TMI TV Tuesday: What Networks Would Be A Good Fit For ‘The Mortal Instruments’ TV Show?
On Tuesdays, TMI Source and Fangirlish are bringing you TMI TV Tuesdays, where we discuss different aspects regarding the upcoming television adaptation of The Mortal Instruments.
As we await news regarding The Mortal Instruments television show it’s only natural that our minds wander in the direction of which network we will be watching our favorite characters each week.
There are a lot of important factors to consider when deciding which networks would be good fits for The Mortal Instruments, including their target audience, influence of social media and fan engagement. But the most important thing is: Can they make this show a success without compromising the source material?
With that in mind, we’ve thought about four networks that could be a good fit for The Mortal Instruments:
THE CW
Is it wrong that when I first heard that The Mortal Instruments was set to become a TV show that I first thought of and hoped it’d be picked up by The CW? It may be because it’s my favorite network, but I also credit that instinct with the recent success of book-turned-show The 100. The 100 is a perfect example of how to adapt a young adult book to a television show — one that has noticeable changes but remains faithful to the source material, which pleases book fans and attracts new viewers. The network is no stranger to adapting young adult books, having the long-standing success of The Vampire Diaries, as well as the gone-too-soon The Secret Circle. With its rich history in young adult adaptations, The CW seems like a perfect fit for The Mortal Instruments.
ABC FAMILY
A network that also has adapted television shows from young adult books, ABC Family could be a great fit for The Mortal Instruments. With the uber success of Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family has proven that they know how to take a young adult book series to success on the small screen. ABC Family is also very big on social media and fan engagement, which The Mortal Instruments fandom has proven to be exceptional with. The network has a history of adapting Sara Shepard’s books, including PLL and The Lying Game, and there’s also the potential for another series as they are developing Shepard’s The Perfectionists. Just think of the possibilities if The Mortal Instruments ended up and succeeded on ABC Family and the spinoffs we could get (I’m looking at you, Infernal Devices). With its social media savvy and young adult market, ABC Family would be a perfect fit for The Mortal Instruments.
MTV
Another great young-adult skewed network, MTV would be a natural fit for The Mortal Instruments. MTV is a network that is always looking for innovative shows that are going to impact its audience, like Teen Wolf. With Teen Wolf perhaps nearing its conclusion in the next couple of years, I’m sure the network is looking for that Next Big Thing that comes equipped with passionate fans that know how to make noise, and The Mortal Instruments would be a great series to inherit that role. Like ABC Family, MTV is all about fan engagement through social media interaction, which has always been important for the series whether it was for the books or the movie. It’s all about marketing the brand, and MTV has proven through social media and content, like after shows and such, that they know how to keep fans engaged after the show is over. With its target audience and innovation, MTV could be a perfect fit for The Mortal Instruments.
STARZ
While it doesn’t share the same market as the previous three, Starz is a network that I believe could really adapt The Mortal Instruments well. Look no further than Outlander, a book adaptation that has exploded onto the scene, and has pleased both fans of the source material and attracted new fans alike. When it comes down to it the most important thing isn’t about which big name network the show would be attached to, it’s about which network is going to take care of the series we know and have loved for years. And with Starz’s commitment to that I feel like they could be a good fit for The Mortal Instruments.
Head over to FANGIRLISH to read their take on which networks The Mortal Instruments TV show would work best on, and check back on Tuesdays for TMI TV TUESDAYS.
What network would you pick for The Mortal Instruments TV show?
TMI Source 
While, I am a fan of all the networks I personally think TMI should be played on Starzu or The CW, I suppose. MTV is too mundane to have such a great possible TV Show like this on there channel and while The CW is popular as well they screwed up The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle some people tell me. I love both, and I’ve never read the books so I cant fully have my consent on those but I just hope the network does it justice unlike the movie. It was okay, but they honestly should have went straight to a series instead of a film.
Starz would be great!
CW-Series are my ‘Family’, so I would love when TMI is the next one for this Channel
abc family would be perfect! (Because i don’t have the other chanels)
CW or NBC. CW because it can air after Supernatural which already has a huge following. Or NBC to play after Grimm if they end up canceling Constantine even though I like that show. Or Fox to be played after Sleepy Hollow. But I have a feeling it will be the cw Which is mostly teenager shows anyway.
Definitely The CW. It already has a HUGE following because of shows such as “Supernatural” and “The Vampire Diaries.” Also the special effects on their shows are amazing.
Definitely The CW! It fits with what they have already, which is an amazing line up of great shows
CW. Their shows are great.
They changed VD, but for the better. I would just hope they dont change TMI, buut still, their network is awesome and would do great for the show
I think that should be The CW. Because of the characteristics of their tv shows, they’re mostly about supernatural events or mystical creatures and they have a lot views watching their tv shows
the CW is amazing so it think it should be on there. plus MTV is more of a fake “reality” channel
Please place in a channel that is available to all viewers whom do not have access to cable or other satellite T.V. We’ve read the TMI books too.
I really don’t care what channel it is on because I have a Roku box and can’t get a lot of channels so, as long as it stays for the whole series and goes to Netflix or Hulu I’m fine…
CW or Starz as Starz already got the rights to premiere the TMI movie so that would be cool if they supported the TV show as well 🙂 CW, of course, is another win with Supernatural, VD, and The Originals so all in agreement here 🙂
I’d go with the CW. I’m a fan of The 100 (watched season one before reading the book) and I honestly can’t say they stayed true to the book. I personally loved the show more than the book, but there are so many differences from the characters to the back story to even the names of places. I wouldn’t want that to happen to TMI.
Abc family or cw would work for me I don’t get starts and when I think mtv I think music!
UMMM does Netflix count? Because I don’t get a lot of cable and if it was on Netflix, I think loads more people would watch it. Then they could at their own pace, too.
The CW or ABC
I want cw
Definitely the CW!
As far as traditional TV goes, I think The CW would be a good choice. Personally, I’d prefer to see TMI as a Netflix or Amazon series.
MTV or ABC, I don’t have any of the other channels!
Hbo you guys come on. Game Of Thrones, nuff said
It’s all well and good to say these channels, but what about international viewers? Im British, and I don’t have access to any of the channels but MTV- and it would be a shame for TMI to be on there. I agree that CW is great, as I am a very big fan of The Vampire Diaries, but I think the producers need to consider international channels as TMI has a worldwide fanbase, and it wouldn’t be fair to play it only in America, like so many other TV Series.
I would definitely choose The CW. I don’t have cable so I can’t access the other channels and I wouldn’t want to miss watching The Mortal Instruments as this is one of my favorite book series.
I kinda suggest MTV, due to the fact it need more shows that are based on best-selling novels, And I, believe me, am totally one billion-zillion-percent obsessed with Shadowhunter books and love Casie’s work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I kind also like ABC family and The CW, since CW will be a better choice since it already has a show based on a book series right? So shouldn’t ABC Family have a few? So just to make things clear, i’m siding with The CW and ABC family, since MTV already has a ton of on-going shows.
I think it should be abc family because its more versatile I mean not very has those other channels and most mid range cable plans have abc family so more fans of TMI can watch
I immediately thought of the CW when the show was announced! I watch most of the shows there anyway and it’s the home to strange, unusual, and awesome shows!
but what for UK shadowhunters… we only have MTV out of all of those suggested
Don’t play it on MTV!! For god sake please, don’t. Put it on ABC Family ot TNT or something just not MTV!
it could be interesting on the CW, but to buck assumptions that its only for ‘teens’ it should try for Netflix, or Amazon
i will be fine with the networks except for the CW. i mean, i has awesome shows for the teenagers of course, but based on the books? nothing. they specialize on taking an unknown book and turn it into a tv show, but in the end what is similar between the book and tv show, is the main idea. just a concept. just take a look with the vampire diaries, its awesome but… it has nothing to do with the real book.
I believe that the Mortal Instruments should be placed on either the CW or a cable network. The CW has already had success with TV shows such as Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, and The Originals, etc. A cable network such as Stars is also a great option because it would give the show the type of room it needs to explore without as much concern with a cancellation, even more so now with its success with Outlander. I don’t believe that ABC Family would be a good fit because, even though I love it, they are very quick at canceling shows before it can even gather a big enough fan base.