jacob tierney did such a good job of essentially "saving" shane's character that it's no wonder people are applauding the way the show has altered/changed the narrative at times. just one example is the way ep 5 really highlights how much it means for shane to come out, to actually say that he's gay, to admit that not only to rose and ilya but also to himself. the book already does a rather poor job of actually giving us valid reasons and explanations as to why shane is so "uptight" about not wanting to come out, often pinning the blame on the hockey league and the possible reactions from people in their circle. it's funny how a show, that can't rely on descriptive text like a book can, manages to show shane's internalized homophobia and the relief he feels after coming out. meanwhile in the book shane's character is extremely inconsistent to the point where it feels like fodder to fuel the angst and keep the book going for longer.