Boys Of Tommen
Heyy and welcome to 'diaryofanoverthinker'. Today I’m finally talking about something I’ve been putting off foreverrr… but also something I need to get into: The Boys of Tommen adaptation.
Because as much as I LOVE that book series, I do not want an adaptation like, at all and I know a lot of fans feel the same way. So I’m going to be unpacking all of that right now.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy what might just be my biggest crash out of 2026… so far.
My original thoughts
So I can’t lie, when I first heard about it, I didn’t think that deeply about it.
I mean, sure, I knew there was no way they’d ever fully capture the depth of the books in a movie or series, and I had a feeling they’d probably butcher that early 2000s Ireland vibe… but I was like, okay, maybe it won’t be that bad. Maybe it could even be good? I was slightly excited.
And then I started scrolling… and thinking…
8 Episodes for Binding and keeping 13
Okay, but let’s actually ignore everything else they could mess up for a second and focus on this one thing because it’s already enough to stress me out:
They’re really planning to take two 800-page books… and squeeze all of that into eight episodes.
Likeeee… make it make sense.
How are you supposed to do justice to roughly 1,600 pages of story, character development, and emotional depth in eight episodes?? That’s not an adaptation at this point that’s just a trailer.
And we all know what’s going to happen next. They’re going to flatten everything into some basic tropey narrative like “shy girl x popular guy” when that is NOT AT ALL what Johnny and Shan are. Not even close.
And don’t even get me started on how they’ll probably twist Shan into some “pick me” stereotype just to prop up Bella, when that completely misses the point of her character. Like… no. Just no.Like I am not ready for girls to go "Bellas misunderstood".
And if they’re really planning to do this as a one season per couple situation? Then there is NO WAY the rest of the series survives that format. Joey and Aoife alone need way more than one season honestly, all of them do.
Like it's going to seem like just some cute teen romance when that isn't what Boys of Tommen is
At that point, you’re not adapting the story you’re just rushing through it and hoping no one notices what’s missing.
Other
Okay sooo… the Lizzie hate? Still very much alive.
Like sure, some people changed their opinions after Releasing 10, but let’s be real the Lizzie hate is real. And now imagine how much worse it’s going to be in a show.
Because we already know what’s going to happen: we’re going to lose so much context early on. And without that context, people are going to form opinions way too quickly. So by the time we finally get to her season? It’s either going to be rushed, watered down, or completely misunderstood and they’re probably going to butcher it.
Which means people won’t get Lizzie. At all.
And I just know they’re going to start hating on Hugh too, and I am NOT ready for that.Sure some things he did were a bit... but he was just a kid and his intentions were always good.
Then comes the chaos:
people saying “Aoife deserves better” (like… that’s not the point),
Joey hate taking over,
people romanticising Teddy and Mark—which is a big NO,
random Hugh and Katie ships,
Lizzie and Feely ships…
Like NOOO. That is not what the story is about 😭
There are just so many ways this adaptation can go wrong, and I feel like once it starts, there’s no controlling how people interpret it. And that’s the scariest part—watching something you love get completely misunderstood on such a big scale.
And the worst part? I wouldn’t even blame the audience.
Because if the adaptation leaves out that much context, how are people supposed to understand the actual depth of the story? They’re not reading 1,600 pages they’re watching a condensed version that’s been stripped down to fit a screen.
So if Prime leans into making it look like some cliché romance, then of course people who only watch the show are going to see it that way. That’s all they’re being given.
And that’s what’s so frustrating—it won’t even be the audience misunderstanding the story. It’ll be the adaptation presenting it in a way that invites that misunderstanding in the first place.
I am so worried about this, and honestly… I don’t even think I’m going to watch it when it comes out.
This is something I’m genuinely passionate about, because yeah—adaptations are always a little off. That’s normal. But when you’re dealing with a story that has this much depth, this much meaning, and is this relatable to people? It’s different. It actually matters how it’s handled.
Like, take something like Harry Potter. Of course the movies left things out, and yeah, it’s sad—we all know the “Dumbledore asked calmly” situation—but overall? The movies still worked. They still captured the heart of the story, even if they missed details.
But this? This isn’t about small moments being changed or skipped. This is about the core of the characters.
It’s about taking someone like Shan, who has so much depth, trauma, and character development and reducing her to a “shy pick me girl.”
Or turning Johnny into just another “popular guy” trope when he’s so much more than that.
And that’s the kind of thing you can’t just brush off as “oh well, adaptations aren’t perfect.” Because that’s not a small mistake that’s fundamentally misunderstanding the story.
And honestly? That’s what makes this feel so much worse.
Like, Chloe worked so hard to build these characters into real, layered people giving them depth, complexity, and stories that actually mean something. They’re not just characters you read about; they feel real, like people who are dealing with genuinely complicated things.
And the idea that all of that could just be watered down by an adaptation? It’s actually so frustrating.
Because it’s not just about cutting scenes it’s about losing the nuance, the small moments, the internal struggles, and everything that makes these characters who they are. And once that’s gone, you’re left with something that might look similar on the surface… but doesn’t feel the same at all.
Soo yeah… as you can tell, I’ve been looking very deeply into this—buttt that’s just me, I guess 😭
I hope you guys enjoyed my crash out.
Thank you so much for reading
until next timee
byeee<333