The Baby-Sitters Club (2020 TV series)
The Baby-Sitters Club is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Rachel Shukert, based on the children's novel series of the same name by Ann M. Martin. It was released on Netflix on July 3, 2020. In October 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which was released on October 11, 2021. In March 2022, the series was canceled after two seasons. The series received positive reception, with praise it for its faithfulness to its source material and appeal for modern audiences. Plot. The series follows the  friendship and adventures of five middle-schoolers as they start a babysitting business in Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Production. Development. In February 2019, Netflix ordered a 10-episode reboot based on "The Baby-Sitters Club" with Ann M. Martin as producer, Rachel Shukert as showrunner, and Michael De Luca and Lucia Aniello as executive producers. Aniello also directed. On October 28, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season. Filming for the second season finished on April 28, 2021, after three months of shooting. On March 11, 2022, Netflix canceled the series after two seasons. Casting. Alicia Silverstone and Mark Feuerstein  joined the cast in August 2019. In March 2020, Sophie Grace, Malia Baker, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph and Xochitl Gomez joined the cast of the series. On March 18, 2021, it was reported that Kyndra Sanchez joined the cast as Dawn Schafer, replacing Gomez due to scheduling conflicts with "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness". Design. Cynthia Ann Summers is the series' costume designer. She told "Vulture", "We definitely wanted to make sure that, whenever we could, we'd give a nod to the style of the '90s and even some of the book covers." One notable piece is  Claudia's yellow plaid pantsuit, a reference to "Clueless". Summers told "Refinery29", "Most of the characters' [looks] were purchased from places these girls would shop in real life: Zara, H&M, American Eagle, Gap, Urban Outfitters, Aritzia, Topshop, Kate Spade, Alice + Olivia, Anthropologie, Nordstrom . . . Because we shot in Canada, 80 percent of everyone's fashion was purchased at Simons in Vancouver. Also lots and lots of vintage shopping and upcycling." Release. The ten-episode first season of "The Baby-Sitters Club" premiered on July 3, 2020. The eight-episode second season was released on October 11, 2021. Reception. Critical response . The series received critical acclaim. For the first season, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100% based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 8.57/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Sweet, sincere, and full of hope, "The Baby-Sitters Club" grounded approach honors its source material while updating the story for a new generation." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 based on 18 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Meghan O'Keefe of "Decider" praised the fourth episode of the first season for its portrayal of a transgender child. She wrote  that the series is "unabashedly feminist", and that it "does more than just affirm that transgender children exist and matter and are worthy of respect; the show argues for these children's rights." Rebecca Onion, writing for "Slate", said, "The new show is indeed adorable—the multiracial group of suburban middle schoolers earnestly booking gigs from their perch in Claudia Kishi's colorful bedroom is just as plucky and kind as ever . . . The new show has gotten plaudits for its diverse cast and plotlines, but in many important ways, the whole idea is a pure fantasy: of suburban community, of  gentle coming-of-age, of meaningful work that teaches responsibility and pays just enough for fancy new paintbrushes." Writing for "The Guardian", Lucy Mangan said, "What could have been a sugary nostalgia-fest or worse a reboot that indulged the apparently insatiable urge to sex up material from a more innocent time, regardless of the age and/or continued innocence of its audience, is in fact a funny, fresh reimagining. Building on Martin's solid, good-hearted tales, it maintains a contemporary feel without losing the old-fashioned charm at its heart." Petrana Radulovic of "Polygon" said, "Like their book counterparts , all the girls in "The Baby-Sitters Club" are more in-depth than their one-word trope descriptor (tomboy, goody two-shoes, artsy kid, prep, hippie) implies, thanks in part to the skillful performances from the young actresses. As spunky, outspoken Kristy, Sophie Grace adds nuance to her bossy, bratty attitude, grounding what could be an over-the-top performance with some tender moments. Momona Tamada, of "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" fame, captures Claudia's quirkiness and energy, but not without pangs of isolation because she feels her family will never understand her." Writing for the  Hollywood Reporter, Robyn Bahr called the show "not only warm and effervescent, [but] downright among the best shows the streaming platform has produced to date." Kelly Lawler, writing for "USA Today", said the show was "optimistic but not deluded, youthful but not juvenile and sweet but not mawkish. Its quintet of young actresses (the original four sitters and one mid-season addition) are talented beyond their years, but the dialogue never makes them sound like 40-year-old Hollywood scriptwriters." Hank Stuever, writing for "The Washington Post", noted "the show's remarkably talented cast of young actresses, all of whom  either never learned the kidz-show style of overacting ('schmacting,' we sometimes call it), or were never afflicted with it to begin with. They are wholly believable in the roles of these idealized youths, with especially good performances from Tamada and Baker." Jenny Singer, writing for "Glamour", called the show "both unbelievably wholesome and seriously entertaining. The girls buy a landline phone on Etsy, hit up local parents with targeted Instagram ads, and make comments like, 'Art shouldn't be only the province of the privileged!' Their comedy is funny, their trauma is real, their style choices (by costume designer  Cynthia Ann Summers) slay." The second season has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The website's critics consensus states, ""The Baby-Sitters Club" returns with a strong second season that explores new issues with care and gives its charming cast plenty of room to shine."