Prime Video’s latest crime series Scarpetta is based on the book series by Patricia Cornwell, but, disappointingly, it doesn’t feel that way.
It’s always a risk whenever someone chooses to adapt something for the screen. Books can cover a lot more ground than something on screen, so it’s not always easy to translate.
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How is Prime Video’s Scarpetta different from the books?
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One of the key differences between the novels and the series is that there’s a real shift in focus. The series centers a lot around Kay Scarpetta and her family drama, especially with her sister Dorothy, who has a bigger role here than she does in the books.
I do love Jamie Lee Curtis, and she does her best here, but I really wanted more focus on Scarpetta’s work and less on her family drama. There’s also some obvious tension between Scarpetta and Dorothy’s husband, former detective Pete Marino, that overshadows the story, too.
Much of what makes Kay Scarpetta compelling in the books is absent from the series. We don’t really see much of her compassion here or tendency to “speak for the deceased”, and there isn’t much insight into the scientific methods either. Considering Scarpetta is the chief medical examiner, I would have liked to see more of that.
Even details about Scarpetta herself weren’t included, like her love of cooking. While I appreciate that’s not integral to the plot, it’s something that she’s known for, and by omitting key parts of her personality, it doesn’t feel like Cornwell’s character. The series also tries to cram too much in. Keep in mind there are 29 novels, so it’s unreasonable to cover that much ground in one season.
I really wanted to like the show more than I did. David Gordon Green’s gritty direction was definitely there, and as a fan of the new Halloween movies, I liked that aspect, but the bad characterization of its lead was just too disappointing for me.
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