Every streaming service has a number of original shows coming out, and those with an Amazon Prime subscription were recently treated to the full season of Scarpetta. The book to screen adaptation finally brought Patricia Cornwell's character Dr. Kay Scarpetta to television, played by none other than Nicole Kidman. I had the chance to speak with the author ahead of the show's release, where she praised an A-lister for finally getting her work to the small screen.
While some folks are figuring out how to watch Scarpetta, others are deep into the eight-episode season. It remains to be seen if the original series becomes one of the best Amazon shows to binge-watch, but releasing the full season definitely lends itself to that. As you can see from the video above, I asked Cornwell why now was the right time to bring Dr. Kay to television. She told me:
I think it must be the blood moon or something because it just, something magical happened after 36 years of failed attempts. And I mean, really truly one right after another. And then several years, five years ago, Jamie Lee Curtis asked me if Scarpetta was under option. I said, 'Right now she's not.' And she says, 'Well, we need to make this into a TV show.' And so that's how this started. And Liz is the only one who has ever figured out how to adapt the material. That's why it's always failed in the past. So she's my new hero.
Jamie Lee, you are all of us! It sounds like the recent Oscar-winner is a big reason why Scarpetta finally happened, and Cornwell's signature character was adapted for TV. In addition to starring as Kay's older sister Dorothy Scarpetta, Curtis is also an Executive Producer on the new Amazon series. And it seems like she's really helped to finally get the character on the small screen.
Article continues belowCornwell isn't the only person who spoke to me about how JLC helped to make Scarpetta a reality. In a separate interview, both Ariana DeBose and Bobby Cannavale told me they were personally recruited by the Halloween icon. So clearly Curtis was a big reason why this adaptation became a reality.
Patricia Cornwell also name dropped creator/showrunner/writer Liz Sarnoff for being the creative force that found a way to bring Dr. Kay Scarpetta's story from the page to the screen. There are a ton of book and characters to use as inspiration, and the author seems to be thrilled that the Scarpetta series is the way her narrative universe was finally brought to TV. Sounds like Curtis and Sarnoff were a winning combination.
The critical response to Scarpetta has been mixed, but it should be interesting to see how audiences respond to the new Amazon series. If it ends up being popular on the streaming service, there are plenty of novels that could potentially be adapted for future seasons. Only time will tell.
The full season of Scarpetta is streaming in its entirety on Amazon Prime Video as part of the 2026 TV schedule. And there are eight episodes to binge once the mystery reels you in.
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