Kristy's Great Idea

Book #1, Graphix #1,  Netflix S1 E1

Original Book - Writer: Ann M.Martin

Graphix -  Illustrator: Raina Telgemeier

Netflix Series - Director: Lucia Aniello, Writer: Rachel Shukert

 

The one that started it all!

Basic plot 

Kristy Thomas gets an idea to start a babysitting club with three friends, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi and Stacey McGill, after seeing her mother struggle to get babysitter for her younger brother. They decide to meet three times a week in Claudia's room during which parents can ring and book babysitter.

Things that are kept the same

Both the Graphix and the Netflix series follow the basic plot, of course the graphix is even more close to the original series, but here are some things of note across the 3 mediums that are the same.

• Kristy's decorum essay - although the context slightly changed in Netflix Series , the main point is on a hot day she speaks out in class and teacher Mr Redmont asks her to write an essay about decorum.
  
• Elizabeth Thomas bringing pizza home to ask if Kristy or her two older brothers, Sam and Charlie, can babysit David Michael and her subsequent search for a babysitter, sparking Kristy's idea to form the club.
  
• Kristy and Mary Anne use to be close friends with Claudia but have been growing apart from her.
• Claudia introducing them to Stacey who has just moved from New York.
• Watson coming over for dinner and Elizabeth telling the family they are thinking about getting engaged.
• Kristy not being happy about that and being rude to Watson (although in the Netflix series, it is more a combination of 2 separate dinners) 
• Mary Anne babysitting Watson's children Karen and Andrew and Karen telling her about the witch next door Morbidda Destiny/Mrs Porter.
• The club having a disagreement.
  
• Kristy finding out Stacey was not in New York when she said she was.
• The girls make up and have pizza at the end of book/episode.
  

Things that are changed

• In the visual medium the long descriptions (particularly description of outfits) can be skipped over but it can also add some other nice quick visual touches, such as in the Graphix when Kristy goes to Claudia's and is thinking of distance between them and she glances of a photo of her, Claudia and Mary Anne when they were younger.
  
• In the book and graphix Kristy being rude to Watson is about him as a father rather than the engagement. In the Graphix she says Karen probably likes Rainbow Brite dolls and Watson wouldn't know, in the original book the line is about My Little Pony.  Which is ironic because the My Little Pony revival a few years after the graphix released, would make that a more up to date reference now!
• In the Original Book and Graphix the fight the girls have involve Claudia calling Kristy babyish and she retorts about Claudia's clothing. In the Graphix Claudia's response of "Rainbows are in" it doesn't quite have the same ring to it as "sheep are in"
• Both the graphix and Netflix series have more diversity in the cast of characters, it doesn't come up until later in the graphix, but the first big difference in Netflix series is Mary Anne is biracial.
• In the Netflix series Logan is seen in first episode reading to some kids in library. Although he won't be named until later episode. Logan first appears in book 10 of the original series and book 8 of the Graphix series.
  
• In the Netflix series as it is set in modern times more references to modern technology, so Elizabeth searches the internet for a babysitter and Mary Anne keeps track of the clubs schedule on Google docs.
• In the Netflix series it seems the girls have not as much babysitting experience and Watson recommending them to friends is what really helps boost the club.
• The first Netflix episode is all from Kristy's viewpoint, so we only see part of Mary Anne's sitting job with the Brewers because Kristy is spying on them. Later episodes does cut away from the main narrator when it needs.
  
• Kristy is also the one who sees Stacey was not in New York, so she lied. Unlike the books she doesn't call her out on it and Stacey is grateful.
• This also means Stacey doesn't reveal her diabetes to her friends yet.
  

 Final Thoughts

The BSC works in any medium! 

As this is the set up for the entire series, (and the book that is recapped in every single BSC book after it) this is the most loyal and straight adaption.

Raina Telgemeier  does a great job illustrating, the characters are very expressive and like I mentioned above she adds in little touches that aren't explicitly said in the original book.

The Netflix show does great job of adapting and modernising. It also shows that you can add diversity and still have the character be recognizable, Malia Baker as Mary Anne does great job. In fact all the cast are spot on.

The TV series letting each girl of the episode narrate is a good decision. I know narrating can be considered lazy adaption in some cases but think it really works for this series to show differences between the girls.

Timeline

No major differences to begin with.

Original Series	Graphix	Netflix Series
1. Kristy’s Great Idea ·       Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club	1.Kristy’s Great Idea ·       Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club	1.    Kristy’s Great Idea ·       Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club         1st appearance of Logan Bruno (not named until episode 2)