In the fourth episode of Expats, Hilary was taken aback by her mother’s arrival in Hong Kong; nevertheless, the elevator incident also gave Hilary the background information that was absent from the Amazon Prime Video series, given the significant distinctions between Hilary in Expats and Hilary in The Expatriates.
Hilary was more conscious of her failing marriage than her fictional counterpart in Expats episodes 1 and 2, to the point where she told Margaret that she had resumed using the pill even though she had allegedly tried for a child with David before Gus vanished.
Hilary’s success at work was attributed to the revisions made to the book by Expatriates; in The Expatriates, her success was never discussed, as she was always dependent on her family’s fortune.
In addition, David’s desire to become a parent in Expats was entirely at odds with Hilary’s problems with parenting, which were highlighted in the Amazon Prime Video series more as her aspirations to avoid having children.
The shift remained unaccounted for until Expats episode 4, which, in contrast to The Expatriates, provided a glimpse into Hilary’s early years and family conflicts by presenting her mother’s visit.
Hilary’s wishes differ from those in the book because of her difficult relationship with her mother
Throughout Expats, episode 4, the tension between Hilary and her mother is evident not only when their conversation turns to having kids and Hilary’s marriage to David, but also when they just chat about Hilary’s life in general.
Hilary’s mother’s remarks, whether they were about her refusal to eat the pinnis she had brought from home or the fact that she hadn’t picked up the language while living in Hong Kong, felt especially critical.
Hilary’s wishes and logic were completely at odds with her insistence that Hilary attempt parenthood even if she wasn’t interested in it because she had done the same thing before having Hilary.
But as the conversation progressed and Hilary’s early years were discussed, more details about her family’s dynamics emerged, revealing a pattern of her father lying and adultery while her mother pretended to overlook his children from other women.
Hilary’s mother’s attempt to persuade her to choose what she believed to be the correct path rather than what Hilary wanted to follow made clear why Hilary would never tolerate falsehoods and manipulation.
It also gave Hilary more confidence to defend her decision to forgo having children because she had never desired them—a fact Hilary had ostensibly informed her mother without receiving any feedback.
Hilary’s primary battle was therefore brought to light in Expats episode 4, as her mother actively attempted to discourage her from following her wishes and choices. But Hilary never experienced her mother’s oppressive judgment in The Expatriates.
While Hilary’s mother did not always support her choices, unlike in Expats, Hilary’s mother never openly condemned her, even though their opinions on whether or not to try fertility treatments to have children may have differed. Hilary wanted to look her best when her mother visited her in the book.
Hilary’s story in Expats cannot follow the book since her difficulty in The Expatriates stems more from her feelings of not being prepared for parenthood.
Hilary’s journey to acceptance in the book helped her to resolve her unstable relationship with Julian—a child she met and may eventually adopt—and to finally adopt him.
However, Hilary does not express this desire in Expats. Hilary’s story needs to change at the conclusion because the book’s ending will never fit her, given the stark differences in Hilary’s beginnings and the pathways she took while traveling through Expatriates.
