Reel to Real

Featuring: A brief look at some of the differences between the Sweet Valley High TV show episodes to the Sweet Valley High storylines within the books. Feel free to send us an email if you would like to contribute to this section.

Characters

1. TV Show: Bruce Patman (Brock Burnett) is Winston's number one arch enemy. Always playing tricks on him and coming up with extremely mean-spirited nicknames.
Books: Bruce and Winston are friends in the books, and occasionally hang out together, along with Todd Wilkins and Ken Matthews.



2. TV Show: Cheryl ‘Tatiana' Thomas (Tyffany Hayes) is a transfer student from Arkansas, whose father Walter Thomas, was a small-town barber.
Books: Much like the TV series, Cheryl was also a transfer student. The difference however, is that Cheryl came from New York City and her Dad, Walter Thomas, was a famous fashion photographer. Her Dad married Annie Whitman's mother and they lived next door to the Wakefield's.



3. TV Show: Manuel 'Manny' Lopez (Harley Rodriguez) was Bruce's best friend and dated Enid Rollins.
Books: Manuel is the boyfriend of Sandra Bacon, an SVH cheerleader. Their relationship was first kept secret from Sandra's parents, due to her parents being discriminative towards Hispanic people. During a boating accident, Manuel was accused of tampering the boat, and was about to be arrested until Sandra came forward and told the truth. Manuel ended up saving Sandra when the boat exploded, and after confessed all to her parents finally allowed her to date him.
Manuel never dated Enid, nor did he became best friends with Bruce's within the books.



4. TV Show: Patty Gilbert (Amarilis) is the captain of the cheerleading squad and choreographs the cheers.
Books: In the books, Patty was one of the best dancers in the school. She became a cheerleader when Jessica recruited her into the squad, to compete against Heather Mallone. Patty, along with Jade, also choreographed some of the best cheers within the team.



5. TV Show: Reginald "Shred" Patman (John Jocelyn) is Bruce's cousin.
Books: While it is true that Shred is Bruce's cousin, he never actually made an appearance within the books. He was only mentioned in the Sweet Valley Saga book "The Patmans of Sweet Valley" as being the son of Ann Fitzgerald and Reginald Patman Jr.



6. TV Show: Renata Vargas (Andrea Savage) is a Brazilian Foreign Exchange student, who is introduced at the beginning of the 4th Season of the show.
Books: Renata's character does not appear, nor does she exist within the books. Sweet Valley High has never even had a foreign exchange student.

Episodes

Dangerous Love
Books: Based on the SVH books All Night Long and Double Love.

The episode title "Dangerous Love" has the same title as the SVH book # 6, but the plot of the SVH book is based on another SVH TV episode entitled "Coma".

The 3-part-episode story-arc between Sam Woodruff and Jessica Wakefield within Season 2, is also entitled Dangerous Love; this is one of two video releases distributed by Saban.
Robin Wilson, Jessica's former co-captain of the cheerleading squad, is crowned Homecoming Queen in the books.
Jessica briefly dated Scott Daniels in the SVH book "All Night Long". She sneaked off to go to a college party at the lake, without her parents' knowledge. Scott led Jessica into a deserted boathouse and tried to take advantage of her. Jessica left Scott, realizing what a creep he actually was.
Rick Andover, the guy Scott introduces Jessica to within the episode, isn't a college student like Scott. He is actually a high school dropout within the books.
In the SVH book Double Love, Elizabeth who was dressed as Jessica, told Dana Larson that Elizabeth was the writer of the Eyes and Ears column. This consequently led to Dana announcing it to everyone in attendance at the football game. Meanwhile Jessica who was wearing Elizabeth's clothes was mistaken for Elizabeth and was thrown screaming into the middle of the pool. In the show, Lila is seen to be the one who finds out about Elizabeth.



Almost Married
Books: Based on the SVH book of the same name.

While it is true within the book, that Elizabeth and Todd momentarily live together in the Wakefield's' home while her parents were away. The books' storyline is more focused on Elizabeth discovery of her Mom and Mr. Patman (Bruce's father) past relationship with each other to a point in which they were almost married. Within the books, we see Elizabeth becoming increasingly drawn to Bruce, and additionally further apart from long-time boyfriend, Todd Wilkins. A storyline not brought forth within the TV Show episode
Jessica and Lila do not compete against each other in order to get a date with Morgan Gethers, or any other guy in this book. There wasn't a Morgan character within the SVH book storyline.
Jessica allowed Todd to stay over at the Wakefield's house on two conditions: that Todd and Elizabeth have to do all her share of the chores, as well as allow her to hold a party at their house. She does not ask Elizabeth for the emergency credit card that their mom left them, like within the episode.



The Prince of Santa Dora
Books: Based on the SVH book "In Love with a Prince".

Prince Arthur Castillo doesn't fall in love with either Jessica or Lila within the book; he falls in love with Dana Larson instead, due to both her independent spirit as well as her brilliant mind.
In the books, Prince Arthur is engaged to Lady Tracy Windsor, a notoriously obnoxious relative of the Queen of England. This is entirely different to the TV episode, where Prince Arthur is mentioned as being engaged to Lady Isabella Rondavi.



Secrets
Books: Based on the SVH book of the same name.

Enid and Jessica are in competition with one another for the Queen of Fall dance title at SVH. This is completely different to the TV episode, where Enid is chosen to act as head spokesperson for the anti-drug campaign, which Jessica tries to sabotage, in order too reap the benefits of it all herself.
Jessica doesn't find out about Enid drug-using past by eavesdropping in on her and Elizabeth's private conversation. In the book, Jessica is seen finding George's letter on Elizabeth's bed.
There is no mention of the Winston and Manny show within the books.



Photographic Evidence
Books: Based on the SVH book "Regina's Legacy".

Elizabeth joins the photography club, after receiving a camera from Mrs. Morrow, that once belonged to her now deceased friend, Regina Morrow. Elizabeth begins taking pictures for the photo mural and brings along Prince Albert: the Wakefield's' golden retriever to the beach. It is there that Elizabeth ends up photographing Ron Hunter, a witness scheduled to testify against a huge drug ring. The TV episode is different in that that it shows Elizabeth at the beach with Winston, when she snaps the picture of Ron Hunter.
In the books, there are no problems with the photo, unlike within the TV episode, where Elizabeth and Todd have to enlarge the photo to take a closer look at the printed shirt being worn by one of the guys in the photo. The shirt being worn had on it, the name of a restaurant in Big Mesa. This leads to Elizabeth and Todd making their way to the restaurant, where they find Chad forcing Jessica to give him the photo. Todd manages to detain Chad, and Chad is arrested by the police.
For a full profile of Chad, head over to the Villains section.



Club X
Books: Based on the SVH book Jessica Against Bruce.

Club X was created to bring "excitement and dangerous fun" to the school. Apart from Bruce and Jessica, the only other members are Tad Johnson and Ronnie Edwards. Eventually, later, Michael Lewis, Jim Sturbridge and Charlie Cashman also joined the group. Manny and Karl are not Club X members in the books, as they are portrayed to be within the TV episode.
While it is true in the book, that Jessica stole Bruce's Porsche, just like in the episode. The other Club X stunts, such as Jessica sabotaging the water fountain as well as Bruce's supposed skydive into the football stadium wasn't included in the book.
The Club X members meet at Patman mansion in the book, whereas in the episode, they meet within an abandoned warehouse.
Club X was eventually disbanded by Principal Chrome Dome Cooper, and its members all got served after-school detention for 2 weeks. Jessica was grounded by her parents for joining Club X.



Stolen Diary
Books: Based on the SVH book of the same name.

In the book, Todd and Elizabeth decide to take a trial break away from each other and Todd starts to date a girl named Peggy. In the TV episode Elizabeth and Todd break up because Jessica encourages Peggy to pursue Todd.
Elizabeth momentarily dates Kris, just like in the TV episode. The difference however, is that his full name is Kris Lynch and not Kris Sanders, as is noted in the episode. The guy who plays Kris Sanders in this episode is also different from the description of the character Kris within the book. Kris Lynch is a skinny guy w/ sandy hair and blue eyes and wears round, steel-rimmed glasses.
The contents of Elizabeth's bag spilled out within Kris' car and her diary fell out. After Kris read Elizabeth's diary, he slipped it back into her locker so as that she would think it was there all along. Whereas in the TV episode, Elizabeth's bag/ diary falls outside Kris' car, and goes unnoticed by Elizabeth ‘til the next day. The entire SVH gang plot to try and get back the diary off of him.



Kidnapped Parts 1 - 3
Books: Based on the SVH book of the same name.

Jeremy, a well-known Sweet Valley TV personality, did appear within the book, however his surname is Frank and not Franks as is noted within the TV episode. In the book, Jessica is determined to pursue Jeremy, in hopes of romance; but her plan backfires. Jeremy also offers Jessica a chance to appear on his TV talk show to discuss what it's like being a teenager in today's day and age. This is unlike the TV episode, in which Jessica pursues Jeremy, in hopes of becoming his next co-host.
The Wakefield twins work as candy stripers at the Joshua Fowler Memorial Hospital (a hospital owned by the Fowlers) and not at the Sweet Valley Community Hospital as shown within the TV episode.
Peter, a hospital orderly who kidnaps both of the Wakefield twins within the 3-part Kidnapped trilogy, has a different name within the book; he is known as Carl. Carl only kidnaps Elizabeth within the books, where he takes her to his house and ties her up to a chair. Elizabeth wasn't able to escape from Carl's house, much like she was able to do within the TV episode. In the books, she is rescued by the police.
Elizabeth was supposed to meet Max Dellon -- a member of the Sweet Valley High school band: The Droids -- to help him study for an English test. When Elizabeth goes missing, Max is accused of kidnapping her. The police eventually let him go because of the lack of evidence. This is unlike the TV episode in which Winston is accused of kidnapping Elizabeth.
In the book, Carl does not escape from a mental institution and go on to kidnap Jessica. For a full and more in depth profile of Carl, head over to the Villains section.



Say Goodbye
Books: Based on the SVH books "Say Goodbye" and "Deceptions".

Todd does not move to Vermont because of a scholarship offer to Fairmont Academy. He ends up moving to Vermont, because his dad gets a job transfer.
Nicholas Morrow does try to pursue and date Elizabeth in the TV show, just as he does within the books. But he eventually stops doing do, after realising that Elizabeth is completely committed to Todd.



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