The book can always be a great inspiration, but after it ends the show is left on its own creative trajectory.
The Handmaid’s Tale premiered on Hulu in 2017, and has gathered a huge fandom since then. It’s also a known fact that the show was based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name.
However, the creators of the show needed the whole book to only cover season 1 of the series. And after the novel ended, the writers decided to expand the show’s plot themselves.
So except for the Offred’s story being told way beyond the end of the novel, there are three significant changes that the show has from the book.
1. The name
Actually, the first thing we might notice is the showrunner Bruce Miller’s decision to reveal the real name of the main handmaid. In the world of Gilead, the main character is called Offred, and that’s the only name she has in the book.
The thing is, the handmaids (both in the novel and the show) are given their names by the families they are assigned to live with. And since she was given to Commander Fred Waterford, she became “of Fred.”
But the show soon let us know the character’s real name, the one she had before she was captured in Gilead: June Osborne.
Her real name actually has a significant meaning to the plot of the show, as it implies the past she has as a completely different person. Besides, using your real name only gives you more power to fight for your own truth.
2. Waterford family
This is the family that is considered to be Offred’s owners both on screen and in the novel. They represent the primary liaisons of The Handmaid’s Tale’s antagonistic government of Gilead.
The main change made here is actually the age difference of Fred Waterford and Serena Joy in series and in the novel. Atwood described an old couple, not so power hungry, and not necessarily too violent and evil.
But the couple we see in the show is much worse than that. Being significantly younger, they show more e agerness to achieve their horrific goals in the sick society.
These changes alter the dynamic between them and June. As Serena is closer in age to June and a proponent of Gilead in the series, her relation to June and the role of handmaids is a lot more violent and conniving, especially because her infertility rouses so much of her hatred.
3. Nick
Nick Blaine, the Gilead Commander’s driver, quickly became one of the show’s most popular characters. And not only because of his looks.
He soon becomes close friends with June, to the point where they even start a relationship (as far as that is possible in Gilead) and have a child together.
They form a strong bond that helps viewers really understand Nick. So when he uses his status as “the Eyes” to help June, we never question his loyalty.
In the book, however, his true intentions were never revealed, and readers were left wondering who he really was, and whose side he was on.
