Netflix has a new original series: The Baby-sitters Club! The first season covers the first eight books plus a sort of adaptation of of the second super special, Baby-sitters Summer Vacation. AND...it's set in the present day (2019/2020), updated accordingly, and much more diverse. The plots are broadly the same as the original books. Here are some things that I noticed:
What stood out as surprisingly (not necessarily good or bad) different to me:
The Sea City trip takes place over spring break instead of summer vacation, so there's not so much swimming.
Adam, Byron, and Jordan aren't identical. Byron is noticeably shorter than the other two, so they might not even be triplets at all.
Alex is gay in this version. Part of me misses Mary Anne's first crush from the books, but on the other hand, she's already developing feelings for Logan at this point in the TV show. Stacey and Toby have a brief flirtation, culminating a good-bye kiss at the end of the vacation.
What I was happy stayed the same:
Dawn and Mary Anne want their parents to get back together, since they broke up a couple episodes ago during the initial room makeover. Dawn uses her knowledge of their high school dating to facilitate.. The yearbook that the two found in the book version of Mary Anne Saves the Day is moved here, which is how Dawn learns more about their prior relationship. This sparks Richard making an overture via the gift of a pet turtle--Sharon used to call him "Turtle."
The incident with Karen and Andrew washing the car with steel wool happens here--this time, it's a classic car, and Kristy knows right away they're using steel wool, but can't stop them because she accidentally got locked in a storage shed. She tries to arrange for the car to be repainted before Watson finds out, but ultimately comes clean to him, which helps them trust each other.
Other interesting touches:
Dawn calls her mom "Sharon" instead of "Mom."
Stacey informs the club (and me) that she can go without her insulin pump for up to an hour, so she swim.
Elizabeth and Watson's wedding plans are happening in the background, and the subsequent moving plans.
The Pike kids bury Mary Anne in the sand. She's rescued by Alex and Toby, but not before they ask her if she wants to be buried "for the 'Gram."
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