25 Biggest Changes Apples Never Fall Makes To Liane Moriarty’s Book
This article mentions domestic violence and suicide.
Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Apples Never Fall episodes 1-7.
Summary
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The Peacock series
Apples Never Fall
adapts Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name, but it makes significant changes to the source material. - Some characters have different backstories in the show compared to the book, and their relationship dynamics are changed for the show as well.
- The circumstances surrounding Joy’s disappearance are altered in the Peacock show, adding to the suspense.
Apples Never Fall is officially streaming on Peacock, and although the series adapts Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name, it makes some significant changes to the source material. Peacock’s adaptation keeps the central premise of the book; it centers on the disappearance of Joy Delaney, the matriarch of a tennis-loving family that seems perfect on the outside. However, the Delaneys have some deep-seated dysfunction happening behind closed doors. Joy going missing upends the Delaneys’ lives, bringing out all their secrets and exposing their true feelings towards one another.
The cast of Apples Never Fall brings this narrative to life brilliantly, and in some ways, the Peacock series surpasses the source material. It takes a deeper look at the main characters, and it expands on certain story beats while abandoning those less relevant to the plot. The adaptation ramps up the intensity of Joy’s disappearance and return, and it even changes the ending of Apples Never Fall to tie things together more neatly.
Apples Never Fall is currently streaming on Peacock.
25 The Apples Never Fall Show Doesn’t Open With Someone Dying
It Keeps The Ominous Image Of Joy’s Bike
Apples Never Fall opens with an ominous description of Joy Delaney’s bicycle in both the show and book, but the latter kicks off with someone taking the bike off the side of the road and later dying. This is an odd turn of events that’s never really explained in Moriarty’s novel. This is likely why the Peacock series removed this aspect of the source material even though it left the bike as a red herring.
24 The Apples Never Fall Book Isn’t Set In Florida (Or Even The U.S.)
The Book Takes Place In Australia
Perhaps one of the biggest changes Peacock’s Apples Never Fall show makes to the source material is the location of the story. Moriarty’s novel is set in Australia, likely because the author herself is Australian. However, Peacock’s adaptation moves the Delaneys to Southern Florida and has the story play out in the U.S.
23 Joy Delaney Is Way More Interested In Grandchildren In The Book
Her Frustrations With Her Kids Are More Subtle In The Show
Joy Daleney’s loneliness and resentment towards her children is present in both versions of Apples Never Fall, but the book gives readers a closer look at her internal monologue — and it highlights a slight obsession with grandchildren. In the Peacock series, Joy doesn’t seem nearly as invested in her children’s romantic relationships, nor does she get bitter or disappointed over their lack of kids. In the novel, this plays out differently. Joy is frequently thinking about grandchildren, and she gets disappointed by her kids’ lack of luck on the love front.
22 There Aren’t As Many Outside Perspectives In The Peacock Series
Apples Never Fall’s Main Characters Get More Attention
The Apples Never Fall book often jumps into perspectives outside the Delaney family, with waitresses, neighbors, and other characters observing the group from afar. For obvious reasons, the Peacock series sticks to the family in question, digging deeper into the Delaneys themselves rather than taking a distanced view of them. This allows them to be more interesting and relatable characters, even if they aren’t always likable.
21 A Member Of The Delaney Family Is Missing From The Peacock Adaptation
Steffi The Dog Isn’t In The TV Series
The Delaneys have a dog named Steffi in Moriarty’s book, but the Apples Never Fall show removes the family pet from the equation. To be fair, Steffi doesn’t play a major role in the novel — and the one thing he does do is cut entirely from the Peacock series. It likely would have been difficult to have a dog on set, so it’s not surprising that Apples Never Fall‘s creators worked around this particular detail.
20 The Delaney Siblings Look Different In Liane Moriarty’s Book
Amy’s Blue Hair Is Notably Missing
Characters’ appearances are often different in book adaptations, and this is the case for Apples Never Fall. Moriarty describes the Delaneys as incredibly tall, and her version of Amy has bright blue hair. Logan and Troy also have facial hair, which isn’t present in the Peacock show. It’s natural that some things won’t match up during the casting process, and the cast of Apples Never Fall captures their characters in all the ways that matter.
19 Brooke Delaney’s Relationship Issues Are Very Different In The Book
The Youngest Delaney Isn’t Marrying Gina In The Book
Brooke Delaney is introduced as an LGBTQ+ character in Peacock’s Apples Never Fall, and she’s engaged to a woman named Gina. Brooke believes that Gina is cheating on her in the TV show, and this leads Brooke to sleep with Savannah later on. In the source material, Gina is separated from her husband, a man named Grant. This is a significant but welcome change to her character,
18 The Book Version Of Brooke Also Has Migraines Instead Of An Injury
Her Tennis Career Comes To An End Differently
The Apples Never Fall adaptation doesn’t just change Brooke’s romantic life; it also changes her tennis backstory. In the book, Brooke’s frequent migraines are the reason she stops playing. However, the show blames this on an injury she received while playing. There’s also no resentment towards her parents for ignoring her symptoms. Instead, Brooke feels guilt over how sad and disappointed her father is.
17 Peacock’s Apples Never Fall Show Downplays Troy & Harry’s Fight
Troy Gets Much More Violent In Liane Moriarty’s Book
Harry Haddad is a sensitive topic for the Delaneys, and his fight with Troy is the beginning of the end of his working relationship with them. Peacock’s adaptation downplays the confrontation between Troy and Harry, having Troy hit the other boy and quickly get pulled off him. In the book, Troy breaks Harry’s nose and needs two men to pull him off the other boy. He gets a six-month suspension for the assault, and it seems like it could have been much worse.
16 Logan Delaney Has A Different Job In The Book (& Another Reason For Splitting From Indira)
His Characterization Is Better In The Peacock Show
Logan Delaney gets more characterization in the Apples Never Fall show, which gives him a different job and different relationship problems from the book. He’s still going through a split with Indira in Moriarty’s novel, but it’s not because she’s moving across the country for work. And Logan works as a teacher in the source material, not at a local marina or yoga studio.
15 The Detectives Are Different In The Peacock Series
Detective Camacho Is A Totally New Character
There are two detectives assigned to Joy Delaney’s missing-persons case in both the book and the show, but the Peacock series portrays them differently. For one, Detective Elena Camacho is called Detective Christina Khoury in Moriarty’s book. Joy’s case brings up feelings about her upcoming wedding in the book, but Detective Camacho is dealing with being a new mother in the show. Her partner, Ethan, also has a different last name in the two versions of the story. In the book, he’s also Camacho’s subordinate, something the show doesn’t touch on.
14 Savannah’s Boyfriend Is Shown In The Apples Never Fall Book
The Delaneys Meet Him More Than Once
Savannah claims that her boyfriend assaulted her when she shows up on the Delaneys’ doorstep, but the TV show makes it seem like this is a lie. When Troy and Logan take her to a motel to get her stuff, they don’t actually run into her boyfriend. Instead, they face down an angry man with a gun. By contrast, the duo take Savannah to her former apartment and actually meet her boyfriend in the book. It’s implied that she lied about the assault, but she really does have an ex in the source material.
13 Amy & Simon’s Relationship Is Different (& Better) In The Show
The Peacock Series Makes Them Seem Like More Than A Fling
Amy engages in a romantic relationship with Simon, the man she’s living with, in both versions of Apples Never Fall. However, the Peacock show makes him the owner of the house she’s staying in rather than her housemate. It also concludes with them seemingly still together, while the book suggests it’s just a fling.
12 Amy’s Suicide Attempt Is A New Addition To The Story
The Show Digs Deeper Into Her Mental Health Storyline
Another change the Apples Never Fall show makes to Amy has to do with her mental health. While Moriarty’s book reveals that Amy has anxiety and depression, it never explores this subplot in depth. In the Peacock series, it comes out that Amy attempted suicide while in college. The detectives find her note in Joy’s drawer, adding a new layer to Amy’s relationship with her mother and the rest of her family.
11 Amy Isn’t A Life Coach In The Source Material
Apples Never Fall’s Adaptation Changes Her Job
Yet another change the Peacock show makes to Amy Delaney is her profession. Amy is described as jumping from job to job in both iterations of Apples Never Fall, but she seems to have found her calling in the adaptation. She’s a life coach who’s very into spirituality in the show. In the book, Amy is a taste-tester, and it’s unclear if this is a permanent profession.
10 Troy Delaney Doesn’t Have An Affair With His Boss’ Wife In The Book
Lucia Is A New Character For The Peacock Series
Troy Delaney gets a completely new subplot in Peacock’s Apples Never Fall, which sees him having an affair with his boss’ wife. While the book touches on him being a wealthy venture capitalist, the show offers more insight into his day-to-day career. It also sees him pursuing Lucia and eventually blowing up their romance and his job.
9 Savannah Bribes Troy With A Different Story (& Doesn’t Take The Money)
The Bribery & Stan Accusations Are 1 Storyline In The Book
In the Apples Never Fall show, Savannah bribes Troy with the knowledge of his affair, demanding a significant amount of money for her silence. As Troy’s affair doesn’t exist in Moriarty’s book, Savannah bribes him by accusing Stan of making advances towards her. Her accusations against Stan play out differently in the TV show, but Troy willingly hands over the money in both versions of the story. In the book, Savannah attempts to return it. In the show, she seemingly keeps it.
8 Joy Knows About Stan’s Father In Liane Moriarty’s Novel
His History With Abuse Is A Secret In The Show
Joy is resentful towards Stan for leaving whenever things get heated, and his reason is the same in the TV show and book: he doesn’t want to resort to violence like his abusive father. In the source material, Joy already knows about Stan’s history. However, the Peacock show changes this, with Joy believing Stan’s father is dead. He tells her about his past during the finale, finally making sense of his actions.
7 The Family Learns Savannah’s True Identity & Motives Much Earlier In The Book
Her Connection To Harry Haddad Is Made Known Before Joy Disappears
The Apples Never Fall series waits until the finale to reveal that Savannah is Harry Haddad’s sister, but Moriarty’s book drops this information much earlier. The Delaneys discover who Savannah is while she’s still staying with them, and they have a major confrontation as a family. The series makes this realization a bigger deal, with the Delaneys discovering Savannah’s identity after their mother is missing and their father is in jail. They also confront Harry about her, which doesn’t happen in the book.
6 Savannah Spills Joy’s Big Secret In The Book
Joy Tells Stan Herself In The Peacock Series
In the Apples Never Fall book, Savannah spills Joy’s big secret about Harry Haddad, but this unfolds differently in the show. During an argument among the Delaneys, Stan blames Troy for Harry’s father firing him all those years ago. Unable to lie any longer, Joy tells Stan the truth herself: that she recommended the Haddads find another coach.
