Summary
- American Rust season 1 stays faithful to the core story but takes creative liberties for a new, compelling narrative.
- Character names are changed for a fresh perspective, like Bud becoming Del, adding a different dynamic to the show.
- The show diverges from the book to set up multiple seasons, expanding the world of American Rust for future episodes.
American Rust season 1 is based on the book of the same name by Philipp Meyer, and while there are ways in which the TV show is faithful to the novel's story, there are also noticeable changes. Any good screen adaptation of a book has to take some creative liberties because translating a written story into a visual medium can be difficult. Most of the core features of the story remained, like the main characters and the murder, but other than that, the show took the book and created something entirely new.
Additionally, part of the reason season 1 differed so strongly from the source material was so the show would be better set up for multiple seasons.
The American Rust season 2 ending leaves room for multiple seasons in the future, effectively expanding upon the world from the first season. This was a challenge, as there's only one American Rust book, so season 2 had to extrapolate an original story after the cliffhanger ending of season 1. Additionally, part of the reason season 1 differed so strongly from the source material was so the show would be better set up for multiple seasons. Making the project a full show instead of a miniseries meant that the plot of Meyer's work wouldn’t be followed as closely.
10 Bud's Name Is Changed To Del
Jeff Daniels' character and the Chief of Police
Any hard-hitting mystery series about middle America must include a hard-nosed police Chief or Detective who's willing to bend the law to align with what he thinks is right. In the case of American Rust, this is Bud Harris in the novel and Del Harris in the show. This is a strange change to make, as Bud and Del are similar names, both are one-syllable and are plausible for a man of his generation to have. Audiences who didn't read the book would never notice this change, but it's an immediate indicator that the show will be different.
Bud does feel like a more friendly and kind name than Del, and it quickly becomes clear that this man isn't the hero of the story.
Making Daniels' character named Del might have been an attempt to shake off any overt stereotypes about middle America. Though for the most part, American Rust doesn't shy away from capitalizing on these archetypes. Bud does feel like a more friendly and kind name than Del, and it quickly becomes clear that this man isn't the hero of the story. In the book, this juxtaposition is obvious, but for the series, they might not have wanted to risk confusing the audience.
Where Is American Rust Set? Buell, PA And Filming Locations Explained
The crime drama TV series American Rust takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania, but the cast and crew did not film the episodes there.
9 Lee Lives In Connecticut
She remained in Connecticut after college instead of going to New York
Isaac's estranged sister, Lee, pretends to be an outsider when she returns to Buell, the town the story is set in. However, she really has strong ties to Buell because of Isaac and their father, Henry. Not to mention her previous romantic relationship with Billy, Isaac's friend and former high school football star. However, Lee is the character who escaped Buell, going to college at Yale and on track to become a lawyer. In the book, when the characters catch up with her, she's living in Connecticut.
However, the series chose to have her and her new husband, whom she met at Yale, live in New York City. It's true that New York is a more glamorous and exciting setting for a character to be from. It makes her seem like she's hit a new social stratification and shows how desperately she wants to prove she's changed. Lee is an interesting member of the American Rust cast and characters, and placing her in New York gives her more power and more to lose.