Samuel Williamson

Now more than ever, literary works that have historically been deemed "unfilmable" have begun to turn a page and make their way to the big screen. Between Lord of the Rings and Dune, filmmakers have found more ways than ever to adapt the long-form narratives of novels without losing too many main story beats.

Before the 21st century, there weren't many shows that made big attempts to be progressive in any fashion, except Bonanza — a show that was way ahead of its time! That's right, this beloved Western TV show ran from 1959 to 1973, airing all through the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the '60s in general, a time when progressive social and societal ideas were being pushed to the forefront of everybody's minds.