The Baby-Sitters Club

As a member of the "Babysitter's Club Generation", I was probably the only 9 year old not reading the books (there were what 250 books?). But now as a 20 something, I, for some reason, find the re-runs of the show irresistible. If I flip through the channels and it is on, I find it almost impossible not to stop and watch. Yes, I know that the show is incredibly stupid and the acting is quite lacking, maybe it is the escape back to my childhood that I need. I don't recommend anyone watch it, but don't feel shame if you do.

I haven't seen any of the episodes in quite sometime so I don't know how I would feel now - I would probably not enjoy it as much. I loved this series of books when I was 9-15 (I have over 100 books if you count the other series it spawned - and I don't plan on getting rid of them), so when I saw there were videos of it, I was happy, I own a few of them as well. When I watched them, I liked the episodes and I wasn't expecting it to be plots from the series (though a few came close) - It felt like I was watching another story to the series of books. The girls in books always seemed older to me, even when I read one at 16, they still seemed like they were not 13 but much older, so if they seem older in the episodes, it was ok. A quick little story - Once my Science teacher in 5th grade showed one of the videos and I was excited and my classmates basically knew already that I liked the series but if they had any doubts those doubts were cast aside.

There are thirteen tapes, thirteen episodes of the Babysitters Club show. Why they didn't make more I will never understand.

The young actresses in this film are brilliant, they are believable as the characters because they are just normal girls, you could imagine them living down the street playing with your kids.

Each video presents a wholesome and fun experience for your daughter. Just like the books do. Some of them are mysteries and some are just fun stories.

If you want to provide your daughter with a good series to watch or read that presents a moral foundation you can be proud of this is it.

The film version pales in comparison to this series. You may recognize a lot of the actresses in the feature film but they don't embody the characters like these girls did.

Here are the names of the tapes in the series if anyone is interested in obtaining them.

Mary Anne and The Brunettes Dawn and the Haunted House Stacey's Big Break Kristy and the Great Campaign Baby-Sitter's Special Christmas Claudia and the Missing Jewels Dawn and the Dream Boy Claudia and the Secret Passage Jessi and the Stolen Secrets The Baby-Sitters and Boy Sitters Dawn Saves the Trees Stacey Takes a Stand The Baby-Sitters Remember

They Never made an episode out of one of Mallory's stories though...I never got that.

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the series that spawned this mess. Now, I take one look and change the channel. The shows usually have nothing to do with plots from the books. The actresses are all off living in has-been land, and I guess we all know why! This show killed their respective careers. Not even Danny Tamberelli could have saved this, and he can't save anything. The actress (can I even call her that?) who played Claudia always looked like she was upset, or about to blow her top. These girls are supposed to be in middle school, and they look like college graduates. Someone save me before I watch this mess again.

I liked the show. What can I say? I found the characters more like the book's than the movie ever did. I never had the delightful privilege of having Disney on my cable line-up as a child. So whenever they had a free preview weekend, I would usually hog the television to wait for this show and "Ready or Not". I own one tape of 2 episodes of this show and I know it's ridiculous and corny and all that jazz, but I still like to watch it because it reminds me of my childhood. Sure, the episodes never reflected the books, but it was just seeing the book come to life that really got you into it. I felt I knew the characters intimately, so I enjoyed seeing them in action. As the first visual rendition of the books as well, they have a special place in my heart. You can't expect the show to be Oscar-caliber. It was probably Canadian and it was Disney for goodness sakes! You can't expect much in that sense. But, as a show for growing up girl in this world, it wasn't a bad watch. If I saw it on the air, I'd watch it. Purely for the nostalgia and not the exemplary acting and mesmerizing plots.