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.

Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

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

This week, Sophie and Rudi take a deep dive into Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” with Classics professors Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.

After Kyle and Il-Kweon share their backgrounds and areas of expertise (00:01:15), they dive right into Nolan’s film, sharing their general thoughts on his adaptation (00:03:35).

Then, they discuss what message readers are meant to take away from Homer’s poem (00:05:54), how Matt Damon’s characterization of Odysseus in the film subverts the poem (00:10:51) and the influence of Virgil’s “Aeneid” on Nolan’s film (00:27:23).

Kyle and Il-Kweon also share their favorite translations of “The Odyssey” (00:38:00), decide whether Anne Hathaway's Penelope is faithful to the text (00:47:00), and share their thoughts on how Nolan’s interpretation of the ending is in conversation with the tradition of scholarly debate over the end of the poem (00:56:49).

Next week, we’re discussing Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” a series adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners” that also draws from a pair of “Cape Fear” films from 1962 and 1991.

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

Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Guests: Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir

Editing: Rudi Greenberg

Social media: Sophie Vershbow

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

Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto

Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, It Was an Epic Poem First! Sophie and Rudi discuss one of the most anticipated adaptations of the year: “The Odyssey,” director Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic poem. The blockbuster adaptation of the ancient Greek work follows Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, on his long journey to return home after the Trojan War. Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Zendaya, and Lupita Nyong'o are just some of the stars who help bring this 3,000-year-old epic to the screen.

Before talking about the film in detail, Rudi and Sophie share their general thoughts on Nolan’s take (00:04:03) and briefly detail the histories (00:08:15) behind the poem, Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation, Nolan’s adaptation, and prior attempts to bring “The Odyssey” to screens.

Then they have a spoiler-filled chat (00:29:28) about “The Odyssey,” tracking the long journey Odyessus takes throughout the nearly three-hour epic while detailing some of the major (and subtle) changes Nolan made to Homer’s poem: the opening scene; the Cyclops battle (00:47:00); the breathtaking Trojan horse and Troy scene (00:52:46); Circi’s island (01:01:41); and the final conclusion (1:21:15).

Along the way, they explore why Nolan’s choices served the movie and the story, the impressive filmmaking craft on display, why Damon’s Odysseus is very different from the trickster in the poem (01:17:48), and how the film is in conversation with our modern times.

Finally, Rudi makes his choice (01:30:03) for which he liked better: listening to Claire Danes narrate the Wilson translation of “The Odyssey” or watching Nolan’s film.

We’ll continue discussing “The Odyssey” in our next episode, which will feature a conversation with professors who have studied Homer’s work and teach it to college students.

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

Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Editing: Rudi Greenberg

Social media: Sophie Vershbow

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

Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto

Website: Kevin Pfab