I'm... actually pleasantly surprised
So, I couldn't watch it until later today after work. I still went looking for spoilers earlier today, because I wanted to know what to expect (and what NOT to expect), so to not be caught off guard. I think it helped because I ended up going into it with very low expectations... and I loved it.
Am I disappointed some of my favorite scenes didn't make it? Yes. Some changes I'm not a huge fan of. But the cast (and their chemistry) killed it. There's a lot of heart in that project. The show is very addictive.
I'm very nitpicky with adaptations, especially with books I love. No, it's not as faithful as a show like HR (which is the exception, not the rule, really), but it's also not straying completely from the source material like Bridgerton did (I'm still scarred from that, that show is fun, but it barely has anything to do with the books at this point).
So yeah. It's more faithful than I expected for that kind of adaptation. One thing I love is that the sideplots are all related to the leads from the books, not some random OCs nobody cares about. So that's pretty refreshing too.
I'm not dismissing the criticism of the changes, though. These are completely valid and I get them. I'm just relieved I managed to enjoy the show as it is.
Now, I'll be on my way to gif the hell out of it!🫡