The Peacock adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's 2023 novel "The Five-Star Weekend" introduces a major change in how a central affair is exposed.
Starring Jennifer Garner as culinary influencer Hollis Shaw, the series follows a grieving widow who invites four friends to Nantucket six months after her husband Matthew's death.
In the book, the affair between Matthew and Gigi is revealed through a local antagonist, leading Gigi to confess directly to Hollis.
The series shifts the discovery to Brooke, who finds a photo of the affair on Gigi's phone.
The friends confront Gigi during a tennis match before Hollis is told.
The show also changes the timeline: Gigi knew Matthew was married from their first kiss, while in the book she learns later.
A flashback shows Hollis suspected the infidelity before Matthew died.
Author Elin Hilderbrand addressed the changes, contrasting them with the 2024 Netflix adaptation of "The Perfect Couple," which drew criticism for shifting focus from romance to a murder mystery.
"Netflix wanted a six-episode murder mystery.
So there are really great love stories in 'The Perfect Couple', but those did not really get much airtime because that's not what Netflix wanted," Hilderbrand said.
She noted that her core fan base felt disappointed by those earlier changes but expressed confidence that the Peacock project maintains the right tone.
"My fans were a little miffed," she said.
Hilderbrand explained that structural adjustments are essential when translating literature to episodic television, giving showrunner Bekah Brunstetter full creative independence.
"People can go and read the book – and I hope they do – but the show needed to move along.
It needs to move at its own pace, it needs to shift and move and change things so that every episode keeps you wanting more.
And I basically gave Bekah Brunstetter, who is the showrunner, carte blanche: 'Do what you want to make the best television,'" Hilderbrand said.
Her only condition was preserving the geographical setting accurately.
"The only thing I was concerned about was Nantucket. I wanted to make sure that Nantucket was done authentically and correctly," she said.
