Whether or not viewers will like The Swarm’s best-selling adaptation, we’ll soon know. Because the first three episodes of the ZDF series can already be streamed. “The Swarm” author Frank Schätzing is anything but enthusiastic.

The bestseller “Der Schwarm”, published in 2004 by author Frank Schätzing, has sold 4.5 million books worldwide. It soon became clear that the sci-fi story would one day be made into a movie – and it has been in the works for several years. Now the time has come: “The Swarm” has been adapted and ended up on ZDF as an eight-part series. The first three episodes are currently streaming in the media library – and of course there is also a linear broadcast on television.

ZDF will only know for sure in a few weeks whether the series will convince viewers. But even before the first episode aired, Schätzing himself spoke and was anything but convinced…

“Some things are ready for the cinema, others emotional and talkative relationship box TV. It pills more than it rages,” Schätzing explains in an interview Time and could only find a few positive aspects in the series adaptation of his book. The look, music, sound design and special effects of the series could score points with him. So there can be no question of good criticism. But why is that?

According to Schätzing, the “swarm” adaptation has no current relevance

Frank Schätzing justifies his criticisms with the lack of topicality. He explains in an interview that he can’t understand why the 20 year old story hasn’t been updated to the present day – After all, a lot has happened since the publication of his book.

›› “The Swarm” by Frank Schätzing on Amazon*

“The Swarm” is also about the consequences of climate destruction, among other things, and Schätzing thinks that groups like Fridays For Future should have been featured in the series. This, of course, did not exist when he wrote his novel. Which also didn’t exist: social media. Schätzing points out that media and communication dynamics have changed as a result of social media. Some things would probably have gone very differently today than described in the novel.

Where many authors have a problem if the adaptation deviates too much from the original, Schätzing sees the problem: the creators of the series should have detached themselves from the book and told a modern version of the story.

When and where are the eight episodes of “The Swarm”?

Those who have already seen the first three episodes of “Der Schwarm” in the ZDF media library and are waiting for more will have to be patient a little longer. Three more episodes will follow on March 1 and the last two on March 8.

And of course “Der Schwarm” also runs linearly on ZDF – for four days on prime time at 8:15 p.m. The first two episodes will air on March 6, and then two more episodes over the next three days.

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