We’ve become accustomed to books being adapted to television series, but now we have a new medium to adapt to screen: podcasts. Podcast-to-screen adaptations are proving to be just as effective as book-to-screen, and we now have thousands more stories to explore. Check out these three podcasts, then watch them come to life on screen.
The Shrink Next Door
A truly bizarre story, The Shrink Next Door chronicles the story of Marty (Will Ferrell), a man who seeks the help of his therapist Dr. Ike (Paul Rudd) to improve his life – and Marty’s life does improve in some ways, but other areas completely deteriorate.
This Apple TV+ series, as well as the podcast of the same name, explores the manipulation a man experienced at the hands of someone he trusted implicitly. Ferrell and Rudd give fantastic performances (and ones that won’t make you laugh) that carry this strange narrative.
The Shrink Next Door podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and the TV series is streaming now on Apple TV+.
The Dropout
The story of Elizabeth Holmes has been well documented by now – she was touted by Forbes as the youngest female self-made billionaire in 2015, after all. After she was revealed to be fraudulent and her company, Theranos, went under, ABC News produced a podcast detailing the entire story.
Three years after the release of the podcast of the same name, The Dropout, starring Amanda Seyfried, premiered on Hulu. The actor did such a good job portraying the Theranos founder, she won an Emmy, and she caused Jennifer Lawrence to pull herself out of a film where she was slated to play Holmes. Lawrence said there was no reason for her to play the role when Seyfried had already done it so well.
The Dropout podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and the TV series is streaming now on Hulu.
Dirty John
One of the most successful true crime podcasts of all time, Dirty John was also one of the first podcasts to be adapted to television. Originally airing on Bravo then moving to USA Network, Dirty John had two seasons, just like its podcast, and its cast included heavy hitters like Connie Britton, Julia Garner, and Jean Smart in the first season, with Christian Slater in the second.
The first season of Dirty John tells the true story of John Meehan and his marriage to Debra Newell, exploring the abuse and manipulation experienced throughout their relationship. Season 2 details the marriage, as well as its demise, of Betty and Dan Broderick, and the truly horrific end of their relationship.
The Dirty John podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and the TV series is streaming now on Netflix.
