J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels offer a much deeper insight into the magical universe than the movies, and HBO’s TV series had better treat the source material with the respect it deserves. The films are a decent adaptation of the story of the Boy Who Lived, but there are some Harry Potter characters that the movies messed up either by reducing their screen time or changing their personality too drastically. The TV reboot can fix that mistake and incorporate more book details to make the characters more fascinating and unique.
Not much is yet revealed about HBO’s Harry Potter show, but there is hope that the remake will be a more faithful adaptation than the movies. The series does stand a better chance of bringing Harry’s adventures to the screen in a more comprehensive way — since the runtime of a single season is longer than that of a single movie, the show will have an opportunity to feature even the scenes that don’t propel the plot, but exist solely to add to the fun. The Harry Potter book details can make HBO’s show stand out.
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10 Age-Appropriate Characters
James & Lily Potter die as 21-year-olds
One of the Harry Potter films’ biggest missteps was casting actors in their late 30s and 40s to play young adults, as it took away the tragedy of their deaths. In the novels, James and Lily Potter were 21 when Voldemort killed them. Snape was the same age when he changed sides. One of the most brutal things about war is that it takes the lives of the teens of yesterday, and the First Wizarding War was no exception. The TV reboot has to cast age-appropriate actors to showcase the atrocious realities of Voldemort’s reign.
9 Peeves The Poltergeist
Peeves is an important comic relief
Peeves’ cut role in the Harry Potter movies was arguably Chris Columbus’ gravest mistake, as he would have been a great addition to the story. In the novels, Peeves the Poltergeist was at the backdrop of many important scenes, and some of them were comedy gold as well as key to the plot. Any book scene where Peeves is working hard to undermine Umbridge at the Weasley twins’ last request before storming out of Hogwarts would instantly make the TV show funnier than the entire Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie.
8 Professor Snape’s Horrible Attitude
Snape is awful to non-Slytherin Hogwarts students
Professor Snape ended up becoming a glorified hero in the Harry Potter movies, and part of the reason was the fact that his worst behavior was left out of the films. The TV reboot should explore Snape’s persona in all his duality. There were plenty of book scenes where Snape was acting childish and cruel, especially toward Gryffindor students, for no reason, like the time he made that lookist comment about Hermione’s overgrown teeth and refused to give detention to the person who was responsible for casting the curse in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
7 Harry & Ginny’s Romance
Harry & Ginny’s relationship doesn’t appear out of nowhere
Harry and Ginny’s relationship was almost non-existent in the Harry Potter movies until the sixth installment, and the same could be said about Ginny as a character. The situation was vastly different in the novels, where Ginny was a well-written secondary character, and Harry was falling in love with her gradually over the course of seven books. In the novels, Harry and Ginny’s first kiss happened when the Gryffindor team won a Quidditch match, and it was a beautiful moment, made utterly hilarious by Ron’s reaction. HBO’s show has to do justice to Ginny and Harry as the main couple.
6 Neville’s Tragic Backstory
The St. Mungo’s scene with Alice & Frank is essential
While Neville was a great character in the Harry Potter movies, he was also largely underutilized. Even the fact that Neville came really close to becoming the Chosen One wasn’t covered in the films, and it was a key piece of information for understanding the true horrific nature of Harry’s story. This book detail shouldn’t be missing from the show. Another scene that the TV reboot has to include is the one where the Golden Trio and Ginny stumble upon Neville and his grandmother at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and discover what happened to Neville’s parents.
5 Life At Hogwarts During The Deathly Hallows
Hogwarts students put up a fight against the Carrows
Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s Horcrux quest was understandably the focus of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but there were other things going on at Hogwarts as well. The Carrows’ reign at the school was a dark time, and the students’ silent fight was commendable. The films rushed past life at Hogwarts during Harry’s seventh year, but the reboot shouldn’t throw away such a vital storyline. The Hogwarts under the Carrows’ rule scenes showcased the people’s strength and resistance in the face of danger, as well as the horrors that Voldemort’s regime entailed.
4 Nearly Headless Nick’s Deathday Party
The Golden Trio’s attendance is a testament to their character
One of the most bizarre scenes in the novels was Nearly Headless Nick’s 500th deathday party, and it was a shame that this Halloween storyline got cut from the Harry Potter movies. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had a choice to make: they could either attend Hogwarts’ Halloween feast where they would enjoy delicious food or honor their House’s ghost by going to his deathday party with nothing for them to eat. The fact that the Golden Trio chose to do right by their promise to a friend spoke louder than words, and this scene has to be in the show.
3 Professor McGonagall’s Sassy Comments
McGonagall has the best one-liners
Maggie Smith’s Professor McGonagall was close to perfection in the way she carried herself, but it is a pity that most of her hysterical one-liners got cut from the Harry Potter movies. The TV show had better not make the same mistake and feature at least some of her book quotes, such as “Have a biscuit, Potter,” which she says after Harry gets in trouble with Umbridge. Additionally, if the series included the scene where McGonagall gives advice to Peeves regarding the direction that should be used to unscrew the chandelier, it would automatically become the superior adaptation.
2 The Quidditch World Cup In All Its Glory
The Quidditch World Cup scene explores wizards’ culture
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is generally considered to be one of the weakest movies in the series, and that is largely because of the way it mishandled the Quidditch World Cup. The competition was a huge chunk of the corresponding novel, and so much happened during the World Cup scenes. For instance, they introduced Ludo Bagman and Winky the house-elf, each of whom had major subplots in the books. HBO’s series has to make amends, bring these characters to life on-screen at last, and make the actual Quidditch World Cup as grandiose as it should be.
1 Hermione & Viktor’s Relationship
The Viktor subplot leads to Hermione discovering Rita’s secret
Viktor Krum was a key character for Hermione’s self-discovery journey, as he was the first boy to notice her. The Harry Potter movies did a fairly good job of depicting Viktor, but there were so many more stunning book scenes with him and Hermione as a budding couple. Plus, a certain conversation between Viktor and Hermione resulted in Hermione’s investigation into Rita Skeeter, which is another awesome storyline that the TV reboot should embrace. Seeing the victorious Hermione capture Rita in her Animagus form in a jar would be nothing short of sensational.
