Netflix Shows You Didn’t Know Were Remakes

Netflix is one of the premier content-creating and -curating media companies in the world and their beloved original series are the main reason for their acclaim.

Netflix is known for adapting series out of books, as they did for Orange is the New Black and A Series of Unfortunate Events. However, they also take some of their properties from screen and stage sources.

Sometimes they adapt a show for American audiences, sometimes they expand on a film’s story and sometimes they revamp a classic for a new audience.

Here are five stories that Netflix decided to remake as original series.

‘House of Cards’

That’s right. House of Cards, one of Netflix’s top-tier shows, isn’t actually completely original.

The acclaimed series is an adaptation of a BBC series of the same name that was released in the ’90s (which in-turn was inspired by a Michael Dobbs novel).

While the political systems are different, Francis Underwood’s (Kevin Spacey) journey in the U.S. version mirrors the rise of Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson) in the BBC series.

(Spoilers ahead)

This is especially true in the first season, with both characters manipulating a journalist and politician before causing their demises in brutal ways.

The British original is currently available on Netflix right alongside its U.S. counterpart.

‘Dear White People’

The Netflix fan-favorite Dear White People had a quick turnover time between being a film and becoming a show.

In 2014, a film of the same name was released to critical acclaim. It had an all-star cast of young talent, including Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams, Kyle Gallner and Teyonah Parris.

Netflix quickly came calling for a series adaptation, with it premiering in April 2017. It hits a lot of the same beats as the original film, but it has much more time to flesh out characters and situations.

Plus, it’s been renewed for a second season, so we’ll see it take the original story to new heights.

‘The Crown’

The Crown is a bit of an unconventional remake. 

Creator and writer Peter Morgan has adapted the story of Queen Elizabeth II in several different ways. He wrote 2006’s The Queen, which starred Helen Mirren and focused on the Elizabeth’s response to the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales. He also wrote the play The Audience, which acts out meetings the Queen had throughout different points in history.

The Crown, an Elizabeth bio-series, is mapped out as a six season show, with a new actress taking over the role every two seasons. The Crown has already tread into the some same territories covered in The Audience, with more collisions soon-tocome.

‘One Day at a Time’

The original One Day at a Time is one of the most notable sitcoms of the ’70s/’80s. A total of 202 episodes were produced, with Valerie Bertinelli, Mackenzie Phillips and Bonnie Franklin starring.

Netflix released a new version of the show in January 2017, but it hasn’t received that much fanfare. However, it has been acclaimed by critics and is up for a lot of pending awards.

It’s a modern take on the original sitcom, with Justina Machado starring as a recently divorced Army veteran raising two children with the help of her mom, played by Rita Moreno. It delves into the issues vets face when they come home all while hitting the family sitcom beats viewers love.

‘3%’

As one of Netflix’s biggest Spanish-language shows, 3% has become a fan-favorite worldwide.

The sci-fi thriller focuses on a young woman competing in a series of dystopian trials to improve her way of life and status in society. The show was remade out of an online pilot episode that was shared to YouTube back in 2011.

While that production had its own merits, the Netflix touch made the online show a high-quality eight-episode series, with a second season on the way.