Episode Guide
Kristy and the Snobs Claudia and the New Girl Stacey’s Emergency Jessi and the Superbrat Mary Anne and the Great Romance Dawn and the Wicked Stepsister Claudia and the Sad Goodbye Kristy and the Baby Parade -| Review Score – 4/5 When The Baby-Sitters Club dropped last year, it turned out to be one of the more wholesome and surprising entries on the TV calendar. With a tone that felt ripped right from the books and great chemistry between its teenage cast, the 10 episodes zipped right on by, leaving many wanting more by the time the final credits rolled. Season 2 of The Baby-Sitters Club then adopts the age old adage of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – and it’s all the stronger for it. With 8 rather than 10 episodes this time around, each chapter dives into the daily woes of each club member, with individual stories feeding into a larger whole for this coming-of-age tale. Most of the chapters dive into the individual characters, with accompanying monologue from the focal player for good measure. This is familiar territory for those who watched the first season of course, and there are plenty of lessons to be learned along the way. From dealing with death and disappointment through to sharing responsibilities and acclimatizing to new family changes, there’s a wide array of topics that the girls deal with across the season. It’s not all short-form storytelling though. There are a few longer plots that stitch the season together, including Kristy acclimatizing to her new family set-up and both Mary Anne and Dawn’s living arrangements changing. Speaking of Mary Anne, she too has big changes to her character arc, as she finds herself thrown into the heady world of romance thanks to new boyfriend Logan. All of these stories are rounded out nicely by the time the season comes to an end, leaving lots of possibilities for a potential third season, but also enough satisfaction to come away knowing everything has been wrapped up with a neat little bow. Now, the issues that were in the first season do also crop up here too. Kristy is still quite annoying at times, with her usual bossy attitude likely to remain alienating for those put off by it the first time around. The tone is still very similar to the first as well, and those expecting a major-shake up to the formula will be left disappointed. However, the only thing that’s really disappointing here are two less episodes to work with. The Baby-Sitter’s Club is undeniably charming and there’s some genuine laugh out loud moments throughout. The humour flows pretty organically, with a mix of physical, slapstick and clever wordplay thrown in. There are heartwarming segments too and a few dramatic spikes but honestly, the show doesn’t really do much different to the first, continuing to progress its stories at a casual pace. This is a show designed to be watched by fans of the books and families alike. In that respect, The Baby-Sitters Club does a great job catering for both, and the kids are fun to watch as they navigate the sticky world of romance, friendships and work responsibilities. Or, well, babysitting responsibilities anyway. If you were a fan of the first season, you’ll find lots to like here.
