Book lovers, don’t come for us, but sometimes the movie really is better. A great adaptation doesn’t just mimic the book; it refines it, elevates it, and often becomes the version we remember most. These films didn’t just make the source material cinematic—they made it iconic, sharpening characters, ditching messy subplots, and turning good stories into unforgettable ones.

When Randy Rhoads died in a sudden 1982 plane crash, it didn’t just shatter the life of Ozzy Osbourne; it punched a hole in the heart of heavy metal itself. The young virtuoso was gone. What remained was grief, guilt, and a legacy so powerful it helped reshape rock music in ways many still feel today.

Comic book icons carry massive expectations, and when an adaptation drops the ball, fans don’t forget. Plenty of productions deliver the magic, but some miss the mark so completely that they become cautionary tales.

You probably know Walter White, Don Draper, and the inmates of Litchfield by name. But the people who actually put words in their mouths? Those names tend to blur by in a tiny white font at the end of the episode. So let’s slow those credits down. Here are 22 writers who quietly built the worlds, characters, and episodes you still think about long after the season ended—and who deserve to have their names lodged in your brain right next to the shows you binge on repeat.

Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland helped define 90s rock with his distinct voice and unpredictable style. But a lifetime of trauma, addiction, and instability cut short his amazing talents.

Explore the captivating tale of Cass Elliot, the soulful force behind the Mamas & the Papas. Her struggle with weight and self-acceptance offers a poignant glimpse into the highs and lows of fame, ultimately shaping her tragic downfall.