Checking out some good books to watch on TV this season

While the spring season is bringing us cinematic joy at the multiplexes, there are plenty of small screen delights to savor at home as well.

 A good number of them are also based on books, giving you that two for the price of one value to your entertainment and here's a little list of those waiting in the wings to light up your viewing pleasure time.

Speaking up of lighting up, HBO plans to air a remake of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 this May, with Michael B. Jordan as Guy Montag, the unquestioning fireman whose drive to be the best book burner  is challenged by a new person in his life.

Michael Shannon(The Shape of Water) co-stars as his commander and it's clear from the trailer that this futuristic tale of censorship and totalitarian rule has been well adapted into a meaningful look at the troubled times that we're currently facing now:

 For another slice of social commentary, Starz has a miniseries adaption of Howards End on tap for April.

It boasts a nicely solid British cast with Hayley Atwell as Margaret Schlegel, the seemingly more sensible sibling of a formerly wealthy family that has fallen on hard times, Tracey Ullman as her eccentric Aunt Juley and Matthew MacFadyen playing Henry Wilcox, the widowed patriarch of a family suspicious of his growing relationship with Margaret.

 E. M. Forster's searing look at England's class structure also offers a welcome dollop of melodrama and romance,making that metaphoric medicine go down a touch sweeter and the characters all the more emotionally engaging:

If you're in the mood for a childhood classic, PBS is planning to have Louisa May Alcott's Little Women visit us in May. A cast of young newcomers plays along side such venerable performers as Emily Watson(Marmee), Angela Lansbury(Aunt March) and Michael Gambon(James Laurence).

As someone who has adored this book since her own childhood days(still have the copy I was given for Christmas back in the day!) and has yet to see an adaptation much to her liking, I have high hopes for this one indeed.

This will be a three part miniseries, with the first episode airing on Mother's Day. That's a nice touch and a lovely way to celebrate such a timeless tale of mothers and daughters together:

For those seeking something a bit more modern, Starz is setting up the bar for Sweetbitter. Based on the 2016 novel by Stephanie Danler, our leading lady is Tess(Ella Purnell), a young woman new to New York and the fast paced world of fine dining.

Taking a job in one of the most high end restaurants in the city, Tess gets overwhelmed rather quickly but with the help of bartender Jake(Tom Sturridge) and waitress Simone(Caitlin Fitzgerald), starts to find her way.

Sweetbitter is intended to be a regular series for Starz, with the first of it's half hour episodes due to air on May 6. With the author herself on board as one of the producers and writers, this could be a show that really sticks to your ribs there:

It's nice to find good books being adapted for a wider audience and having it become possibly must watch TV is such a bookish bonus as well. There's many more out there that I haven't covered but my one last literary reminder will be for Dan Simmons' The Terror coming to AMC in March.

This is scary historical fiction, with an ice locked ship and a crew being stalked by a deadly unknown entity and for my Outlander friends, Tobias Menzies is a member of the crew,along with Ciaran Hinds late of GOT and a character called Lady Silence. That sounds so intriguing that I can hardily wait to tune in: