Is it just done for the money? Adaptation of Big Little Lies from novel to TV series

Abstract

This thesis examines the adaptation of the novel Big Little Lies from 2014 to a TV series with the same title released on HBO in 2017. It seeks to identify the similarities and differences between the novel and TV series as a means to evaluate whether the latter is true to the original material.The analysis is built on my studies of the novel and the TV series, and on the theories discussed in the literature review. To build a theoretical foundation for the analysis, several academic books, articles, and online articles were explored. I have selected Linda Hutcheon (2006), as one of the main authors to learn from when discussing adaptation, and Robert Stam (2000) when discussing how true or faithful the TV series is in relation to the novel. Due to the nature of the TV series Big Little Lies being an American production and not an international art cinema production, I have selected the academic material whose standards are invariably applied in the mainstream of American cultural production like Robert McKee (2014), Andrew Horton (1999), John Truby (2008) and Jason Mittell (2015).Despite the similarities and differences in relation to theme, moral, arena, and characters between the novel and TV series, I find that the team has managed to deliver the TV series with integrity and faithfulness towards the novel. As a direct result, there is a strong interdependence between the two as the TV series contributes to the novel’s renewed popularity following the launch on HBO in February 2017.