How HBO’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Spouse’ is totally different from the ebook

Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 novel The Time Traveler’s Spouse has been tailored to the display screen twice: as a movie in 2009, and now as a TV collection on HBO.

The story of The Time Traveler’s Spouse — a science-fiction romance spanning a long time — is extraordinarily tough to adapt. Clare Abshire (Rose Leslie) meets her future husband Henry DeTamble (Theo James) when he has involuntarily traveled again in time, at which level she is 6 and he is 36. The novel tells the story of their relationship out of chronological order, together with their first assembly within the “current” and their marriage.

As with all adaptation, screenwriter Steven Moffat’s new model of The Time Traveler’s Spouse has to make some changes. However which of them work, and which of them fall flat? Listed below are the most important adjustments from the novel to this point. Beware: the listing contains spoilers for the present and the books.

A brand new framing machine

Proper off the bat, the primary episode of The Time Traveler’s Spouse hits us with a structural change. The collection opens with Henry and Clare recording movies of themselves talking on to digital camera about their relationship to time journey. This framing machine is not within the novel, however Moffat makes use of this direct deal with with a view to carry some prose straight from Niffenegger’s novel, particularly from the prologue. Why are they making movies? Who’re they chatting with? Solely time will inform.

We’re updating this complete story

The TV model of The Time Traveler’s Spouse takes place from the 1990s to the current day, whereas the novel takes place from the 1960s to the early 2000s. This choice is more likely to make the story really feel extra related, however it will likely be fascinating to see how (and if) extra fashionable know-how impacts the story.

The battle about Ingrid

Undoubtedly the most important change between the ebook and the present within the first episode is Clare’s response to discovering out Henry has a girlfriend, named Ingrid (Chelsea Frei). Clare finds Ingrid’s toiletries in Henry’s lavatory and fights with him, calling him an asshole and storming out of his condo. Solely an intervention from Henry’s older self makes Clare take into account seeing Henry once more.

Within the ebook, Clare’s response to seeing Ingrid’s stuff is quite a bit milder. She thinks, “Whoever you might be, I am right here now. It’s possible you’ll be Henry’s previous, however I am his future.” Henry explains the state of affairs with Ingrid and apologizes to Clare, and that is that. Present Clare’s response is certainly extra reasonable than ebook Clare’s, however the battle additionally places Henry and Clare’s relationship on a much more antagonistic path.

Henry’s child enamel can time journey?

Moffat provides some new time journey lore to The Time Traveler’s Spouse. Within the present, components of Henry’s physique, corresponding to his child enamel, are capable of time journey individually. The primary episode additionally explores this concept with the double whammy of a time-traveling pool of blood and a time-traveling pair of indifferent ft. These moments, all show-only creations, foreshadow the darkest moments of Henry’s future.

The Time Traveler’s Spouse airs on HBO and streams on HBO Max.

We’ll be updating this listing weekly with the discharge of each new episode of The Time Traveler’s Spouse, so you’ll want to examine again in to be taught extra in regards to the variations between the ebook and the present.