The psychological thriller 'His & Hers', starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal, has shot to the number one spot on Netflix's UK Top 10. While the six-episode limited series faithfully adapts Alice Feeney's bestselling 2020 novel, the streamer has taken several creative liberties that significantly reshape the story.
Character Motivations and Workplace Dynamics
One of the most notable shifts occurs in the career of Anna, played by Tessa Thompson. In the Netflix version, Anna is a news anchor who boldly returns to work after a year-long hiatus following her daughter's death, demanding her old slot back. She is told she has been tentatively replaced by the rising star Lexy Jones, a character renamed from Cat Jones in the book.
The novel presents a different dynamic: Anna was merely covering for Cat during her maternity leave. Upon Cat's return, it is Cat who slyly suggests Anna cover the murder in her hometown, setting the plot in motion. In both versions, however, Anna remains unaware that her colleague is Catherine, a vengeful figure from the traumatic events of her 16th birthday.
Altered Suspects and Narrative Reliability
The adaptation also changes the pool of potential killers. In Feeney's book, Rachel's elderly, bedridden husband is swiftly ruled out as a suspect. The series, however, reimagines the widower Clyde as a younger, physically capable man, keeping viewers guessing about his potential involvement.
Perhaps the most crucial change concerns Anna's characterisation. The book meticulously establishes Anna as an unreliable narrator struggling with alcoholism, her frequent blackouts casting doubt on her own memories and actions. This ambiguity peaks when she questions if she herself is the murderer.
The television show drastically downplays this element. While Anna is shown drinking, it is never portrayed as a debilitating addiction. This decision fundamentally alters the story's tension, making her a more stable protagonist by the time she uncovers the final, jaw-dropping confession.
A Streamlined and Bloody Final Confrontation
The climax of the story undergoes substantial revision. The novel's finale is a chaotic, gory sequence at a lake house involving a faked suicide, multiple stabbings, a car accident, and a police shootout. Anna's mother, Alice, is present and becomes a victim.
Netflix's version opts for a more direct confrontation. The action is condensed to a showdown between Anna and Lexy, with Detective Priya arriving in time to shoot Lexy dead. Richard survives and is arrested, and notably, Anna's mother Alice is absent from the scene entirely.
The Shocking Truth Behind the Murders
Both stories conclude with a devastating revelation from Anna's mother, but the motives differ. In the series, Alice's confession letter reveals she killed Rachel and others after discovering old footage of Anna being raped on her 16th birthday—a key change, as in the book, it was Cat who was assaulted.
The novel offers a more layered motive: believing Cat was the victim, Alice assumed her daughter Anna fled their hometown out of guilt for not intervening. Blaming Anna's friends for this disappearance, Alice murdered them and framed Cat. This complex web of mistaken guilt is simplified for the screen.
The Netflix adaptation of 'His & Hers' proves that even bestselling thrillers can be reshaped for a new medium. While the core mystery of estranged spouses suspecting each other of murder remains, these changes create a distinct, and evidently binge-worthy, viewing experience. All episodes are available to stream on Netflix now.
