Great Literature Made Even Better, on HBO

My wife sometimes glances over from her book and says, “You’re watching too much TV.” I sometimes respond, “I’m watching an adaptation of a literary masterwork.” This is occasionally true. Here are a few prestige shows guaranteed to dignify the most uninspired watch list:

Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America” is, like most of his work, partly autobiographical. Unlike most of his work, its plot is electrifying: a chilling alternative history in which Charles Lindbergh has been elected president in 1940 and the U.S. is becoming increasingly fascist and anti-Semitic. Roth’s 2004 novel was made into a six-episode HBO miniseries in 2020. 

The story centers on a family that mirrors Roth’s own: Herman Levin (Morgan Spector), his wife, Bess, 10-year-old Philip and his older brother, Sandy. Winona Ryder plays Bess’s sister, Evelyn, who falls for a Lindbergh crony, the odious Rabbi Bengelsdorf (John Turturro). 

The Levins’ lives are disrupted by a series of increasingly oppressive and violent anti-Semitic incidents supported by the Lindbergh administration.  

This is a powerful family drama along with Roth’s warning about the impact of far-right “America First” nativism promoted by Lindbergh and, recently, by Donald Trump.

“The Leftovers” is based on Tom Perrotta’s novel of the same name. It takes place a few years after the Sudden Departure — the mysterious disappearance of 2% of the world’s population. 

It is told largely through the eyes of Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), police chief of a town in New York; and Nora Durst (Carrie Coon), who has lost her entire family in the Departure. 

The sweeping story line is too complex to summarize easily in this space, but a number of cults have evolved, notably The Guilty Remnant, a weird group of chain-smoking nihilists. 

Although the show won critical acclaim, the audience was small, perhaps because of its somewhat surreal tone. I do not mean to suggest that watching is slow or difficult. This is a riveting and suspenseful story with some unforgettable characters, especially Carrie Coon’s Nora. In my view, this is one of the two best shows of the decade (along with “Breaking Bad”). Three seasons on HBO Max.

Although I admire both the above novels, the TV treatments are superior, partly because they extend the scope of the books. Both have high-concept or “what if” story lines. High-concept work often veers into science fiction — e.g. the Roth book has a plot similar to Philip K. Dick’s “The Man In the High Castle”  —  but this is not always the case. The ultimate high-concept work may be “Snakes on a Plane.” 

If you prefer a character-driven story, I have to send you again to the HBO library to watch “My Brilliant Friend,” the adaptation of the novel by the mysterious Elena Ferrante. 

To the list of great female friendships — Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas, Thelma & Louise, Betty & Veronica — we must add Lenu & Lila, who grow up together in Naples in the 1950s.  

There is no plot here other than the enduring one of Coming of Age, but if you have a fondness for Italy, you will enjoy this gorgeously photographed show featuring remarkable performances by two lovely actresses.

Margherita Mazzucco plays Lenu, and Gaia Girace plays Lila. Neither had any previous acting experience and were chosen from more than 9,000 children and teenagers in the Neapolitan region.