"Now, historically, the term 'witch' has been used to describe people, primarily women, who refuse to conform to society's expectations of who they should be. We got a lot of witches here."
If you’re a classic BSC fan from the 80s and 90s, my guess is that you would not believe that this inspirational quote come from Esme Porter (Morbidda Destiny), who Karen always considers as a witch. But hey, time is changing, and so would portrayal of stereotypes on screen, welcome to the 21st century!
We are now officially more than eight months into the Pandemic, it is not easy on any of us, and we rely on the streaming services more than ever (especially Disney+ and Netflix if you’re a Canadian) to pass the time! I came across Netflix in 2015, and of course, because I’m a huge fan of Disney Channel and other related children’s programs, that’s what I immediately turn to when I signed up for the service.
The problem is, engaging children’s programs on Netflix are hard to find, and none of them are as popular as the hits like House of Cards (the first three or four seasons) or Stranger Things. When I came across something interesting, the general arc is always a protagonist wants to achieve something, faces a few obstacles and finally gets what they wanted. The only two (children’s) shows that I would play on repeat on Netflix are Malibu Rescue and The InBESTigators, but even they run off their steam after a while. Then, early this July, I came across The Baby-Sitters Club, I originally just wanted to see what this is all about, but I quickly found to be just the content we need during these difficult times!
The Baby-sitters Club started in August 1986 as a series of children’s novel by Ann M. Martin. The originally planned four-book story arc quickly expanded to 200+ book series that was published until 2000, and became one of the crowning jewels of Scholastic alongside with Goosebumps. The series follows a group of middle school girls in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut, as they start The Baby-Sitters Club and become best friends along the way. Although the target audience for the series was elementary to middle school girls, it also gained popularities in boys. John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars, is actually a fan of the BSC!
What really made the book series stood out was the fact that it never holds back on discussing some important issues that children and tweens may come across. Issues include, but certainly not limited to: medical conditions, racism, divorce (very rare in the 80s), disabilities, and grief from the death of a family member/pet/friend.
The series was loosely adapted into a short-lived TV Series in 1990, and made into a movie in 1995 (that was also when the early BSC books got reprinted for the first time). The newest adaptation by Netflix this year succeeds in attracting a new generation of young readers (as well as some 24 year olds :) ). Scholastic probably realizes that, and for the first time since 1995, the series will be reprinted monthly past the first eight books (Amazon indicates the newest reprint would be Book #15 (coming out in February next year), confirmed at time this post was written)!
So what does the new adaptation that has to offer, and how does it quickly rise to the top as the #2 show to watch on Netflix right now, according to Rotten Tomatoes? As the self-appointed enthusiast, I call the first meeting of the neo-Baby-sitters Fan Club to order! :)
NOTE: Click here for the full episode synopsis for Season 1, a detailed character profile (and comparisons between their characters portrayed in the book and in the newest adaptation) of the five main club members of the BSC can be found here. There will certainly be spoilers beyond this point!
The first eight episodes of the first season of The Baby-Sitters Club are narrated by a different member of the BSC, and the last two episodes are the specials that do not focus on a particular point of view. There are many stories going on in this season, but they can boil down to the following:
- Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace) faces a new reality when her mother is marrying a millionaire with two children of his own.
- Claudia Kishi (Momona Tamada) conveys her passion of art to her family and tries to make amends with her genius older sister.
- Stacey McGill (Shay Rudolph) adjusts to her new life in Stoneybrook, comes in terms with her troubled past in New York, and gains a further understanding in romance.
- Mary Anne Spier (Malia Baker) learns to become more independent and steps out of her comfort zone to pursue her passion and crush.
- Dawn Schafer (Xochitl Gomez) makes new friends in Stoneybrook, realizes her limits in trying to improve the world around her, and plays a major part in getting the former high school sweethearts, her mother and Mary Anne’s father, back in action!
If you have been following me on Facebook, you would probably notice that I created a Letterboxd account to write instant short reviews. The newest adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club, unfortunately, isn’t added in the system. However, if I were to write a short review on there, it would be something like this:
This is my first time hearing about the BSC, and what a refreshing take it is comparing to the original novel! To be honest, this is a children’s show like none other, and I urge everyone (and I do mean everyone) to give it a chance if you’re still struggling to find what to watch on Netflix!
The Baby-Sitters Club proves that you can make an entertaining show that accurately portrays what teenagers should be like! Not all of them are as famous as Hannah Montana or even Coop and Cami, and they don’t need to talk about crushes or go on dates all the time (like Riverdale, where every teenager looks and acts way more mature than their supposed age). And, as an added bonus, this show depicts female empowerment in a much better way than other children’s show I have seen so far! The characters are really relatable even for me, a grown man approaching mid-twenties, and they are all dealing with social and personal issues that are close to our hearts.
If you haven’t heard of the series, fantastic! You will be surprised by how educational and optimistic this show is, which is exactly what we needed given the current predicament around the world. If you have read the books or watched the 90s series/movie, also fantastic! You’ll be delighted to see how the creative team of this series, many of them are original BSC fans themselves, have given everything they got to envision a modern version of Stoneybrook that everyone (children and adults alike) would want to immerse themselves in in a heartbeat! Here’s a sincerest congratulations to everyone who have participated in the making of this sensational project, and I will be patiently waiting for more adventures to come from Kristy, Mary Anne, Stacey, Claudia, Dawn, Mallory, Jessi, and their friends and families!
Score (which is a feature I hate on Letterboxd since ratings are really subjective): 4.7 to 4.8 out of 5!
Here is my ranking for the individual episodes in this season:
#1: E04 “Mary Anne Saves the Day” and E08 “Kristy’s Big Day” (TIE!!)
The two episodes combined cover the most issues that are usually deemed sensitive in children’s TV shows (homosexual relationship, transgender, and menstruation)! The Mary Anne episode captures the very essence of the conflict from the novel and highlights MA’s independence when the conflict ensues between her and other members in the BSC. The emergency story arc is updated to today’s audience, and it integrates into the episodes overall theme about seeking one’s inner identity and how that can be in contrast (or in dialogue) with outer appearance. The Mary Anne song in the end credits is just something I can’t grow tired of listening to!
Kristy’s episode, on the other hand, cuts out all the babysitting adventures and focuses on the wedding day, which is only the final three chapters in the original novel. The episode brings a closure to Kristy’s season 1 storyline as she accepts the new reality of becoming a member of the new hybrid family. Plus, the episode chooses to bring the concept of her BIG DAY to another level! It is bittersweet, it covers a lot of drama and relationships, and I am beyond grateful that the producers of the show decide to put this episode as the penultimate story arc for the season instead of as it was originally intended as the sixth episode (following the order of the book), it just becomes that much more powerful because of it! If I’m given a chance to do audio commentaries for some of the episodes, these two would definitely be my first pick!
#2: E03 “The Truth About Stacey”
Stacey is presented as a sophisticated, intelligent, loyal friend from New York in the first two episodes, and the revelation of her condition in the third episode shows her vulnerable side to the Stoneybrook community (and the audience) for the first time! The episode adapts some parts of the Baby-sitters Agency story arc from the book, but instead focuses more on how Stacey (and to some degree, her parents) adapts into her reality and getting accepted into a much more united community.
#3: E01 “Kristy’s Great Idea”
Really strong for a season opener! Kristy’s added independence over pro-feminist topics and independence in general in the new series kind of justifies her outrageous behaviour from the original novel. Some of the chapters are loosely adapted, while the others are semi-new in that some new material is added to connect to some babysitting adventures in the original novel. Instead of the heated argument that is awaiting conflict resolution near the end of the book, Kristy, adapting from the lesson she recently learned, instead offers a “truce” before any shots are even fired within the club in the episode. Stacey’s diabetes problem is moved over to her own first episode, which I think works well as a cliffhanger.
#4: E05 “Dawn and the Impossible Three”
The first story of the newest BSC member is already a hit in the original novel, and the episode adapts her first babysitting storyline very closely, and amplifies her tension with Kristy. This is also the first time I have seen Kristy’s emotional fractures lying underneath her controlling personality, and this is the same degree of energy I expect to see if “Kristy and the Snobs” will be adapted into a Season 2 episode!
#5: E06 “Claudia and Mean Janine”
Carrying over from episode 5, this episode is divided between finishing the unresolved storyline about Mary Anne’s family and the tension in the Kishi family that is supposed to take center stage. The episode has the shortest running time along with the following episode, which is really a disfavor since we need to see more mild, friendly interactions between Claudia and her sister Janine other than the one conversation they have at the end. The connection between Mimi’s stroke to Manzanar sets up the story as a melodrama, and once again reminding us the newest adaptation is actively making connections to the world we are living in as the younger audiences are exposed these issues that make the society a more ambiguous and complex space.
#6: E07 “Boy-Crazy Stacey”
Surprisingly, this is the episode that follows the book chapters the closest in Season 1 (even the one-chapter side story of Kristy washing the car at the Brewer manor). A widespread but not popularly known fact, the newest BSC series is shot in sets and on location in Canada. So instead of the sunny, crowded Sea City portrayed in the novel, we get a damp, rainy beach on location in Vancouver posing as Sea City. Other than that and the short run time, not much to complain here! The Pike kids, though not exactly like how they are described in the novel, really work well together as a cohesive yet diversifying mini-UN. Byron’s crush on Stacey is unexpected but entertaining, and I hope Toby could reappear as a guest star in future episodes.
#7: E02 “Claudia and the Phantom Caller”
Like Kristy’s Big Day (and maybe even more so), this episode completely derails from the original storyline. There is no mystery, no actual, scary Halloween-like moments, only Claudia confronting her inner voices of high expectations coming from her parents (looks like an Asian family stereotype). To be honest, I find myself to be more attracted to the brief tension between Kristy and Mary Anne in this episode, and the showrunners somehow managed to incorporate the fan-favourite flashlight code moment into this modern adaptation.
#8: E09 and E10 “Hello, Camp Moosehead! (Parts 1 and 2) (TIE!!)
Many fans of the BSC feel these two episodes are not as strong as the first eight, and I have to admit that I also have mixed feelings about these two. The storyline stretches out to make it feel like just another sitcom, but it is still provides a nice closer to the other character’s storyline to remind us once again that although Kristy’s story is central to Season 1, other people are learning to adapt to their new norms too, and their stories can be as equally interesting as that from the president of the BSC.
Since this is my first time writing something on a television show, and there’s so much to talk about that I can’t exactly find a way to connect so many diversifying ideas together, I have created headings in front of the point I want to talk about to give you, honourable fans of NFLB, a more enjoyable reading experience!
Updating the Societal Issues
I joined the Reddit group of the BSC in late July, and I came across a really interesting discussion about why the new BSC series is taking place in the present day instead of in the 1990s as the original books. Here is an excerpt from a response that I found particularly intriguing, posted by user F***Ton_of_Frosting (The original post is unfortunately deleted between when I was writing this post and posting it now! So F***Ton_of_Frosting, if you're reading this, I would like to thank you for your contribution to the BSC Reddit community!):
“Back in the 1980s it was progressive of Ann M. Martin to have an Asian main character. And a black one, plus a girl with a disability (Stacey’s diabetes). So in 2020 they also made it 2020s progressive by changing the ethnicities of Marry Anne, Dawn, and Charlotte, having a trans kid, and showing gay people parenting -- realistic in 2020 but mostly not possible if you’re portraying the 80s or 90s.”
I wouldn’t mind the show taking place in the 1990s! That was closer to the era I grew up in (mid 1990s to early 2000s), and who doesn’t love a little bit of nostalgia? However, on the grand scale of things, I have to admit that it’s a smart choice for producers to create a modernized version of Stoneybrook that targets to the new generation of audiences. I mean, who doesn’t love references to Postmates, Hamilton, Cats, Hunger Games, and even Game of Thrones?
It really hurts for me to say this, but people born after around 2005 would have a WAY different definition for nostalgia than what the millennials might have perceived. There is a ridiculous scene in Coop & Cami Ask the World, where Charlotte and Cami are struggling to use an “olden time” rotary dial (see below), and I always found it awkward to see how they (or at least their characters) are so detached from me.
The Closeness of the Community
One of the reasons that The Baby-Sitters Club is successful in Stoneybrook is because its widespread reputations made possible by the tight relations between everyone in the community. The idea of community connections is often lost in the recent children’s live-action program, shows usually focus on two or three families at best that all revolve around the main characters, and everyone else are dismissed as the “common people” exists inside the community. It is clear from the original novel from the 1980s, that Ann M. Martin has built a community that is more complex that everyone has given credit for! In every book, there are always two or three babysitting jobs, while some of them are recurring families that readers have come to know and love over the years (Charlotte Johanssen, the Papadakises, Jamie Newton, the Radowskys, etc.), there are always families making special guest appearances in each book to fit the need of the storyline. Of course, given the half hour an episode limit and the rule that restricts young children to work prolonged hours on the set, the newest adaptation of the BSC cannot cover all the babysitting charges to the same degree as in the novel. The series find some kind of alternative, modernized solution to this setback.
The BSC members are referring to the parents of their assigned charges by their first names (they usually refer to them as Mr. or Mrs. plus the last names in the books), which I can see is one of the many changes reflecting on present day because that’s how I usually refer to my parents’ friends! This is not 70s and 80s anymore, and of course people are more casual with each other, especially in a small community like Stoneybrook!
Speaking of parents, when the episodes cannot fill enough screen time with the children, we instead get some subplots about the parents of the BSC friends, some of them will later on become important arcs in the books. The central adult plot in Season 1 is (in a way expected since Dawn is introduced) the reunion of high school sweet hearts, Richard Spier and Shannon Porter. In just four episodes (episodes 5 to 8), they have gone on a few dates, break up because of the dispute over redecorating Mary Anne’s room, got back together with Dawn’s help, and then reconnect with each other during the Thomas-Brewer family wedding. This nice addition of the adult subplot is what makes this show stand out compared to most of the programs seen on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and it’s really a smart choice in this case since the fans growing up reading and loving the BSC series in the 80s and 90s, now all adults with their own families, can have a chance to connect with them (probably more than the BSC members) when they are reconnecting with their childhood memories.
Other than the plot featuring Richard and Sharon, and the wedding that is crucial to Kristy’s development in Season 1, we also have the following interesting adult moments:
- The brief connection between Sharon and Aunt Esme (Morbidda Destiny).
- Conversation between Liz Thomas and Sharon about how Richard is breaking out of his stiff “shell” because of the reunion of the high school sweethearts.
- Conversation between Liz and Richard the following episode, revealing to each other to be knowing about the discussion mentioned above. This is really an incredible touch since Liz and Richard do not get along well at all (Kristy mentions that Liz thinks Richard is a psycho in episode 2, and I’m sure Richard has some mixed feeling when he has to make that phone call to Liz in episode 4), and yet, in the moment of crisis when everyone gathers together to help the Kishi family, they have settled their differences aside and begin to make small talks!
The inclusion of adult characters and the much closer connection between each family (compared to most of the children’s show released today) is the very reason we get a considerably more complex family tree in this show. I have taken the liberty of creating a family tree between the six families involved in Season 1 of BSC below. In comparison, I have also created a family tree for Coop & Cami Ask the World (based on the first two seasons).
“More Than a Club”
At the end of episode 8 “Kristy’s Big Day”, Kristy comes to the conclusion that the club that she created to help others has indeed also helped her, and that they are more than a club, they are best friends. Of course, this is something we have seen throughout the whole season. To be honest, even though the original book series is called The Baby-sitters Club, many books are about the family and friend drama (especially in the later books), and one of the general trends in those books is that the baby-sitting chapters are generally detached from the main story and acts like plot fillers.
In the first season of the BSC adaptations, there is on average one baby-sitting job per episode, and none of them lasts more than five minutes of screen time (maybe except Mary Anne Saves the Day and Boy-Crazy Stacey, since the jobs of baby-sitting in those are central to the narrative). A significant amount of screen time is dedicated to how the BSC bond with each other and face their challenges together, and I’m sure that they realize baby-sitting is not and cannot always be their priority (even though Kristy, as the president of the club, might try really hard for everyone else to feel that way).
Take episode 6 Claudia and the Mean Janine, for example, which doesn’t have any baby-sitting segments at all. Instead, it focuses on how the friends (and their families) come together as Claudia trying to deal with the new reality after her grandmother Mimi suffers from a stroke. When Mimi finally comes home from the hospital, the BSC members gathers around, comforting Claudia and reassures her that everything is going to be fine. It’s not until the phone in Claudia’s room (the BSC meeting place) rings did they snap out of their brief moment of trance and take on another call as professional baby-sitters. Moments like these are what make the series special, it generates emotional impact, and proves to the audience that this group of middle schoolers are indeed “The best friends you’ll ever have” (the official slogan for the book series).
Discourse of Racial Stereotypes?
None of the characters, other than the members in the BSC, are given full body descriptions in the original novel. Sure, the 1990 short-lived TV series and the 1995 movie version give the fans some idea about what the other characters might look like, but they are not meant to be a long term project. Then in 2006, illustrator Raina Telgemeier adapted four books from the BSC original series into graphic novels (colourized in 2015). The graphic novel series then picked up by Gale Galligan in 2017, and her magna style drawings brings four more fantastic stories to life for a new generation of readers. These graphic novels are created by the fans of the original series who stay close to the source material during the adaptation process, and this is probably the only way that most of the 2000s readers get to experience BSC, especially since the original novels were regularly out of print before this year! The graphic novel series, now passing on to a new set of artists, will be in a steady release trend of adapting two books a year starting next year (plus two more books a year from the spin-off series, Baby-Sitters’ Little Sister, which centers around Karen Brewer, Kristy’s stepsister).
In the original novel, it is clear that Jessi Ramsay, one of the junior officers in the BSC, is the only black family in Stoneybrook. However, even before the new Netflix series, we can already see the two graphic novel artists, especially Gale, are pushing towards a more diversified look of Stoneybrook to reflect on the everchanging reality in race representations. In Book #7 Boy-Crazy Stacey, Stacey and Mary Anne are joined by two boys on the beach in Sea City: Alex and his cousin Toby. In the original novel, Martin has never being clear about their skin tone, but assumptions can be made since racism will be a huge part of the series with introduction of Jessi to the BSC. In the graphic novel versions, both Alex and Toby are darker in skin tone. On the one hand, it could be a push towards a more diversifying representation of America in terms of race. But on the other hand, it could simply be there to show how tanned and healthy they are. It is interesting to note that the Netflix Series are presenting Alex and Toby in light skin tone once again, but the diversity in the show is made apparent in other ways: Mary Anne is mix-raced, Charlotte Johanssen appears to be Asian, and Dawn, as I mentioned in the character profile, comes from Latin American heritage.
Sometimes, the Netflix series also uses the portrayal of race to prove a point in (un)subtle ways. In both the 1990 TV series and the first graphic novel Kristy’s Great Idea illustrated by Raina, Kristy’s teacher, Mr. Redmont appears to be African American. The new series, however, decides to portray the teacher as an average, white, (possibly) middle-class American.
Before I go on any further, I think it’s important for establish some context first. In the original novel and graphic novel, as well as 1990 TV series, the narrative starts with on a hot summer afternoon in class, and Kristy gets herself into trouble when she acts overexcited when the bell rings, and is assigned to an essay on decorum by Mr. Redmont. In the new series, to reflect on Kristy’s pro-feminist view on everything, she gets into trouble when she corrects Mr. Redmont’s quote on Thomas Jefferson (she suggests Thomas Jefferson’s quote “all men are created equal” should be “all PEOPLE”), thereby creating abruption in the class. Throughout the episode, Kristy constantly argues that Mr. Redmont would never let boys to write an essay on decorum even when they are creating more trouble in the school than she is, which implies that her teacher has prejudice, outdated views on gender and (possibly) race, the exact quality that everyone is fighting against in this day and age.
I see what you have done here, the producers of the show. I get the point you’re trying to prove, that America is a progressive country but can sometimes still be relatively sexist and racist, but this kind of generalization is not really the best strategy to convey the message, and I’m sure someone else would be calling out the slight inappropriateness in this kind of portrayal. Something interesting to think about!
The Portrayal of Gender in the New Era
The release of The Baby-Sitters Club book series was no doubt a welcoming addition to the pro-feminist movement. All of the original series and mystery series are narrated by a female, and it was only after readers’ continuous request did Ann M. Martin decide to publish a book that was narrated by Logan Bruno, the only male member of the BSC (though with little significance). Despite the original novels focus on the progression of female characters, there are also some distinctive, memorable male characters, such as Logan Bruno, Richard Spier (Mary Anne’s father), Kristy’s brothers Charlie and Sam, Jamie Newton, and many others.
I won’t say anything about how male characters are portrayed in the new series just yet. It’s better to show you first! The following is a book vs. TV series comparison of when Elizabeth asks her children to babysit David Michael, which later gives Kristy the idea of the BSC.
Book series: Elizabeth comes home with pizza. Kristy asks her the reason why and is nudged by Charlie as it might be impolite to ask upfront. Elizabeth then proceeds on asking everyone a favour of taking care of David Michael the following day, everyone say that they are not free during that time, but Sam assures his mom that they are all really sorry at the same time.
TV series: Elizabeth comes home with pizza. Sam and Charlie play video games while asking David Michael to get them pizza. Kristy is the only one that sense the irregularities and is interested in finding out more. When Elizabeth expresses her concern of taking care of David Michael the following day, Kristy’s older brothers immediately respond that they have other plans, and haven’t made any eye contact with their mom throughout the whole process.
Okay, modern feminism portrayal 101, if you want to write about strong female characters, you can either make the males around them dumb, or make them dirty. Feeling something’s not right? I felt it too! Many works of art and literature are suffering a similar problem right now of treating gender equality like a pie, in that as femininity is getting more attention, masculinity is like the “sacrificial lamb” that has to be made proportionally insignificant. But the truth is, gender politics is getting more complicated, and there should be a new, innovative way to talk about the issue than sharing a pie! Now to think about it, this is probably one of the only problems I have for the newest Netflix adaptation of the BSC.
It really hurts to see that Richard Spier is probably the most interesting male character in the first season, while there are plenty of others OF THE SAME AGE AS THE BSC that could deserve more recognition. Sure, Sam’s comment on Kristy’s act of feminism from episode 6 is unexpected, and Logan did encourage Mary Anne to take charge in her own way in the season finale, but I feel that they are more like a one-hit wonder and they have more potential and should be given more prominent roles in supporting the unique personalities of the girls that has brought the BSC closer together.
In the first episode, in response to Watson’s perception of the BSC as teaching girls how to babysit, Kristy mentions that boys can be great babysitters too. Which is why I’m crossing my fingers right now, hoping the book Logan Likes Mary Anne! (#10) would be adapted to Season 2 (if there will be one), so that Kristy can stay true to her word, and we can see more meaningful interactions between Logan and the entire BSC.
BSC as “Liberal Propaganda”?
The Aftermath, and Looking Ahead at Season 2!
TO BE ADDED
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