Book series to TV show, 19: Chicago Saga
Every four weeks, I will be writing about a book series that I think could make a great TV show.
In her Chicago Saga, author Cynthia Pelayo combines the tale of the Pied Piper with the grit of present-day Chicago that then leads into a connected mystery around a fabled lost film. It may sound like those ideas don't all connect, but in Pelayo's hands, they work well together. Pelayo is quite skillful at building drama, tension, and lore supported by well-known stories and tropes as well as things crafted solely by her.
I think this combination of retelling folktales, a modern-day city setting, and well-earned twists not only worked well as a book, but could translate well to screen. For a Chicagoan like me (and many of those I know), I'm already going to be interested when a show is set there. Pelayo also tells her tales in parts of Chicago often ignored--another plus. But I do think the more fantastical or supernatural elements of her work could play out even better on screen than they did on the page.
This series would have to be live action (IMO) in order to achieve that mix of grit and tension. I do think it would also have to actually be shot in Chicago (trust me, we can always tell when it's not in Chicago) and it would be best if a lot of the production team was at least familiar with Chicago and/or was willing to listen to Pelayo (the listening being the more important factor).
Overall though, with the right team and cast, Pelayo's works could be masterful on screen.
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