Confess – Episodes 1 & 2 – My Thoughts

Colleen Hoover put on Instagram this morning that Episodes 1 & 2 had been released on Go90. It’s free, and I didn’t have to make any sort of account to watch it. Let’s hope it stays that way. This is the first time I’ve used Go90, so I don’t know how it works exactly.

All of the episodes will be available on Tuesday!

There will be spoilers in this post, if you haven’t read the book yet. It’s a really great New Adult book. So go check it out!

The show hasn’t deviated from the book much at all, yet. But If I had to rate it right now it’d be about a 3/5. Not gonna lie. It’s just okay so far.

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Episode One

The 10 years earlier flashback was perfect and heartbreaking.
“…even when I can’t.”
“…even when I shouldn’t.”

The getting her to knock on the gallery door scene was very meh. It’s so cute in the books. I wanted more. There’s no back and forth. No cleverness. Just her walking up and knocking on the door.

Let’s talk about Owen Cat being a stuffed cat that Owen talks too. Like I get that the cat is some what important to the story. Colleen has said on her website that it was too expensive to hire an animal actor. Hopefully it’ll make more sense later on. But for the first two episodes it was just really awkward. Especially, when Owen talks to it in episode two…

I don’t even understand why Owen’s ex Hannah makes an appearance and I hope she doesn’t come back. Ever.

Seeing the Confess Gallery come to life was so interesting. I loved how everything looked and how the confessions are displayed with the paintings. It was roughly how I pictured it while reading.

Colleen makes a cameo, and buys painting number four during the gallery sale. Which is a good choice according to Auburn. Lol, loved it.

The roommate, Emory, is super funny and I loved her in the books. I feel like I’m going to love her in the show too, but was it really necessary for her to be pant less the first time we see her. Nope, not at all.

We end the episode with Auburn selling her car to afford a lawyer, then Lydia denies Auburn a visit to see AJ. It’s so sad, but I can’t wait for the rest to see how everything unfolds with Auburn getting custody of her son or not.

Auburn also works at a nursing home now, instead of being a hair dresser. Which is fine. It makes me kind of sad though, cause one of my favorite scenes is when she sits on him and tries to cut his hair when she’s drunk. It’s such a cute scene.

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Episode Two

We get to see Auburn’s son AJ in this episode. He looks older than I remember him being in the books. Here he’s 10 or so. AJ is adorable, but Auburn makes really good points about him needing to go to school rather than home-schooled. Or he needs a way to socialize with other kids. And of course, Lydia will not listen to that mess. Even if Auburn did bring it up to her. Lydia is so well played in the second episode. It really gets across her character and need to be in control.

I don’t think it was a smart move to tell Trey that she’s trying to get custody, I think that will backfire on her. Big time. Just because that’s Trey’s character.

Which when Auburn meets with the lawyer again, she finds out how difficult it will really be to gain custody.

Auburn leaves the lawyer’s office upset and ends up at Owen’s. They have their first ‘this is not a date’ date. Auburn avoids his kisses, and then straight up tells him she’s not having sex with him. Awkward. Really Awkward.

I like how they’re foreshadowing that Owen painted the same painting that’s in Auburn’s bedroom in the first episode. It’s also her phone background and when Owen sees it, he shuts down a little bit. There’s also a bit in the first episode where he says that she looks familiar.

It just helps the viewer know what’s going on. I loved it. In my head, Adam’s painting is larger than it is in the show. But I guess since it had to be mailed to her, I should have pictured it a little smaller than the other paintings in Owen’s gallery.

We have the dance with me scene. She says 10 seconds. It goes longer. It’s adorable. They’re about to kiss. Annnnnd his phone rings and he has to go pick up someone. Readers know it’s his dad, or at least it was in the book. But Aub’s doesn’t know that yet. I’m interested to see how that turns out.

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OVERALL THOUGHTS

I like where everything is going. In two 20 minute episodes, you don’t get far at all. It took me a minute to get used to the acting. It’s good, but not great. It ends up being a little awkward at times. But that could also be because Auburn is an awkward person, as is.

This is total a side note, that no one else will notice at all. But there’s a reference to the band Alabama Shakes in the first episode and book. I always skipped over it when I was reading the book, just because it was more embarrassing than a funny antidote to me. Fun fact, I went to the same high school as the lead singer, who is talked about in the first episode. Granted, I was in seventh or eighth grade when she was a senior. So I didn’t actually know her, BUT it’s my claim to fame guys, let me have it. lol.

But the quote goes something like, “‘I listened to this song by Alabama Shakes called ‘Hold On’ for months, before I realized the singer was a woman.’ ‘She says her own name in the song.’ ‘I know but I felt like he was referencing someone else.'”

Obviously, no body else would ever care. It’s a joke and actual humans make mistakes like that all the time. I just really wish it wasn’t in the show. It isn’t necessary in the scene/moment that it’s in at all. But it’s also a direct quote from the book. So maybe I missed something, and people think it’s hilarious? Maybe the band knows about it and thinks it’s funny? I don’t know, I just wouldn’t want a joke/thought going around that when I sing, people think I’m a man. But also maybe it’s a compliment, because Brittany can obviously sing better than any man. Who knows. Apologies for that tangent.

Anyways, I thought it all flowed really well. We’re moving through scenes quickly, which just has to be done in 20 minute episodes. There haven’t been any major changes to the book yet. Just minor location changes, and Auburn’s job is different. Oh, and stuffed Owen Cat. Which will be interesting to see how that turns out.

I think they’ll have to change some of the ending to make it work though. In the first episode, Owen’s dad is at the studio making a fuss. At the end of episode two, my assumption is that it’s Owen’s dad who calls him and interrupts the kiss. So I need to see where that is going before I can honestly say if I think the show will change anything.

I tried really hard not to go around looking for clues of what will happen. I didn’t watch the trailer or anything. So I don’t know if it follows the book from here on. Like, will he go to jail? Will Auburn get really involved with Trey? Will Trey be a bigger jerk than he already is?

Well, I know the answer to that last question.

I’m excited. I’m nervous. I don’t want my favorite Colleen Hoover book to be messed up!
I’m anxious to see what you guys thought about the episodes in the comments!

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Thanks for Reading!
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