Warning: This list contains spoilers for Presumed Innocent, both the 1990 movie and the 2020 TV show.Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent series is one of the streamer’s biggest shows of 2024, but it made some changes to the 1990 Harrison Ford movie. Adapted from Scott Turow’s novel of the same name, Jake Gyllenhaal takes the lead as Rusty Sabich to lead the Presumed Innocent cast. The series sees Rusty, who is accused of murdering his mistress, try to prove his innocence as his life and marriage begin to fall apart.
While not everyone likes the differences between the Presumed Innocent movie and the series, it is ultimately these changes that contribute to why the show is so popular. It is worth noting that the 1990 Presumed Innocent film and the Apple series are not significantly different. The series keeps a lot of things that were in the original film and maintains its overall essence, making only some changes to the plotline and characters in order to fit its new narrative.
10 The Presumed Innocent Series Makes Changes To Carolyn Polhemus’ Story
Carolyn Polhemus Is More Unlikeable In Apple TV+’s Show
The Apple TV+ Presumed Innocent does a great job of capturing Carolyn’s story. However, the series makes some alterations from the previous movie regarding some aspects of her life and career. In Harrison Ford’s Presumed Innocent, Carolyn has a romantic relationship with Raymond Horgan, not just Rusty. Furthermore, following her death in the film, Rusty discovers that she was working on a bribery case that Raymond assigned to her which is crucial in determining who is behind her murder.
The series makes no mention of the B-file missing from her office. In fact, Carolyn is portrayed as a regular prosecutor who works on normal cases, whereas in the film, she specializes in cases relating to sexual abuse. The change to Carolyn’s story and what she was working on tallies with what happens in the series. Since the TV show introduces another suspect, it wouldn’t have made sense if it went with the narrative about the bribery case because it has nothing to do with who Rusty thinks killed her.
9 The Presumed Innocent TV Show Includes New Characters
Jake Gyllenhall’s Rusty Has Two Children
Another difference between the Presumed Innocent TV show and the movie is that the series has characters that were not part of the film. A great example of this is Loraine, Raymond Horgan’s wife. The story delves deeper into Raymond’s personal life, with a bigger role in the series than he has in the movie. Mya Winslow, Kyle, Jaden, Liam Reynolds, Clifton, and Michael Caldwell also don’t feature in the Harrison Ford film. The series doesn’t only include new supporting characters, but it makes changes to some of them.
Alana Rodriguez replaces Dan Lipranzer in the series, but they essentially play the same roles with just a few differences. On the other hand, while some of the characters in the series were not part of the original movie, their addition to the TV show enriches its story. For example, Lorraine is important because she helps shed light on Rusty’s failings and doesn’t blindly believe in his innocence like her husband. Rusty’s children, Kyle and Jaden, help humanize Rusty in a way that is missing from the film.
8 Carolyn Polhemus Has A Son In The Apple TV+ Show
Carolyn & Michael Did Not Have A Relationship
One of the things that the Presumed Innocent TV show and movie have in common is that they both portray Carolyn as a cold person. However, the series further emphasizes this by including Michael Caldwell, Carolyn’s son. In the 1990 film, Carolyn has no desire to have children. During the investigation following her death in the film, it was revealed that she had a diaphragm so she couldn’t procreate. Her career and political aspirations were her only priority.
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Although Carolyn has a son in the series, she doesn’t tell anyone about him. She and her son were estranged, and he was solely living with his father. Having Carolyn be a mother in the series may seem like an odd choice, but it works because of how she treats him. The fact that she wanted nothing to do with her own child and kept his existence a secret, even from Rusty, helps paint a clearer picture of her character.
7 The Presumed Innocent Series Changes Why Rusty Was Acquitted
A Key Part Of Evidence Wasn’t Included In The Presumed Innocent Series
The reason behind Rusty’s acquittal is another big difference between both adaptations of the novel. In the film, Rusty is acquitted because a key part of the evidence, the glass with his fingerprints on it that was found in Carolyn’s apartment, is missing. Due to its absence, the prosecutors on his case couldn’t put him in Carolyn’s apartment at the time of her death. Additionally, the film sees Dr. Herbert Kumagai make a mistake during his post-mortem analysis of Carolyn’s body which creates reasonable doubt for the jury.
However, the glass isn’t mentioned during Rusty’s trial in the Presumed Innocent series. It isn’t even part of the evidence discovered in Carolyn’s apartment. Given that in the series, Rusty’s DNA is found all over Carolyn’s house, it wouldn’t make sense to include something as minuscule as a glass to prove that they were having an affair. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to Rusty being the killer in the TV show, so the inclusion of Dr. Kumagai’s blunder would have just complicated a story that already had too many details.
6 Some Details About Carolyn Polhemus’ Murder Are Changed In The Series
Carolyn Was Pregnant In The Apple TV+ Show
Carolyn’s murder is at the core of both the Presumed Innocent movie and the TV show. However, the results from the post-mortem analysis in the series and film are different. In the film, Dr. Kamagai discovers that she was sexually assaulted before she was murdered and Rusty’s semen was found in her body. The Apple TV+ series doesn’t include this part. In the series, Carolyn was pregnant at the time of her death, whereas in the film, she didn’t want to be a mother and probably wouldn’t have decided to keep Rusty’s child.
The Presumed Innocent series had to change some of the details about Carolyn’s death in order for it to work with the storyline the show had gone with. Carolyn’s pregnancy in the show is the reason she was killed. Without it, the Apple TV+ series would have to have the same story as the movie, which would have impacted the series’ finale.
5 Liam Reynolds Is A Suspect
The Presumed Innocent Series Doesn’t Include Bunny Davies’ Murder
In both the movie and the film, Rusty maintains his innocence from the time he is suspected of killing Carolyn. Since he knows he is innocent, Rusty needs to point the finger at someone else. In the 1990 movie, Rusty concludes that the person who could have killed Carolyn is the one she was investigating in her bribery case. Whereas in the series, Liam Reynolds is the likely murderer, a perfect suspect because of his history with Carolyn.
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Carolyn is the one who put Reynolds behind bars for murdering Bunny Davies, and so he had a bone to pick with her. Carolyn was tied in a similar manner to Bunny Davies, the woman Reynolds was convicted of killing. However, Reynolds was in prison when Carolyn was murdered, so he couldn’t have been the one to kill her. Despite this, Rusty still investigates Reynolds with the hope that if he is the one who killed Carolyn, then he will be acquitted.
4 Barbara Has An Affair In The Series
Barbara Has A Brief Affair With Clifton
Another big difference between the Presumed Innocent movie and TV show is Barbara’s story. In the film, Barbara and Rusty have problems because of his affair with Carolyn, but she seems to have forgiven him. The series, however, portrays Barbara in a different light. After Rusty is accused of murdering his lover, Barbara and Rusty’s relationship turns for the worse, and she seeks comfort in another man’s arms.
The third episode of Presumed Innocent sees more evidence about Carolyn’s murder come to light, which makes it more likely that Rusty could have killed her. The revelations drive an already fragile Barbara to want to escape from her new reality. While drinking, she connects with a bartender. However, their relationship only amounts to a kiss before it fizzles out. However, the “affair” in the series is an important part of Barbara’s story because it speaks to how she struggles with her marriage and forgiving her husband.
3 Raymond Horgan Is Rusty’s Attorney In The Series
Sandy Stern Represented Rusty In The Film
Since Rusty was the only suspect in Carolyn’s murder, it was just a matter of time before he was arrested and would need an attorney. Sandy Stern is the one who takes Rusty’s case in the film, whereas Raymond Horgan is his attorney in the Apple TV+ show. In the film, Raymond and Rusty are on bad terms after he discovers that he had an affair with Carolyn. However, in the series, Raymond is Rusty’s biggest supporter and comes out of retirement to defend him, despite being a prosecutor.
As Rusty’s attorney, Sandy isn’t overly concerned about whether the accused is innocent or guilty, his job is to make sure Rusty goes free. The series’ Raymond however, vehemently believes in his client’s innocence and is greatly invested in winning the trial because of his friendship with Rusty and his hatred for Tommy Molto. Having Raymond as Rusty’s lawyer raises the stakes in the show because his reputation is on the line if Rusty were to be found guilty.
2 Rusty Represents Himself In The Apple TV+ Show
Rusty Makes The Closing Argument During His Trial
During Rusty’s trial, Raymond has a heart attack and can’t continue as his lawyer. Instead of having Mya Winslow, who is Raymond’s second chair, take up his case, Rusty decides he will defend himself during Raymond’s absence. Unfortunately, Rusty ended up testifying while questioning Eugenia.
Since he opens himself to being called as a witness, Rusty has to take the stand, and he is eviscerated by Tommy Molto, thus making his conviction more likely. Given how the jury comes to view him during his questioning, Rusty decides to be the one who made his closing arguments, going against Raymond’s advice. While it wasn’t a good idea for Rusty to close his case, it ultimately paid off because it humanized him, something the jurors needed to see if they were to acquit him.
1 The Presumed Innocent Series Alters The Movie’s Ending
Barbara Didn’t Kill Carolyn Polheumus In The Apple TV+ Series
Perhaps the biggest difference between the Presumed Innocent movie and the TV show is the series’ ending. In the 1990 Harrison Ford film, Barbara is the one who kills Carolyn after discovering that her husband couldn’t let his mistress go. She carefully planned every detail so that it could point to Rusty as being the murderer, but didn’t leave enough evidence for him to be convicted. However, in Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent finale, Jaden, Rusty’s daughter, is the one who is behind Carolyn’s murder.
After finding out that Rusty was cheating on her mother, Jaden confronted Carolyn and warned her to stay away from her father. However, Carolyn revealed that she was pregnant with Rusty’s child, which led Jaden to lose her temper and bludgeon her to death with a fire poker. Strangely, in both the Presumed Innocent movie and the TV show, no one ever suspected Barbara, although she was the one who was most affected by Rusty and Carolyn’s affair.
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Presumed Innocent
Presumed Innocent is a legal thriller based on the novel by Scott Turow, featuring Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor accused of murdering his colleague. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the 1990 film explores themes of justice and betrayal as Sabich navigates the complexities of his trial and tries to prove his innocence amidst mounting evidence and personal turmoil.
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Presumed Innocent
An eight-episode limited series based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.
