Shadowhunters is a television adaptation of the Shadowhunter Chronicle young adult book series titled The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. The series is one of the most popular young adult series in the world and Clare continues to write more series set in the Shadowhunter world, with fervent success. However, after an unsuccessful attempt at a movie adaptation in 2013 , the rights were optioned and secured by Freeform, the television company formally known as ABC Family.

The books themselves had many gaping flaws in the writing, the characters, and overall plot. Not to mention, the controversy surrounding Clare's work and plagiarism that surrounds it. However, I did read them. Or at least, I read the first two or three in full and found myself more motivated to keep going for the one or two side characters that I was drawn to rather than the protagonist or any of the central story lines, which is the last thing you want in a story. I literally ended up skimming the last few to find out the fates of my favorites, and a bit disappointed in myself for even bothering. Clare's work has a lot of issues, more than I can begin to break down, but there is an underlying interesting world of characters and creations that, when examined and structured properly, can be incredibly compelling.

I watched the movie in the hopes that adaptation, especially in a visual medium, could elevate the story and its characters. I found myself infatuated with and supportive of the actress portraying my favorite character, but being virtually uninterested in every other aspect of the production. I assumed that would be the case once again when a television adaptation was announced. My interest started to peak, however, when the casting started to be announced.

In a world where Hollywood's default is white, seeing some of the leads cast as people of color excited me greatly, indicating that this show wasn't interested in confining itself to the straight white narrative dominating television and novels (despite its problematic depiction of a gay relationship).

Thus, I began to watch it when it aired and found myself coming back each and every week. While it's not a work of art, and it's certainly got enough cheesiness and bad dialogue to spare, it's also got something special. As someone who usually finds themselves defending a book from its Hollywood adaptation, this show is so incredible because it's representative of everything an adaptation can do to improve positively on its source material and be successful. Here's some of the ways the show has massively improved upon the problematic and flawed aspects of the novels, to make a fun and entertaining, yet important, show:

1. Female Friendship

One of the parts of the books is its ridiculous catty relationship between any and all female characters. In fact, it's a flaw in most of Hollywood and Pop Culture's depiction of women. It's not only a harmful trope to pass on to a younger generation who will grow up thinking that's the way women should and do behave, but it's also incredibly demeaning. One of the greatest powers women have in the world is to support one another and it's the sheer and frequent willingness for women to do that that is so beautiful! Where, in the books, Isabelle and Clary immediately hate each other, the show depicts Isabelle being an immediate and powerful support system for Clary, which begins to blossom into a brilliant friendship!

2. A Likeable Protagonist!

Clary Fray is our protagonist. It's her story being told, yet in the books, she is rather unsympathetic. She's hotheaded, selfish, whiny, and so frustrating to read. She doesn't respect any of her friends, and is constantly arguing or getting mad at everyone, including her mother. She's even very fleshed out, apart from having the above characteristics, so when she ends up becoming that "oh so special" character, different from every other girl in the world, you have to scratch your head and wonder why? On the show, with a combination of better writing and Kat McNamara's fun, adorable, kindhearted and tenacious portrayal, you really like her Clary and completely root for her! Which, seeing as she is your protagonist, is a pretty important factor!

3. A Racially Diverse Cast!

The casting announcement was one of the things that got me the most pumped about watching the show. Where its book counterpart is resoundingly white, aside from Magnus Bane, the show is incredibly diverse! For the roles of Isabelle and Simon, both white in the books, Hispanic actors Emeraude Toubia and Alberto Rosende were cast to play their show counterparts. Not only are they perfect for their respective roles, embodying them to a tee, but casting them is also an incredibly important piece of representation for young Hispanics who so rarely get to see themselves represented on the television screen. The same can be said for the brilliant casting of Isaiah Mustafa, a black actor, for the role of Luke Garroway, one of the most important and positive adult figures in Clary's life. Casting a diverse cast is so important and sadly still such a rarity. Frankly, in a show that takes place in New York City, to have them be anything but diverse is ridiculous, unrealistic, and offensive. Still, it's an element of the books as well as so many shows set in New York, where somehow, in one of the most diverse cities in the world, the main cast still manages to be completely white (I'm looking at you Girls). It's time this changed and it's time everyone saw themselves represented on their televisions that claim to be depictions of the "real" world. Hey Hollywood, just so you know, the real world? It's not just white.

4. A Positive and Strong Representation of a Gay Relationship

Fan favorite relationship from the book, nicknamed Malec, is a gay relationship between bisexual warlock Magnus Bane and shadowhunter Alec Lightwood. In the novel, most of their relationship and its seemingly positive moments, are portrayed "off screen," so they aren't explicitly written in any of the chapters. Readers are just meant to assume they happened. The only real and fleshed out depiction of their relationship we get are their arguments. Their relationship doesn't appear to be built on much and we only get to see the negatives in full, most of which are negatives that Alec points out in fear of "bisexual" Magnus Bane's interests wavering. On the show, however, their relationship is beautifully developed. We see a clear connection and tension from the get go, but with Alec not yet out, we get to watch his feelings grow and develop until he feels comfortable and confident enough to share them with the world. Not to mention, the amount of dedication the show and writers put into developing their relationship is incomparable! They named what became a fan favorite episode after their ship name, "Malec"!

5. No Bisexual Shaming!

Magnus Bane is canonically bisexual and the material's constant shaming of his sexuality, all of which fell under the gross hyper-sexual and deviant tropes, were uncomfortable to say the least. Most of it was also coming from Alec, and it was one of the sources for the contention between the two in their relationship. On the show, bisexuality is treated with respect and Alec doesn't bat a single eyelash at it. Magnus talked openly about his past relationship with both men and women, and the conversation was never about their gender or sexuality. It's a brilliant and wonderful day when your sexuality is treated as normally and respectfully as that of a straight person's! (Not to mention the strong suggestions that Izzy could be bi, as well!)

6. Explores and Fleshes Out Supporting Characters

Everyone seemed to take a back seat to the Jace and Clary show in the books, despite the multiple POVs that existed. The show explores the obstacles each and every one of them face. They all are fully realized, multi-dimensional, and as a result, we care about them all! For example, Alec's coming out and his whole journey coming to terms with his sexuality was never glanced over. It was always given the proper focus and was incredibly moving!

7. No Nonsensical and Catty Jealousy

There was always an unprecedented amount of cattiness and jealousy, whether it be between Isabelle and Clary, for being women, or between Clary and Alec, for the sole reason of their resounding crushes on Jace. On the show, while Alec is mistrustful, it's more of his mistrust of Jace's emotions and the safety risks the whole situation with Clary puts his family in. In fact, Clary is extremely supportive of Alec on the show, and the two have started to develop an understanding and trusting friendship.

8. A Strong and Supportive Sibling Relationship

The sibling bond between Alec and Isabelle is one of my favorite parts of the show! They are so supportive of one another! Alec is always Isabelle's number one champion and she, his. While in the book Isabelle was very supportive of Alec, their relationship was never as deep or fleshed out as much as it is in the show!

9. Positive Female Sexuality

Isabelle is confident and proud of her sexuality! There is not even the slightest hint of the off-putting slut-shaming that appears in some of the books, and she doesn't have to be "broken" to be a "heartbreaker". Her confidence comes from herself, not a reaction to the "daddy-issues" cited in the novels. In fact, if your first thought when you see a woman flaunting her body is that it's because of a man, grow up! Newsflash: Women are allowed to be sexual and confident because they want to!

10. A Realistic and Compelling Mother and Daughter Relationship

Clary's mother in the books, Jocelyn, was also just as unlikable as Clary. Their relationship always seemed so volatile and focused around these petty arguments where I found myself unable to understand either side. On the show, their relationship is rather touching, and seeing how the series kick starts with Jocelyn going missing, and Clary's ultimate goal is to find her, their relationship is of the utmost importance. We have to believe in it as an audience and we have to care because it's what drives the story and our protagonist. Clary really cares so much about her mother and their closeness is palpable. There was a rather sentimental moment when they finally find Jocelyn and they wake her up from the spell she was put under. Jocelyn begins to apologize for keeping it from her daughter, but Clary just breaks down and hugs her, telling her "Right now, I just really need my mom." That's a huge step away from what we saw in the books where, moments later, there's already a tiff and Clary ends up walking away from her mother in anger. A positive mother and daughter relationship is something really important to portray to young viewers, but it's also a beautiful and compelling driving point for a young female protagonist.

Shadowhunters has been picked up for a season 2 and one can only hope that it continues down this path!

However, judging by this tweet from executive producer and director of the show McG, it seems like we'll get all of that and more!