'The Baby-Sitters Club' Season 1 Preview: Netflix's reboot of '90s cult classic novels targets a new generation
The '90s kids are in for a treat with Netflix rebooting the cult classic 'The Baby-Sitters Club' for its viewers. While Ann M Martin's coming-of-age-novels have been earlier adapted with a series in 1990 and a feature film in 1995, the Netflix reboot is catering to the new and current generation. The story, which takes place in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, chronicles the lives of five females who decidedly become entrepreneurs at a young age after starting the own babysitting business. The story of friendship, loyalty, and growing pains will include the adventures of Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace), Mary Anne Spier (Malia Baker), Claudia Kishi (Momona Tamada), Stacey McGill (Shay Rudolph), and Dawn Schafer (Xochitl Gomez ) as they grow into their pre-teen years.
The story follows interesting characters such as the ambitious Kristy, the quiet Marry Anne, the artiste Claudia, boy-obsessed Stacey, and the environment-loving Dawn. The trailer promises a series with a fresh perspective to an iconic story that was chronicled in 131 novels. The Oprah Magazine also reported that the new reboot will include current social advocacies such as divorces and racism, with Deadline adding that the series will speak on "relevant issues facing modern-day teens." Martin spoke highly of the upcoming Netflix series, revealing in a statement, "I’m amazed that there are so many passionate fans of 'The Baby-Sitters Club' after all these years and I’m honored to continue to hear from readers—now grown, who have become writers, editors, teachers, librarians, filmmakers—who say that they see a reflection of themselves in the characters of Kristy and her friends. So I’m very excited about the forthcoming series on Netflix, which I hope will inspire a new generation of readers and leaders everywhere.”
Additionally, and most impressively, The Oprah Magazine also stated that there will one different aspect from the books that will be included in the series. The character Dawn Schafer will be a Latina. Gomez spoke about this in an interview with Seventeen, saying "I think it's important that it's shown because not many Latina girls are out there [on TV]. So I feel like having her as a character is really great and can really open some doors. It's wonderful that they included a Hispanic family in the story and it's a great way to reflect how diverse our culture has become, and it's just an honor to like represent Dawn."
As for what to expect for the upcoming Season 1 of the 21st-century version of 'The Baby-Sitters Club,' Melissa Cobb, vice president of Kids & Family at Netflix, said in a statement, “The themes of 'The Baby-Sitters Club' still resonate 30 years after the original book series was released and there has never been a more opportune time to tell an aspirational story about empowering young female entrepreneurs. Together with Ann M. Martin and the team at Walden Media, our ambition is to contemporize the storylines and adventures of this iconic group of girlfriends to reflect modern-day issues.”
So while we are all ready for the nostalgia to hit, we are also ready for the cult classic to tackle the growing pains of young teens in our current society with a story that is much more than just entertainment. It also raises awareness of the importance of aiding young minds of our present generation.
Ready for the contemporary original series? Watch the trailer below:
The official synopsis reads, "The Baby-Sitters Club’ is based on the best-selling, beloved book series that follows the friendship and adventures of Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace), Mary Anne Spier (Malia Baker), Claudia Kishi (Momona Tamada), Stacey McGill (Shay Rudolph), and Dawn Schafer (Xochitl Gomez) as the middle-schoolers start their babysitting business in the town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Ann M Martin, the series author, and show producer conceived the idea of these inspiring young girls with different backgrounds, personalities, and opinions that were brought together by a business venture they created and bonded through the friendships they forged. The adaptation of the contemporary dramedy continues to champion friendship, female empowerment, and entrepreneurship.”
Catch Season 1 of 'The Baby-Sitters Club' on July 3, 2020, on Netflix. If you want to catch up on the books or re-read them, Audible has all 131 available for download.