't picked up Game of Thrones for that reason. I don't need another series to watch!

Susan - thanks! I hope you enjoy the books. Tempe is a terrific character!

Jessica - it really can be addiciting! I'm looking forward to the birth show!

Karen - I'm finding out it's not common knowledge! I thought it was :)

Shannon - I think you'd like it - our tastes are pretty similar!

Cheree - exactly! There's nothing quite like solving it alongside the detectives! :)

Jackie Jordan said...

I haven't had the opportunity to watch Bones, but now I will make the effort toi catch an episode or two. Good luck on the Challenge.

Jemi Fraser said...

Jackie - thanks! I think I'll need more than a sprinkling of luck! :) If you like mysteries (she's a forensic anthropologist), you'll probably like it!

Laura Barnes said...

I should check out the books. My daughters and I love the show.

Mary said...

I love both the written series and the TV series. They're different but both completely awesome. Of course, David Borenez is in TV Bones, so I'd watch pretty much anything including him sitting around petting a dog. Twice if he was shirtless.

Jemi Fraser said...

Laura - they're very good - different from the show - but so good! :)

Mary - agreed! :) Both series get my love :)

Beth Zimmerman said...

I very rarely watch TV or movies that have been made from books that I loved. They too often disappoint. And I've actually never watched Bones.

Jemi Fraser said...

Beth - you're right. So many of them are so disappointing. It's tough once you have the picture in your head! But this one works for me - even though the 2 mcs are very different! :)

catherinemjohnson.com said...

How embarrassing I didn't know it had been a book, I love Bones but haven't watched it in forever :(

Jemi Fraser said...

Catherine - you're not alone! A lot of people hadn't realized Kathy Reichs had written the books first. She's an executive producer of the series too :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I didn't realize it was a book before a show.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I guess my favorite would be Justified but I'm a fan of Bones too. It's back on tonight.

Jemi Fraser said...

Diane - it's a really good series of books too!

Susan - I don't know Justified - I'll have to check it out :) Looking forward to tonight's episode!

Anonymous said...

TV shows. Screen writing. A few years back I tried writing two screenplays, and paid for feedback on one of them. You can learn a lot from TV shows and films. I love those media. There's always much more in the book than the film. Impossible on screen to capture everything. I'm thinking especially of one of my favorites, To Kill A Mockingbird. So much more in the book, but I think it's one of the most successful and most wonderful adaptations I've ever seen.

Great theme you're doing, Jemi. Pretty close to mine, as you know, but I'm just focusing on "old" movies I love. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the challenge!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs

Jemi Fraser said...

Ann - there are so many wonderful old movies! I'm going to enjoy your theme! :)

To Kill a Mockingbird is such an incredible book. And I enjoyed the movie adaptation as well. But the book has SO many layers and so much subtext - awesome! :)

Patty said...

I've seen this 100 times at the video store and never rented and never NEVER knew it was a book. Just might check it out now.

Lisa Gail Green said...

I think you already know the answer. But VAMPIRE DIARIES!!! I love it! The writing on that show is so awesome. I know it's different than the books, but that doesn't bother me.

Jemi Fraser said...

Patty - it's a really well done version of the book - based in the same story - but it goes in a very different direction :)

Lisa - why am I not surprised??? :) I think it's okay to have the show and books different. The format is so different, it's almost impossible to be the same. :)

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

I had no idea that Bones was based on a book.

I enjoyed True Blood and it was based on the Sookie Stackhouse series of books.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen this show. I'm sure some of the books I've read have become TV shows, but I haven't come across them (just movies).

Nas said...

Would definitely love this show as I loved Jefferey Deaver's The Bone Collector. Am I right? The series where Danziel Washington is paralyzed and solves mysteries.

Anonymous said...

Hello! I've see previews during the week for this show, but have never watched it. A show that I like to watch is The Walking Dead. Can't wait for the new season to start!

Susanne
PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER

Jemi Fraser said...

Sharon - a whole series of books actually. And they're great! I haven't seen True Bloog yet- one of these days :)

Medeia - with the # of books you read - I'd be shocked if several of them hadn't become shows! :)

Nas - I'd say you're completely right!! ::)

Susanne - so many people love the Walking Dead - I've really got to check it out!

TerryLynnJohnson said...

I've never seen this show, but I have read several of her books. Though I haven't seen Game of Thrones either, or even read the book, all the buzz is making me want to read it!

Jemi Fraser said...

Terry - I haven't done Game of Thrones either. But the buzz is so good I know I'll get to it one day! :)

Leslie S. Rose said...

I've heard so much about Bones, but never taken the plunge. I'm really into True Blood, from the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlane Harris. I'm also about to dive into Game of Thrones.

Jemi Fraser said...

Leslie - it's really enjoyable! I haven't done either of those yet, but I'd like too - once I can find the time! :)

Stephsco said...

Stopping by from the A to Z challenge. I love Bones! Brennan is one of my top fave TV characters - she's so unique! the supporting cast doesn't hurt either. I like the more lighthearted tones the show takes on given some of the creepier subject matter.

Jemi Fraser said...

Steph - Brennan is really great! The show is definitely lighter than the books too. They can get pretty intense - but they're still great! :)