Apple TV+
Lessons in Chemistry was practically born to become a TV series. Before Bonnie Garmus’ scientific foodie romance novel even hit shelves, Apple TV+ locked down a deal with star Brie Larson to recreate the brilliant novel in a mini-series. Everyone involved had the right idea: After the book debuted in March 2022, it hit the NYT Bestsellers list, skyrocketed in popularity on BookTok, and was later named Barnes & Noble’s 2022 Book of the Year.
For series creator Lee Eisenberg and director Sarah Adina Smith—who worked alongside Garmus, a co-executive producer, to adapt the show—these accomplishments should’ve given them even more confidence in their adaptation. The pair had signed onto a project not knowing how popular the book might become, and, luckily, it turned out to be a massive hit. But with a huge, passionate fanbase, bringing the world of Lessons in Chemistry to life became a daunting task.
“I’d never adapted anything before, so I was going in a little bit, uh, blissfully ignorant,” Eisenberg tells The Daily Beast’s Obsessed over Zoom. “The pressure of working on something that is so beloved—also by me and my family—it wasn’t a casual thing.”