The Ex-Wife by Jess Ryder

 

Television series and book comparison.

 

Please note - Slight spoilers included…

 

I recorded The Ex-Wife on Channel 5 before Christmas but (due to my love of daft Christmas films) only got around to watching this series the other week. It was originally shown on Paramount +

I binged it and watched all four episodes within two days. I was compelled by the events, suspicions about various characters and didn’t want it to end! I wondered if there was scope for a follow up with how it ended, although part of me knew it was wishful thinking as most dramas do not return.

 

Next, I decided to download the book to my Kindle so that I could make a direct comparison.

Well, you can imagine my surprise when it opened with a character that had NOT been in the show and a setting/scene that hadn’t been either. Puzzled, and thinking I could likely make 1 and 1 make 2, but equally I could be making 4, I read on…

Once I reached more familiar territory, I realised that there were a few key differences to the TV show. The husband is called Nick in the book, Jack on the television series. I mean, what’s in a name?

 

The Now and Then sections are how the familiar (Then) and the not seen on TV (Now) sections work and – personally – this worked well for me as I found myself thinking that buying the book was worthwhile as it was providing me with a new storyline and stopped me simply reading what I had watched.

Having said this, I didn’t just read what I had watched as there were some differences in the way that the main plot points play out. I suppose, for visual purposes, there were some changes made to condense it into the four shows. However, as a writer myself, I don’t know how willing I would be for someone to swap events and character names when transferring it to TV…

 

My biggest annoyance (aside from the pettiness of swapping the husband’s name…) was how for the TV show the way that one character is introduced/included THROUGOUT in an entirely different way to the book… This character is Sam.

Considering I loved the inclusion of Sam in the TV series (played by Jordan Stephens, whom I had never seen act before, but I was impressed) I think the way his character is used more mysteriously in the book is far, far better. There is a small element of mystery in the show with him, but this feels like a poor alternative compared to the book.

The way that Stephen’s plays Sam is hippy style, and this relaxed presentation would’ve needed to change in order to play the Sam in the book. I imagine – due to the driver role that Sam takes on – he would have needed to be suited and booted. Ironically, BOTH Sams drive! TV he’s a taxi driver that knows Natasha (the new wife) from BEFORE her meeting her husband to be and in the book…well, I won’t spoil it here.

Again, why as an author agree to this? This is NOT the story or the character you wrote? If anything, it was HIS name that needed changing!!!!

 

A criticism for both is that I don’t think the title fits either the TV show or the book (although the book perhaps a little better) as there is a lot of focus on the husband and his new wife in both. There is a film titled The Ex-Wife and surely it’s never a good thing to have identical titles?

I really like the new story shown in the Now parts of the book and truly hope that Channel 5 show this as a follow up – there’s certainly room to. I, however, doubt that they will as the TV show – again – had its own ending. Again, not the same as the book, but similar.

There was also a character missing from the show that – I think – would have made for interesting screenplay if included. This is the mum of Natasha. Maybe that's why these things get called 'adaptations' !!

 

I think that Channel 5 needed 6 episodes in order to present the book as it was initially written, which – considering I thought I loved the show – is a shame.

After reading/watching I read other reviews. There is praise and criticism for both. The biggest criticism for the show is the casting of Céline Buckens as Natasha. Personally, I thought she played the part well.

 

Overall, this experience left me thinking that I need to make MORE direct comparisons! So, watch this space…