This article contains spoilers for Caught.The Netflix adaptation ofCaughtmakes some significant changes to Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel of the same name.Starring Soledad Villami,Caughtfollows Ema Garay, a journalist who wrongly accuses Leo Mercer of being a pedophile. Like most Harlan Coben TV adaptations,Caughthas received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Althoughthe Netflix original TV showhas had a lukewarm reception, it has an engaging plot and a great performance from its cast.
Whilethere are some differences between the TV adaptation ofCaughtand the source material, the series stays true to the important parts of the story. After all, it isn’t possible for a book adaptation to include everything that was in the original story. Nevertheless,Caughtis entertaining from start to finish and has plot twists that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
7The Netflix Series Is Set In A Different Location
The Setting Was Changed From New Jersey To San Carlos de Bariloche
One of the biggest differences between Harlan Coben’s novel and its TV adaptation is the setting.The book takes place in New Jerseyand even includes famous city landmarks like Ringwood Park. Some important parts of the novel’s plot, like where Martina’s body is found and the event that kick-started the mystery, are linked to the location.
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The Netflix TV show, however, takes place in San Carlos de Bariloche, a city in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Almost all Netflix adaptations of Coben’s books usually have a different setting than what’s in the novel, so it isn’t surprising that the latest Coben TV show did the same. But most of the TV adaptations of the best-selling novels are set in England, Poland, or Spain.Caught, on the other hand, is the first Coben adaptation that was filmed in Latin America.
6The Netflix Series Doesn’t Include Some Characters Who Were In The Book
Ema’s Boss, Bruno’s Grandpa, And Marcos’ Friends Were Left Out
Given how big the book is,it isn’t possible that every character who appears in the original story will be featured in the TV show. However, the Netflix series left out some characters who played an important role in the overall storyline of the novel. For instance, Ema’s boss, Bruno’s grandpa, and Marcos’ other friends weren’t included in the crime drama.
The TV adaptation of Coben’sCaughtdidn’t only leave out some characters but also included new ones. Fran Briguel, the man who flew Martina to Buenos Aires, wasn’t part of the novel. Since the TV show made some changes to Martina’s story, it makes sense that Briguel was featured in the series because he was part of Martina’s life, even if he wasn’t someone that was particularly significant to her.
5The TV Show Makes Some Significant Changes To The Plot
The Biggest Difference Is Marcos' Story
Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the novel and series is the plot. While the series tries to stay true to the source material, there is one major change to the story.In the thriller, Marcos ruined Leo Mercer’s life because he wanted to get back his land after losing his job. Marcos also has a relationship with Martina in the TV show and uses her to take down his old friend.
In the TV show’s source material, Marco’s story is more complicatedthan that. Marcos took the fall for a horrible accident that had happened during his time in college that led to him being expelled. When he lost his job, he began ruining his ex-friends’ reputation because he believed that if it weren’t for them, then his life would be perfect. He not only went after Mercer, but all his other friends as well. Marcos’ story ends the same in both the TV show and novel, as he dies by suicide when he comes to terms with what he did.
4The Series Leaves Out Parts Of Ema’s Story
In The Book, Garay Is Fired From Her Network
The primary protagonist inCaught, Ema Garay, is the one who let the public know that Mercer was a pedophile after she featured him on her TV show. The TV show only focuses on how Mercer’s reputation was ruined, butdoesn’t delve into how Garay’s life changed after she started getting too close to the truth. In the source material, Garay was fired by her network when Mercer’s case was dismissed by the court.
In the TV show, Garay continued working even after some parts of her story didn’t add up. The novel has Marcos going after Garay. He concocted some stories about her sleeping her way to the top, which ended up ruining her life and career. Everyone in her community began treating her differently when they read the false stories. Further, Garay and Mercer only had a professional relationship in the book. They weren’t romantically linked, even though she liked him.
3The TV Show Changed Martina’s Story
The Adaptation Depicts Martina In A Different Light
Most of what happens to Martina inthe crime dramaalso takes place in the book. For instance, she was a high school student who went missing before her body was found. However, that’s the only thing about Martina that the Netflix series keeps from the original story.In Harlan Coben’s book, Martina was a lacrosse player and didn’t like breaking rules. The TV adaptation of the novel depicts Martina in a different light.
Given the direction that the Netflix series went with the story, it makes sense that some things about Martina had to be changed so that the reason for why she was murdered could be easily explained.
In the series, she played the violin and had an account on a website where she posted sexually explicit videos of herself. She also had a somewhat romantic relationship with Marcos and unknowingly helped him frame Mercer for crimes he didn’t commit. Ultimately, it was her part in ruining Mercer’s life that led to her accidental death. Given the direction that the Netflix series went with the story, it makes sense that some things about Martina had to be changed so that the reason for why she was murdered could be easily explained.
2The Way Martina Dies Is Changed In The Series
In The Book, She Dies From Alcohol Poisoning
Another big difference between the novel and TV adaptation ofCaughtinvolves how Martina died. While in both the book and series, her death was an accident,there is a significant difference in how it happened. The TV show had Martina being pushed down the stairs by Armando after he found out what she had done to Mercer. Armando and his mother threw Martina’s body into the lake to cover their tracks.
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The novel, however, has a different depiction of how Martina died. Martina attended a party at Mercer’s ex-wife’s house where she drank too much.She died from alcohol poisoning, and her body was buried in a park. Despite these differences, the overall message is the same. When Martina died, Mercer’s ex-wife wanted to protect her child and the rest of her family because she didn’t want to go to jail over an accident. In the novel, Mercer’s ex-wife, instead of her daughter, is the one who got arrested because she provided alcohol to an underage girl.
1Harlan Coben’s Novel Has A Different Ending
The Novel Offers A Little More Insight Into Mercer’s Story
It’s become a pattern for the Netflix adaptations of Harlan Coben’s books to change a part of the ending, and Caught is no different. The series and book do include Mercer being alive at the end of the story and living in a different city after what happened to him in his hometown. While on the TV show, it’s hinted that Camila’s dad didn’t kill Mercer, the series doesn’t go into detail about what actually happened between the two of them. The novel offers a little more insight into Mercer’s story.
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We Know Nothing of Tomorrow
After his community shunned him, Camila’s dad, who had begun to believe that Mercer was innocent, helped him fake his death so that he could start a new life elsewhere. When Mercer left his hometown inthe finale ofCaught, he didn’t communicate with anyone and instead focused on rebuilding his life. In the novel, he talked to Garay, who apologized for the role she played in what had happened to him. He forgave her, and everyone else continued believing that he had died.
Caught
Cast
Caught follows reporter Ema Garay as she rises in digital journalism by capturing elusive criminals in Bariloche, Argentina. Her investigation into a missing teenager leads to Leo Mercer, a social worker and prime suspect. As Ema seeks the truth, she faces unexpected personal challenges.
