Adapting Literature for Television

Adapting a book into a TV series presents unique challenges and creative opportunities. The transition from a novel to a screen format requires condensing complex narratives, as seen with the adaptation of Erwin Welsh's 2008 novel 'Crime' into a six-part series. The adaptation process allowed for restructuring the story, focusing primarily on the Edinburgh setting and its characters, while leaving out elements like the original Miami storyline. This flexibility enabled the creative team to shape a narrative that felt fresh and original, merging the nuances of the source material with new ideas suited for television.