Odd Squad

Trenton Lee Stewart’s beloved The Mysterious Benedict Society books have become a quirky Disney+ series

IF YOU DON’T HAVE A KID OR A young relative of tweenage, you may not be aware of Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society books, illustrated by Carson Ellis. Appealing to readers with a penchant for quirky characters and mystery-filled adventures as investigated by four gifted children, they’ve won a slew of prestigious Young Adult book awards.

Because of their narrative vibe, which rests somewhere between Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and A Series Of Unfortunate Events, the books were ripe for colourful adaptation – which is exactly what screenwriters Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (Clash Of The Titans) have done for their Disney+ series The Mysterious Benedict Society.

Having received the blessing of Stewart and Ellis, the writers embarked on their first television series with the intention of not disappointing readers, while also making their mark in the crowded YA adaptation space.

“The books are immediately so charming, so funny, so witty,” Hay tells Red Alert. “And most importantly, they capture a very specific worldview that is sophisticated optimism and empathy, which is really wonderful and something that is very hard to capture.” But they were determined to get there, and enlisted the assistance of TV veterans Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer (Smallville) to help them work out the right tone and structure.