The Perfect Couple had fans talking after its Netflix debut — but how does the TV adaptation compare to the original book?
Warning: This story contains spoilers about the plot of The Perfect Couple.
The six-part limited series, which debuted on Thursday, September 5, is based on author Elin Hilderbrand‘s book of the same name. The Perfect Couple follows the story of a bride named Amelia (Eve Hewson) preparing to marry into one of Nantucket’s wealthiest families. Things take a turn when a dead body appears on the beach, and makes everyone at the wedding a suspect.
While Netflix’s version stuck close to the book summary, there were several major changes, from character names to how the murder actually played out. The reveal that Abby (Dakota Fanning) was at fault for Merritt’s (Meghann Fahy) death stayed the same, but there was more nuance on screen.
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In addition to Hewson, Fahy and Fanning, the main cast also included Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Ishaan Khattar, Billy Howle and Jack Reynor.
Keep scrolling for the main differences that took place on the show compared to Hilderbrand’s version:
Introducing New Names for the Characters
Fans of Hilderbrand’s novel might need a second to catch up, because the TV version has several major name swaps. Hewson’s character Amelia Sacks plays a pivotal role in Netflix’s adaptation — but she is actually Celeste Otis from the book. Her love interest Shooter, meanwhile, who’s played by Khattar, is Michael Oscar “Shooter” Uxley on the pages, while on screen he is simply Shooter Dival.
Another character who requires clarification is family friend Isabel (Isabelle Adjani) a.k.a Featherleigh Dale from the novel.
Smaller name changes include characters from the show: detective Nikki Henry (Donna Lynne Champlin) and chief of police Dan Carter (Michael Beach).
The Timeline of Amelia and Shooter’s Romance
In Hilderbrand’s version, Amelia and Shooter’s romance got way farther along before they called it quits. They fell in love while Amelia was with Benji (Howle) but her mother’s declining health made her take a step back from Shooter.
The TV show, however, hinted at a meet-cute between Amelia and Shooter on the subway before she met Benji. Amelia and Shooter reconnected — initially without remembering their first meeting — when she started dating Benji, but didn’t address their past until her wedding weekend. The couple briefly acted on their feelings for each other but didn’t pursue a future together.
Both the book and show left things open-ended enough that Amelia and Shooter could conceivably start officially dating in the future.
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Details About Tag and Merritt’s Affair
Tag (Schreiber) and Merritt’s affair was only a weeks-old development in the mystery novel while the Netflix version showed through flashbacks how they formed a connection one year prior. Their secret romance also appeared more serious on screen with Tag buying Merritt an expensive bracelet before her death.
The TV adaptation also appeared to try and make Merritt more sympathetic to the audience. Amelia explained that she was much less boy crazy than she came off because Merritt wasn’t actually sleeping with most men. Another departure from the book involved Merritt telling Amelia on the show that she was pregnant — and that didn’t happen on the page.
Shooter’s Secret During the Weekend of the Wedding
After Merritt’s body was found in both the book and the show, Shooter became a person of interest. The sequence of events played out very differently, though, since in the book Shooter was missing since the night of Merritt’s murder. He evaded questions because he had plans to elope with Amelia the morning of her wedding. Shooter was waiting for Amelia at the dock while she was about to meet him — and that is how she spotted Merritt’s body.
The show made Shooter appear guilty because of a wire transfer he made to Greer (Kidman). Shooter had no idea what he was giving Greer money for, he just wanted to help her because the Winbury family was important to him.
How the Investigation Plays Out
The authorities realized Merritt’s drink was laced with barbiturate — which contributed to her death — but without the glass, they ruled the incident an accident in the book. In the aftermath, Amelia ended her relationship with Benii and everyone seemed to move on. It isn’t until Greer found her own heavy sedatives missing that she connected the dots back to Abby. She never turned her daughter-in-law in though, because she wanted to protect the family.
Meanwhile in Netflix’s take on the story, Tag is accused of killing Merritt, then Greer is a main suspect. They are both cleared and then their eldest son, Thomas (Reynor), is brought in, but he only admits to having the barbiturate. The detective on the case finally realized that Abby had the most to lose from Merritt being pregnant, which is why she killed her. Abby is arrested days after Merritt’s murder.
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The Motive Behind the Crime
An interesting change from book to screen is Abby no longer being an oil heiress. Since she doesn’t have her own wealth to fall back on, Abby is forced to rely on Thomas to support their family (instead, he ends up in debt). The terms of the Winbury trust stated that once Tag’s youngest child turned 18, everyone would receive their cut of the money. Merritt expecting a child with Tag would add nearly two more decades to the clock, which Abby couldn’t accept.
That caused Abby to spike Merritt’s drink before drowning her. In the novel, Greer heard Abby discussing Thomas’ affair with Isabel. The jealousy drove Abby to steal pills that she planned to give to Isabel so she couldn’t sleep with Thomas.
The Context Behind the Drugs in Merritt’s System
The pill found in Merritt’s system was connected back to Greer in the book. As for the TV version, Amelia’s mother was battling cancer and had the medication as a potential option for euthanasia that Thomas took before it ended up in Merritt’s drink.
Whether Merritt Was Murdered — or Accidentally Died
According to the final scene in the book, Merritt was alone when she died. She had a fight with Tag, cut her foot on a broken glass on the beach and went into the water to wash off the injury. She jumped into the sea to retrieve a ring, but the sedative caused her to faint and accidentally drown.
The show didn’t lean into an accidental approach and instead made Merritt’s death premeditated at Abby’s hands.
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Greer’s Backstory Playing a Part in the Investigation
The limited series took the time to dive into Greer’s story more despite her not being the one responsible for Merritt’s death. Initially, it appeared as if Greer could have harmed Merritt because of her affair with Tag. The working theory was she hired a hit man because someone named Broderick Graham kept calling — and he conveniently had ties to organized crime.
It wasn’t until Greer was accused of murder that she revealed that Broderick was her secret brother. He was blackmailing her for money to pay off a gambling debt, which is why she borrowed a large sum from Shooter. Greer used the revelation as an opportunity to come clean to her family about how she met Tag when she was an escort.
Netflix’s The Perfect Couple allowed Greer to change the ending of her story by branching away from Tag. She left him in favor of growing her successful career as an author. In the show’s epilogue, Greer found Amelia in London and shared her next book with her. The fictional novel appeared to be based on their shared experiences — and that opened a door for them to remain in touch in the future.
