Fantasy TV shows are certainly having their day in the sun, from the popularity ofGame of Thronesto the general affection forThe Witcher.Amazon is even producing a newLord of the Ringsshow, which will likely be hugely popular. Over the weekend, Netflix dropped a new show that could potentially rise into the ranks of the much-loved fantasy shows that came before it, especially with a large book fandom behind it.
Shadow and Boneis an 8 episode series adapted fromThe Grisha Trilogyseries andSix of Crowsseries by Leigh Bardugo. Set in the fictional world of Ravka (inspired by 19th century tsarist Russia), the story follows a young woman named Alina Starkov, who discovers that she is a Grisha (those in this fictional world who have the power to manipulate certain elements) and has powers that could save her land from the Shadow Fold, an expanse of darkness that splits the country and contains terrifying and deadly creatures called volcra. So far, the show has been very well received, and if it does well enough to get more seasons,it has the potential to become the next big TV hit.
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As far as book-to-screen adaptations go,Shadow and Bonehas done a great job ofkeeping the integrity of the characters and storylines from the books, while expanding upon them and adding in new elements. One of the greatest successes is how they managed to weave two different series together into the same story, taking the characters fromSix of Crows(which is a sort-of spinoff ofThe Grisha Trilogythat follows a completely different set of characters) and inserting them into Alina’s story in a natural way, which also gives fans of the books a fun glimpse at what it’s like for these characters to interact. It adds a few different tones to the story, in a way that doesn’t feel jarring. While Alina’s storyline is more typical Chosen One fantasy fare, the Crows storyline adds a fun heist element to the plot.
The show is well made, not only as an adaptation but as a show in its own right. The performances from the actors are all spot on, with Ben Barnes giving a particularly fantastic and dialed-in performance as the mysterious General Kirigan. The casting department went with mostly unknown actors for a lot of the main cast, and this show has given them the potential to become big stars, because all of them embody their characters perfectly. The costumes are incredibly detailed and beautiful, and the special effects look great.There was clearly enough of a budget for this showto make it look great and feel like a real, fleshed-out world.
Some reviewers have already taken to calling it “the nextGame of Thrones,” which is a high compliment (as long as this serieseventually sticks the landing of its ending, unlike the show it’s being compared to). The books thatShadow and Boneis based on were very popular amongst readers of YA fantasy, and hopefully, it has enough of a fandom behind it to propel the show to enough popularity to become as big asGame of Throneswas.Shadow and Bonedoesn’t seem to have hit the instant fame thatGame of Thronesgot, and that may be partially due to a lack of marketing on Netflix’s part, but it was still the #1 most-watched show on the site over the weekend. Will that momentum be enough to make it as much of a cultural moment asGame of Throneswas?
It’s unlikely that any show will hit the exact heights thatGame of Thronesdid (at least, not immediately), but perhapsShadow and Bonecould at least reachThe Witcherlevels of fame (which would be appropriate, considering they’re both Netflix Originals).It has been well-reviewed by critics and fans alike, and hopefully, that will be enough to garner it a second season. This show really deserves the fame that other recent fantasy shows have gotten, because it’s very well-made and tells a compelling story about sacrifice and found family.
There are heists, magic, action scenes, and compelling characters - it really has everything that should make for a hugely popular show. If it were to gain enough of an audience, it would have the potential to incite the kind of water cooler conversation that shows likeGame of Throneshad, where everyone would watch and discuss the show, andyou could findGame of Thronesmerch in every store.
As long as Netflix can keep the momentum ofShadow and Bonegoing, and does better at marketing it to those who have never heard of the books,they could have the next biggest fantasy hit on their hands. Only time will tell how beloved this series will become by the world, but hopefully, it’s popular enough to garner at least a few more seasons. Season 1 was mainly just the first book inThe Grisha Trilogy, and contains a lot of introduction to the world of Ravka and the Grisha.
Future seasons of the show are where the story would really start to kick off, especially after the ending of the first season. If enough people give the show a chance, it could be an absolutely explosive cultural moment, and maybe make the show big enough to be an institution in its own right,rather than just “the nextGame of Thrones”.
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