MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS

I really enjoyed watching My Life with the Walter Boys on Netflix. The show is 100% why I thought I loved the book the first time I read it. I’ve since then re-read the book, and realized how wrong I was when I gave it 5 stars… (Check out the book review to see more details about the book.) The show gives more depth to the characters that really help the storytelling. I would say that the show follows the overall trajectory of the book. The small details may differ slightly but not enough to change the main points. 

In the show, we see a deeper side to Jackie and all the members of the Walter family. Maybe there were just too many characters to do that with in the book, but I liked seeing more of them in the show. Cole has definitely made some poor choices, but he’s not a jerk 100% of the time. In the book, he is nothing but a jerk. Jackie has feelings for him that she can’t explain, but at least in the show he’s nice to her occasionally. There was maybe one time he was nice to her in the book. Alex is all about his video games in the book. I kinda feel like if he had to choose, he might pick video games over Jackie and I didn’t love that about him. We do get a sense of him loving video games in the show, but he seems a little more well-rounded and doesn’t try to force Jackie to play his video games with him. In the show, he genuinely cares about Jackie. In the book, he’s just using her. 

I love the parents in this show! They didn’t appear much in the book, and when I learned that Ali Novak was 15 when she first wrote My Life with the Walter Boys, I thought that made sense. In a 15-year old’s mind, maybe it was best if there was minimal parenting going on. But the things that go on in this story require some parenting! Katherine and George seem to have things together pretty well considering they have so many kids running around. I love their chemistry and I especially loved how hard Katherine tries to make Jackie feel welcome and comfortable in their home.

The ending is where the two are very different. The feelings between Jackie, Cole, and Alex are not the same at the end of the book and the end of the show. I think the second season of the show will be very different than the second book that came out in April. 

All in all, I’m going to have to add this to my short list of movies/shows that are better than the book. It doesn’t happen often, but that’s my opinion of My Life with the Walter Boys book vs show. Keep reading for a more in-depth analysis of each episode (SPOILERS INCLUDED!)

Episode 1-Welcome to Colorado

Instead of being at home sick when her family is killed in a tragic car accident, Jackie is at a party that she’s planned. Her uncle comes to tell her. In the book, Katherine flies out to New York to help her pack up her things, but in the show Jackie flies to Colorado by herself and Katherine and George pick her up at the airport there. They have two less kids in the show than they did in the book. Benny has no twin, and Jordan has no twin. In the book, Jackie is pushed into the pool by the youngest twins when she first arrives to the Walter household where in the show she gets wet when the dog shakes water all over her. There are a lot of small differences… Alex’s ex-girlfriend is named Mary in the book. In the show, she’s Paige. Why that change? The anatomy class from the book is a history class in the show. Jackie makes friends in her science class in the show, in the book it’s art class. Kim’s name is Kylie in the show. One bigger difference is that in the book, Cole offers to show Jackie around to make her feel better and he takes her on a horse ride out to the water hole and they have a lovely time. In the show, Cole offers to take Jackie on a ride, but before she can answer, Alex interrupts and Cole leaves because Erin shows up at their house.

Episode 2-Live a Little

In the book, the boys steal Jackie’s clothes and towel while she’s in the shower, forcing her to rip down the shower curtain and use it to wrap around herself to get back to her room. In the show, they trick her into using the downstairs bathroom where they’ve put bleach in the shampoo. Maybe they switched this detail to avoid nudity in the show. The fallout in the Walter house is the same after the boys pull their prank on Jackie. Cole has a job at an auto business in town in both the book and show. In the show he approaches his boss and asks if he has a full-time job available. The boss replies that he still has two more years of school and then college. In the book, Cole is a senior in high school. Another major difference between the book and show is that in the show, Alex is the one who shows Jackie the loft. He shows her how to jump off, but doesn’t force her. Cole interrupts them, and Jackie refuses his offer and then goes back to Alex. In the book, Cole shows her the loft. He forces her to swing off when he steals the ladder. They share an almost kiss in the barn. 

Episode 3-The Cole Effect

I’m going to copy my sister when I say that they went rogue for this episode… nothing that happens in the episode happened in the book. There was the homecoming football game, drama with Will and Haley and the wedding plans, and Nathan has a little crush on Skylar. It goes in the right direction as far as the ultimate storyline, so I guess it’s not completely rogue. Just a little.

Episode 4-Nineteen

The next episode brings some of the details of the book back into the storyline. It’s Lucy’s birthday so Jackie gets out her favorite teapot. Parker accidentally breaks it in the kitchen with her field hockey stick, setting the morning off to a rough start. Jackie goes out for the track team. She overhears Paige talking in the bathroom about her parents being dead and how lucky she is, which only makes the day harder for Jackie. She agrees to cut school with Cole and ends up at a party at a lake house where she gets drunk and ends up playing truth or dare and Cole almost kisses her. She pukes on him since she’s so drunk. In the book, Mary (Paige) tells her directly to stay away from Alex and rubs her parent’s death in her face so she is upset and lets Cole talk her into leaving school. They go to some warehouse where they party, Jackie gets drunk, Cole kisses her in a game of truth or dare. In both cases, they arrive home late, drunk, and get grounded. Danny acts as the designated driver in the show, so he’s at the party and he is very nice. In the book, Danny isn’t there. Cole is the designated driver. Jackie does try to drunk kiss Alex and that happens in both the book and the show. Cole and Jackie get a list of chores to do while they are grounded. In the book, they are left at home to take care of Alex while the rest of the family goes on a camping trip. They watch a scary movie, the power goes out, the three of them end up sleeping on the living room floor. In the show, the family goes to the opening of Will’s new business venture at the café so they’re only gone for a few hours. The power goes out, Cole and Jackie talk, they have a nice moment by the fire with all the candles around him. I’m definitely feeling like Show Cole has more nice in him than Book Cole. Even though he’s still a jerk making overall bad decisions, he has more nice behaviors that we see in the show. I don’t remember reading about any nice behaviors from Book Cole… Later in the episode, we learn that Jackie and Lucy gave each other teapots for their birthdays. They would get them at thrift stores or random places. In the book, they’ve collected their teapots from all the places they’ve traveled to.

Episode 5-Thanksgiving

This is another rogue episode where none of the events that occur happened in the book. It’s Thanksgiving. Jackie doesn’t really want to participate. Katherine and George invite her Uncle Richard to come surprise her. Jackie goes out with Erin to deliver Thanksgiving meals and she’s not in a hurry to go back until Katherine calls her to tell her that her Uncle Richard is there. Uncle Richard wants to petition for custody of Jackie, but ultimately, he wants Jackie to be where she wants to be. Katherine and George want her to stay. Haley and Will work at the café for the holiday. Alex shows Jackie the Colorado version of ‘Manhattanhenge’ and Jackie kisses Alex. I really love Katherine and George! They are living these chaotic lives with all these kids and they seem to balance it all so well. They show concern for all of the children and I love that they are part of the story here. In the book it seemed like there were parents because logically there had to be but they were hardly mentioned.

Episode 6-Baggage

This episode was a little more on track with the book. There is a bonfire that everyone is excited to go to. Alex and Jackie are boyfriend and girlfriend. Alex is very into PDA, where Jackie is a little bit uncomfortable with it. Jackie learns that Cole stole Paige from Alex. Cole was gone all summer rehabbing his knee. When he came home, he ran into Paige at a party. Next thing you know, they’re making out. In the book, Mary/Paige breaks up with Alex because she likes someone else. Then Alex comes home one day and finds her watching a movie with Cole. In the show, Jackie is frustrated at Cole for his behavior. She’s also bugged that Alex didn’t tell her the whole story. Alex and Cole get into a fight at the bonfire and Alex punches Cole in the face. Will and Haley break up. There is no Will/Haley break up in the book. There is much more going on in their lives in the show. They barely appear in the book.

Episode 7-Small Town Rumors

The parents are concerned! Majorly! This is a part I think the book needed so badly. The parents realize they have kids in the household dating. They talk to both Alex and Cole about their behavior and about keeping things PG rated. Rumors are spread all over the school about the boys and it only makes their fighting worse. They end up in a fight at school and get suspended. Nathan has a seizure at the house after they’ve come home and ends up in the hospital for a few days. In the book, Nathan’s seizure happens while he’s out on a run that Jackie didn’t go on so she feels a lot of guilt over what happened. In the show Cole calls Jackie to tell her about Nathan, but she doesn’t answer because she’s so tired of him fighting with Alex. She doesn’t find out about Nathan’s seizure until the next day. Much Ado About Nothing is the play they are doing at school. In the book it’s Romeo and Juliet. Isaac auditions for the play and gets the lead. Danny is upset he’s participating all of the sudden when he’s the one that takes theater so seriously. That doesn’t happen in the book either. Jackie gets lost out on a run, Cole answers the home phone when she calls and he goes to get her. Cole tells Jackie he didn’t know Paige was with Alex and that she came onto him at the party. 

Episode 8-Spinning Out

Another episode that didn’t come from the book. Cole hits rock bottom in this episode. He’s leaving class because he doesn’t care. He’s hanging out with his buddies, smoking and drinking. Katherine is recognized and awarded Veterinarian of the year and when Cole does show up, he’s drunk and causes a scene. Cole and Alex aren’t speaking. Cole tells Jackie he wishes she never came to Colorado. 

Episode 9-Revolutions

Several of the Walters are excited to go to the county fair in this episode. There is no fair in the book. Alex competes in an event and Cole is helping with his horse. The reins break during Alex’s second run and he blames Cole. The two finally fight and yell at each other so hard that they realize how the other person has been feeling this whole time and make peace. Will and Haley get back together. The wedding is on and will be at the Walter’s ranch. Danny gets accepted to Julliard’s summer program. In the book, it’s an acting company of sorts that he joins in New York after graduating from high school. Jackie has her internship interview. Cole picks her up instead of Danny. In his truck he finally got running. In the book Cole is fixing up Buick Grand National. In the show, it’s a 80-86 Bronco with the top off (I consulted my vehicle expert). The truck breaks down, and Jackie misses the concert. Will and Alex come pick them up. But not before Cole tells her “I don’t want to break my brother’s heart again, but I can’t not want you.”

Episode 10-Happily Ever After

Will and Haley are getting married! Jackie has organized the wedding. School is out for summer. Alex is going to training camp in Montana, Cole turns in his English paper and signs up for summer school. Danny is going to New York. The dog ruins the bouquet for the wedding so Cole takes Jackie to a spot where they can get some flowers to make their own… by horse… it’s perfect… Will is brainstorming ideas for how to save the ranch so their family doesn’t have to sell their land to developers. The wedding is beautiful. Alex tells Jackie he loves her, she doesn’t say it back. He freaks out and drinks too many adult beverages and Kylie takes him inside. Jackie tells Katherine she feels like she found her new family with them. Jackie helps Danny pack for New York. In his room, she finds the broken teapot that Cole has glued back together for her with a note that says, “Nothing is so broken that it can’t be fixed.” He had hidden it in his closet when he saw Jackie and Alex kissing after their Manhattanhenge horse ride. Jackie is hurt maybe? Confused maybe? Touched that he would do something like that for her. She marches out to his work space in the barn and they share a very romantic moment that has been a long time coming! The next morning, Alex finds a note on Jackie’s bed that says, “I’m sorry. -J.” She has decided to go to New York with her Uncle Richard and Danny for the summer. END OF SHOW!!!