Not Just One Piece: 5 TV Adaptations Proving The ‘If Something Works, Don’t Change It’ Rule

The recent success of Netflix 's One Piece came as a complete surprise to many fans, and proved that all it takes to make a great adaptation is to respect the source material, consult the creators, and make as few changes as possible.

With that in mind, let's take a look at five other recent TV adaptations that took the same approach to great effect.

Good Omens ( 2019-present)

Though Terry Pratchett, one of the co-creators of the original novel, died before the TV series began production, his colleague Neil Gaiman did his best to ensure that the first season of the show would be a perfect adaptation of the book.

The first season was brilliant, and under Gaiman's direction, the second season also turned out to be great, despite having no original source apart from the duo's unused ideas that they discussed before Pratchett's death.

Invincible ( 2021-present)

Robert Kirkman trusted no one to adapt his own comic book series for television, and that decision has paid off handsomely.

Some fans think the animated version of Mark Grayson's adventures is even better than the original, and they can't wait for the upcoming second season.

The Last of Us ( 2023-present)

Neil Druckmann, one of the co-creators of the original video game, was one of the showrunners for the series along with Craig Mazin, and it shows.

Although there are occasional changes, some scenes from the show are almost identical to their counterparts in the game, proving that if something works, there's no need to change it.

The Sandman ( 2022-present)

Neil Gaiman is back on our list with a new adaptation of his comic book series of the same name.

With a great visual style, which is a big deal considering the distinctive artwork of the original, perfect casting, and careful treatment of the original story arcs, The Sandman is considered by many fans to be one of the most faithful comic book adaptations.

The Expanse (2015-2022)

While there have been some changes to the original novels in favor of a slightly simplified plot (which is almost inevitable when a book is adapted into a TV show), The Expanse still managed to capture the spirit of the source material almost perfectly and remains one of the best shows Amazon has ever created.