Book series to TV show, 22: River of Teeth

Every four weeks, I will be writing about a book series that I think could make a great TV show.

Did you know that, at one point in history, the American Congress considered importing hippos to deal with an invasive species as well as a perceived meat shortage. However, despite the support of the president, this bill did not pass.

In her series River of Teeth, author Sarah Gailey boldly asks, but what if that act had passed? What if hippos became so common in the US that some folks had managed to tame hippos into reliable pack animals?

Gailey then posits, what would happen if this abundance of hippos led to a dangerous number of feral hippos? Well, Gailey thinks that a band of misfits would be hired to handle this problem. That's where Winslow Houndstooth comes in. He was hired to put together a plan and a team to get this done. The problem is, when you have a team patched together from various sides of the law, they tend to come with their own checkered pasts and secrets.

While I did not find the River of Teeth series to be flawless, its premise, theme of the best revenge, and it's diverse, often queer, and always real-feeling cast of characters enthralled me. As someone who loves odd bits of history, the alternative history of what if the American Hippo Bill passed was undeniably intriguing. I think I would not be alone in this either. Folks love a tale of outlaws seeking revenge on their terms. And the bond the characters have with their hippos? A great bonus.

I will say that, because of the hippos, that either excellent practical effects would be needed for this series or the series should be entirely animated (I don't think it'd be easy to show a bond between actor and CGI hippo--but I am willing to be proven wrong!).

This mix of loyal banditry, hints of grounded history, and bonds between misfits (both human and animal), is a potent one for a TV series.

River of Teeth series by Sarah Gailey, Tordotcom