It Was A Book First

'Off Campus': The Art of Adapting 'The Deal'

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:05:00 -0400

On the fourth episode of It Was A Book First, the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations, hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss “Off Campus,” Amazon Prime Video’s series adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s “The Deal,” the first book in her bestselling “Off Campus” series. The college-set streaming show follows the opposites attract romance between music major Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and star hockey player Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli).

Before talking about the show, Sophie and Rudi share what else they watched recently: Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” (00:01:01) and two classic movies (00:03:15), “Chungking Express” and “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Then they get into the background of “The Deal” and the TV show (00:07:21) before breaking down the first season of “Off Campus” (00:17:54) in a spoiler-filled chat that explores the differences between the book and the series. They discuss how the show is refreshingly anti-toxic masculinity (00:27:24), why it feeds into millennial nostalgia (00:36:49), how it compares to “Heated Rivalry” (00:38:28), and why TV is in its hockey romance era (00:42:49).

Finally, Sophie makes her choice (01:06:42) for which she liked better: reading "The Deal" or watching “Off Campus.”

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email us: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and Producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

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

Logo by Trisha Louise Prieto

Website by Kevin Pfab

'The Testaments' and 'Backrooms' Explore Different Kinds of Horrors

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:05:00 -0400

On the third episode of It Was A Book First, the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations, hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss "The Testaments," Hulu’s series adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 2019 sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Created by Bruce Miller as a continuation of his “Handmaid’s Tale” series adaptation, “The Testaments” stars Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday as teenagers coming of age in the dystopian society Gilead.

Before talking about the show, Sophie and Rudi have an extended chat (01:10) on A24’s Gen Z horror hit “Backrooms,” which is based on director and YouTuber Kane Parsons’ series of the same name, which is based on Internet creepypasta, which is based on an image of an abandoned office space.

Then they break down the first season of “The Testaments” (18:25) in a spoiler-filled chat that explores what the show chooses to omit from the book and invent for the show, why leaning into “Bridgerton”-esque courting rituals doesn’t fit the source material, and how Infiniti and Halliday’s performances get stronger as the season goes on.

Finally, Sophie makes her choice (50:23) for which she liked better: reading "The Testaments" or watching the series.

New episodes of It Was A Book First drop on Wednesdays. Subscribe now to get them delivered weekly.

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email us: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and Producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Music by Cliff Blum and John Connelly; mix and production by Kevin Pons

Logo by Trisha Louise Prieto

Website by Kevin Pfab

'Margo's Got Money Troubles' Gets the Book (Mostly) Right

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:05:00 -0400

On the second episode of It Was A Book First, the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations, hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss "Margo's Got Money Troubles," Apple TV's series adaptation of the 2024 Rufi Thorpe novel. Created by David E. Kelley, the show stars Elle Fanning as Margo, a recent college dropout and aspiring writer who turns to OnlyFans to provide for her newborn son.

Before talking about the show, Sophie and Rudi share what they've been watching and reading lately: Lena Dunham's new memoir and a documentary on Martin Short.

Then they break down the show's eight episodes in a spoiler-filled chat that explores why this series feels like a perfect union of the A24 and Apple TV aesthetics, how the ensemble cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, and Greg Kinnear elevate the material, and what the show gets right (and wrong) about social media.

New episodes of It Was A Book First drop on Wednesdays. Subscribe now to get them delivered weekly.

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email us: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and Producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Music by Cliff Blum and John Connelly; mix and production by Kevin Pons

Logo by Trisha Louise Prieto

Website by Kevin Pfab

'Project Hail Mary' Is the Biggest Adaptation of 2026 … So Far

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:02:00 -0400

Welcome to the first episode of It Was A Book First, a new podcast about book-to-screen adaptations. Today, hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss one of the biggest and most successful adaptations of 2026, "Project Hail Mary." In directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's take on Andy Weir's 2021 novel of the same name, Ryan Gosling stars as a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship alone and doesn't remember how he got there.

Before they talk about "Project Hail Mary," Sophie and Rudi introduce themselves and the podcast and explore why book adaptations are having a moment right now.

Then they have an in-depth and spoiler-filled conversation on what they liked and didn't like about "Project Hail Mary," what differed from the book, and what they thought of Gosling's performance. At the end of the episode, Sophie decides which she liked better: the book or the movie?

New episodes of It Was A Book First drop on Wednesdays. Subscribe now to get them delivered weekly.

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email us: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com

Hosts and Producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg

Music by Cliff Blum and John Connelly; mix and production by Kevin Pons

Logo by Trisha Louise Prieto

Website by Kevin Pfab

Teaser: 'It Was A Book First'

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:30:00 -0400

Welcome to It Was A Book First, a new podcast about the book-to-screen adaptations everyone is talking about. Each week, culture reporters Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg will discuss a new book-to-screen adaptation, covering everything from how it got made to how readers are reacting to it. We’ll also talk to authors and industry insiders about how books actually go from page to screen.

Our first two episodes drop on Wednesday, June 17th! Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly.

TikTok: @itwasabookfirst

YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast

Email us at itwasabookfirst@gmail.com