Disclaimer: The Truth About Catherine & Jonathan – Show vs. Book

Apple’s thriller special Disclaimer is one of its kind, doing a wonderful job at showing how reality is twisted just by changing perspective, and how that could unravel a person’s entire life.

With Cate Blanchett starring as Catherine Ravenscroft, a journalist haunted by the mysteries and secrets conjuring out of a novel The Perfect Stranger.

When we place it parallel to the original book by Renée Knight, how connected does the story feel?

Catherine and Jonathan: Comparing Portrayals

Disclaimer involves the death of Jonathan Ravenscroft’s while he’s on vacation, setting the foundational stone for the haunting vibe arising from Catherine’s past.

Sacha Baron Cohen in Disclaimer
Sacha Baron Cohen in Disclaimer | Source: IMDb

As expected, this death isn’t anything that could be easily explained, given the mysterious circumstances surrounding it, along with the additional detail that he apparently died saving Catherine’s son, Nicholas.

Although he’s shown as a pessimistic romantic guy in the show, he’s actually read as a stalker and a predator who assaulted Catherine on her solo vacay.

The “True” Jonathan: Fact or Fiction?

Disclaimer highlights the blurred distinction separating reality and perception, particularly via the scenes forming conflicting images of Jonathan’s character.

Initially, he comes across as a misunderstood, tragic figure, only before more details unravel his persona to be more on the predatory side.

Such an unreliable narrative technique, mastered by director Alfonso Cuarón, has succeeded in keeping viewers on edge, and always on high alert.

A Death Cloaked in Mystery

The show’s narrative establishes Jonathan’s death by drowning as noble, since he’s shown to try and save Nicholas, who’s stranded on a float in the Mediterranean waters.

Kevin Kline in Disclaimer
Source: IMDb

But looking at the same through Catherine’s recounting of events, his death might not be as noble as we think. Jonathan’s unpredictable conduct, a dragging shot of Catherine watching him drown in the Sea, and his overall creepy vibe adds an invisible layer to the complexity of the circumstances of the incidence.

On the other hand, the book has a straight-up perception of Jonathan as a stalker whose fixation on Catherine ultimately leads to his end. No heroism, just a guy who met the consequences of his own actions.

Nancy: Villain or Grieving Mother?

Nancy’s version of the story in The Perfect Stranger establishes Catherine as a seductress and the main villain of the tale, perhaps reflecting how a mother was perpetually blinded to her deceased son’s flaws.

Kodi Smit-McPhee in Disclaimer
Kodi Smit-McPhee in Disclaimer | Source: IMDb

The book, in this context, is slightly twisted since Nancy is shown to be motivated by her own pain, turning into a vent for unresolved rage, leaving Jonathan’s real character mostly under doubts.

Catherine’s Trauma: Why is She Hiding the Truth?

The book and the show, both stand in parallels in this context, since Catherine remains to be a deeply traumatized character.

Leila George in Disclaimer
Leila George in Disclaimer | Source: IMDb

Knight, in the book, writes about Catherine to be a victim of sexual assault who lacked any intention to reveal her traumatic past, while her husband (Stephen) lays it all out for the public to see via the publication of The Perfect Stranger. This impactful narration of trauma is so immediate and powerful, that true horror fans find this a masterpiece.

By the end of Episode 6, her narrative starts shifting towards Jonathan’s bothersome behavior, pointing to the fat that she was actually more of a victim than it was previously believed.

As her disgust is clearly evident based on puking reaction to reading The Perfect Stranger, hints at unresolved trauma in her past, while the way she breaks down after the confrontation with her husband implies deep-tooted pain.

Final Thoughts: A Distorted Mirror

Disclaimer utilizes the complexity in its narrative to show a mirror to reality to portray how truth can be manipulated by the anyone.

This particular idea is the inspiration for the fluctuation of Catherine’s status as guilty or innocent, based purely on the onlooker’s perspective.

Cate Blanchett and Sacha Baron Cohen in Disclaimer
Cate Blanchett and Sacha Baron Cohen in Disclaimer | Source: IMDb

Cuarón’s adaptation of the work of the Knight’s emphasizes the ambiguity of ideas, portraying the tendency of society to judge people quickly, adding regressively to the “cancel culture”.

In the same theme, Catherine’s voice remains suppressed in both the book and the show not due to any active suppressor, but due to being overshadowed by Nancy’s fictionalized tale or being ignored by the people around her.

At the end of the episode, the actual events responsible for Jonathan’s death remain unknown, making viewers all the more interested to theorize and decide what role Catherine would go on to play.

Watch Disclaimer on:

About Disclaimer

Disclaimer (stylized as Disclaimer*) is a 2024 psychological thriller miniseries written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Renée Knight. It is scheduled to premiere on October 11, 2024, on Apple TV+.
A famed documentary journalist discovers she is a prominent character in a novel that reveals a secret she has tried to keep hidden.

A famed documentary journalist discovers she is a prominent character in a novel that reveals a secret she has tried to keep hidden.

Epic Dope Staff

Epic Dope Staff

Our talented team of Freelance writers - Always on the lookout - pour their energies into a wide range of topics bringing to our audience what they crave - fun up-to-date news, reviews, fan theories and much much more.

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