Boy-Crazy Stacey

 

Book #8, Graphix #7, Netflix S1 E7

Original Book - Writer: Ann M.Martin

Graphix Book - Illustrator: Gale Galligan

Netflix Series - Director: Linda Mendoza,  Writer: Dan Robert & Lisha Brooks

Basic plot

Stacey and Mary Anne get the job of coming on vacation to Sea City so they can babysit the Pike kids. Stacey gets a crush on lifeguard Scott and leaves Mary Anne doing all the work. Stacey is heartbroken when she discovers Scott with another girl. She salvages the rest of trip by actually having fun with the Pike kids, and meeting a more age appropriate boy, Toby.

Things that are kept the same 

• The club have a tearful goodbye ahead of their first big separation.
  
• Stacey and Mary Anne head to Sea City to babysit the Pikes on their vacation.
• Small details I appreciate that are kept the same, Mr & Mrs Pike having an easy going style to parenting, Stacey and Mary Anne share the yellow room at the holiday home and Toby likes telling bad jokes.
• While on the beach with the Pike kids, Stacey develops crush on older lifeguard, Scott.
• Mary Anne is left to look after the Pikes while Stacey moons over Scott fetching him sodas and such. 
• Mary Anne makes a new friend Alex, who helps her with the Pikes.
• Mary Anne is annoyed with Stacey for not doing her job and blowing her off.
• [Netflix only] Meanwhile Kristy has a hard time while babysitting Karen and Andrew when they clean Watson's car with steel wool.
  
• On their evening off Stacey goes looking for a present for Scott, she considers a book about shells, before settling on a box of chocolates.
• She is hurt and embarrassed when she sees Scott kissing another girl.
• After a talk with Mary Anne, and also helping Byron Pike with a problem, Stacey decides to try and enjoy the rest of the trip.
• She has fun babysitting the Pikes and also hanging out with Alex and his cousin Toby.
• Mary Anne, Stacey, Alex & Toby all go out together (this happens earlier in the Netflix episode)
• Stacey has her first kiss with Toby.
• Stacey and Mary Anne have become closer after their trip and head back home happy.
  

Things from other books 

• Nothing major stuck out as being reference to other books.
  
  

Things that are changed 

• Because in the Graphix Mallory is part of the club at this stage, she is there when club say their goodbyes, but otherwise the story follows pretty much from book. This seems a bit of a missed opportunity, while it would have diverged from the book, it would have made sense for Mallory to be also annoyed at Stacey if she ended up helping out more with her siblings on what is supposed to be her holiday.
• In the Graphix Alex and his cousin Toby are black. In the Netflix series Alex is gay, so there is no romantic feelings, just friendship between him and Mary Anne, while in the book and Graphix the girls go on a double date.
• In the Netflix series it is Spring break rather than Summer and due to when they must of filmed the episode it does look a bit chilly!
• In the original book, Scott gives Stacey a whistle as a gift. While he certainly isn't in love with her, he is more misleading in the original book, in the Graphix and Netflix he is more oblivious to Stacey's crush. In the Graphix he doesn't give her a whistle, in the Netflix series he drops it and when Stacey picks up he tells her she can keep it (so not as deliberate a gift as in the book).
• Some change around in timeline, originally it is just Mary Anne and Stacey together when they see Scott kissing girl, after Stacey gets over Scott they goes on double date with Alex and Toby. In the Netflix series, the 4 of them go out together on friendly terms and it is Toby she drags around looking for gift for Scott, before seeing him kiss another girl.
• In the book and Graphix Byron is afraid to swim in the ocean and Stacey helps him with that fear. In the Netflix series he has a crush on Stacey and she has to let him down gently. Also presumably because of casting difficulties Jordan, Adam and Byron are not identical triplets in the series, in fact Byron is significantly shorter than Jordan and Adam.
• As for the subplots, the Graphix doesn't do anything back in Stoneybrook. Netflix series does have Karen and Andrew washing the car with steel wool, but in this case it is a classic car and Kristy has got stuck in a storage shed, rather than getting distracted by David Michael and Louie. Also as in the series it takes place before Watson and Elizabeth's marriage, it does end with Kristy and Watson having a nice talk as at this stage she is still unsure about her feelings of the upcoming marriage.
• Also added in the Netflix series is Dawn trying to get Richard and her mother back together. Richard leaves Sharon a turtle as a gift with a note that says "sorry I went back into my shell"
  

Final Thoughts

Some minor changes, but this one stuck close to the original plotline in both mediums. The Netflix series was restricted by filming, so we don't see much of Sea City, also the weather was clearly not warm! I did like the Graphix splash page which shows them exploring the boardwalk. It is one of the books that is a bit cringy to read (books with Stacey crushing on older guys usually are!) Scott has some questionable behaviour in the original series, while he may not intend anything by his compliments it does sometimes sound misleading, in the graphix and Netflix series they did better at making Scott more of a oblivious, nice guy.

Timeline

Original Series	Graphix	Netflix Series
1. Kristy’s Great Idea         Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club. Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas.  Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.	1. Kristy’s Great Idea Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas. Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.	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)
2.  Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls Claudia has a crush on Trevor Sandbourne. Claudia struggles academically in school.	2. The Truth about Stacey The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency. Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits.  1st appearance of Mallory Pike Stacey makes up with her New York friend Laine.	2. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Claudia has a crush on Trevor Sandbourne. Claudia struggles academically in school. The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency.
3.    The Truth about Stacey The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency. Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits. 1st appearance of Mallory Pike Stacey makes up with her New York friend Laine.	3. Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school. Dawn joins the BSC.	3. The Truth about Stacey Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas.  Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.
4.    Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school. Dawn joins the BSC.	4. Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke	4. Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school.
5.    Dawn and the Impossible Three Dawn becomes alternate officer.	5. Dawn and the Impossible Three Mallory Pike joins the BSC as junior officer.	5. Dawn and the Impossible Three Dawn joins the BSC. Dawn becomes alternate officer.
6. Kristy's Big Day Will be discussed later	6. Kristy's Big Day	6.  Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke
7. Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke	7. Boy-Crazy Stacey Stacey has her first kiss with Toby in Sea City	7. Boy-Crazy Stacey  1st appearance of Mallory Pike Stacey has her first kiss with Toby in Sea City
8. Boy-Crazy Stacey       Stacey has her first kiss with Toby in Sea City