Girl from Nowhere: An American Adaptation of the Netflix Thai Drama
A daydream/mini pitch of an American adaptation of the popular Netflix Thai anthology series that was heartbreakingly canceled.
The Original Premise
Girl From Nowhere is a Thai anthology series on Netflix following a mischievous entity in the form of a teenage girl named Nanno who travels from school to school to enact karma on students across the country. The nomadic nature of the series as Nanno explores a variety of institutions throughout the nation highlights the diversity of issues present in Thailand’s adolescent demographic–many of which have been imposed upon them by adults, as they aren’t exempt from Nanno’s wrath. In addition to the incredible cast performances, the show’s selling point is Nanno’s moments of self-doubt as she questions whether her karmic punishments are too severe or even deserved. Nanno’s internal conflict explores the millennia-long philosophical debate on whether morality is truly objective.
Targeted Audience/Demographic
With a TV-MA rating from American censors, Girl From Nowhere’s target demographic ranges from 17-35. The relevance of high school and higher education would make late teens and young adults the center of the conversation, as they are usually the subject of Nanno’s exploits.
The Look
I’d prefer to remain faithful to the original aesthetic of Girl From Nowhere, in which the color grading is neutral (that of what you’d expect from a regular teen drama), but soon grows greyish and bleak as Nanno’s distressing punishment begins to take effect. Red is often the most vibrant color in the average episode, usually displayed by blood.
The Distribution
To make things simple, Netflix will remain the distributor and sponsor for the American iteration of Girl From Nowhere. Not only are original fans more likely to tune in due to the familiarity of the platform, but as the most successful streaming service, Netflix will have the means to market and profit from the adaptation.
The Adaptation
Ironically, I usually argue against American studios pumping out adaptations based on foreign IP, as the cultural context (and, by extension, the soul) of the original source material is usually lost. I wholeheartedly believe that Girl From Nowhere is an international show that can transcend cultures and still uphold the foundation that was implemented through its original writers. The series formula holds the potential to explore the detriments of every society that exists on Earth. Nanno’s ultimate goal is to exploit the exploiters–and, unfortunately, it is rather simple to detect the exploiters present in every tribe and nation. In the United States of America, the Department of Education is being threatened by recently elected officials. The dismantlement of the Department of Education would entail educational funding responsibilities to “return to the states.” Of course, the aforementioned scenario would result in an unprecedented cultural, class, and intellectual divide–however, one can argue that the divide already somewhat exists, as indicated by the disparity of values and political stances pertaining to each state.
Nanno’s travels through the United States of America’s schools can be county-to-county or state-to-state, her exploitations non-discriminatory of creed, religion, values, or whether her current residence appears red or blue on the political map. The anthological formula will remain, just as much as Nanno’s essence and goals (as nuanced as they may seem). The only change between the Thai and American iterations is her location (and perhaps the actress, but that’s merely a matter of casting–Nanno is Nanno!). She is the “girl from nowhere” after all–despite her internal conflict, her loyalty falls on no political spectrum or nation–all she cares about is punishing those who she believes deserve it. In the context of America, where virtue-signaling creators promote whatever garners the most financial gain and morality is often perceived as black and white, Girl From Nowhere will be the few pieces of our current media to truly explore the grey.
