This week, Vulture TV Critic Roxana Hadadi joins Rudi and Sophie to discuss Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” a streaming adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners” that’s also based on a pair of “Cape Fear” films from 1962 and 1991.

After introducing Roxana (00:01:11), Sophie shares some background on the novel (00:06:42); Rudi gives an overview of the 1962 film, which was directed by J. Lee Thompson and starred Gregory Peck as the lawyer Sam Bowden and Robert Mitchum as the vengeful ex-con Max Cady (00:11:37); and Roxana details Martin Scorsese’s 1991 adaptation that starred Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte in the lead roles (00:14:33).

Then they unpack Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” a series created by Nick Antosca that stars Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson (00:23:17). They detail why they all agree that this was an unsuccessful adaptation; the way the series could have used the modern setting to its advantage (00:27:31); why it often misses the point of the source materials (00:32:09); and how every generation gets its own version of “Cape Fear” (00:47:58).

Rudi debuts a new segment called Rudi’s Rankings, where he ranks his favorite Max Cady performances (00:57:00) and briefly discusses “The Simpsons” parody “Cape Feare” (01:02:40) before Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: the book or the TV show (01:06:18).

For more on Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” read Roxana’s excellent mid-season Vulture piece on the show and her review of the entire season.

Next week, we’re interviewing Oscar-nominated screenwriter Samy Burch (“May December”) about her new film “Late Fame,” starring Willem DaFoe and Greta Lee, in a (mostly) spoiler-free discussion.

It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.

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Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Guest: Roxana Hadadi

Editing: Rudi Greenberg

Social media: Sophie Vershbow

Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons

Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto

Website: Kevin Pfab