In my first review of TV Series vs Book on Literary Square Eyes, I look at The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham and compare it with TV Adaptations produced in 1981 and 2009 as well as the Radio Drama from the 60s.
For those unaware, John Wyndham wrote The Day of the Triffids in 1951. It details an apocalypse caused by a meteor shower that blinds all that see it and plants called Triffids that have been cultivated worldwide for their oil become mobile and carnivorous. Biologist Bill Massen finds himself as one of the only sighted people in a hospital after his eyes were protected from the meteor shower after being injured by Triffid Poison and having to be covered as part of his treatment. After removing his bandages, Bill ventures out into Post Apocalyptic London, one where a majority of the population are blind and carnivorous plants roam the streets.
As the book is John Wyndham's first published work the story is very straight forward. Throughout the story, ideas are presented but not really explored, but the reasons for the current state of affairs are never completely confirmed which adds verisimilitude to Wyndham's story. Although a majority of the attitudes are of their time, especially when it relates to women and to the blind. While Josella is independent and takes care but she waits for Bill to find her and then her life starts with Bill. During the story Josella is something to be obtained and when obtained Josella is relegated to duties around the home and having a baby as per gender norms of the time. The blind are burdens to be endured and gotten rid of, not valuable people that can contribute but helpless and needing continual help. But to me, the most frustrating part of the story is the cozy catastrophe of it all. All the issues are easily overcome and the biggest issue comes towards the end of the story with the presentation of the last minute villain that threatens their escape to the promised land by Bill's former nemesis. And with this final hurdle, the story abruptly ends. In saying this I'm not saying that the Triffids are not great creations, but the book and the works adapted from suffering from the same malaise.
The radio series was adapted in the 60s and it shows as of all the adaptations it seems to stick the closest to the text and is pretty much paint by the numbers and if you don't feel like reading the book, due to the verisimilitude of the radio series, it comes recommended as another way to experience the story.
The 2009 adaptation like the movie is a less faithful adaptation. The story is tweaked from the Triffids being created through genetic manipulation that the Triffids are now newly found flora in Zaire. They kill the protagonist's mother which of course leads him to be an expert in them. Due to the changes to the story, the indigenous knowledge that up until this point of the narrative has not been any part of the discourse becomes important to the plot and essentially makes that if the indigenous information had been followed that the problem of the Triffids would have been resolved. While I accept that by nature an adaptation requires change for the original source to work in its new medium, but to me, this change doesn't work as it doesn't feel organic. It would have felt more organic if Bill had been changed to being an African from Zaire and the information that the triffids were not to be trifled with would have changed Bill into a character that was straddling the modern world and the world of his ancestors as well as reconciling the knowledge that he had passed down to him and his modern teachings. Much more relevant and compelling in today's society and an interesting take on what Wyndham was saying on the dangers of not only acceptance of technologies without thinking of the consequences but also that if we abuse Nature that Nature could abuse humans with great ease.
In conclusion, the book is a science fiction classic, but not without its flaws. The radio series and the 1981 tv series are both products of their time but very close adaptations and the 2009 tv miniseries while changing the story, the wrong things and misses a lot of opportunities but due to its straying from the source material too much hurts it from being a better adaptation and possible update.
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