Book #43, Netflix S2 E3
Original Book - Writer: Ann M.Martin
Netflix Series - Director: Kimmy Gatewood, Writer: Ryan O'Connell
Basic plot
Stacey has not being feeling well, she thought she had her diabetes under control but she tries to keep it a secret from her family and friends that something is not right until she can no longer hide it.
Things that are kept the same
- Stacey's blood levels are not where they should be, but she doesn't want to tell anyone, she just wants to be a normal girl.
- It comes to a point where she can't hide it any more and has to ask for help from a doctor.
Things from other books
- Nothing stood out to me as specific from other books.
Things that are changed
- The original book is #43 in the series, the Stacey narrated books that are skipped over, involve Stacey moving back to New York for a time, BSC visiting her there and her parents divorcing and Stacey with her mom moving back to Stoneybrook. I can see why they would skip over that story line, with such short seasons and not wanting to send a main cast member away.
- The other book skipped over is "Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook" which is about spooky things going on with an old house about to be demolished. Again plot-wise probably not the most compelling, although it it does foreshadow Stacey having health issues with her diabetes.
- The show follows very little of the plot from the original book. In the book, Stacey's health issues get so bad she ends up in hospital and the doctors have to try various things to get her back to feeling healthy. In the show, she becomes a bit tired and cranky but not so bad she needs to be hospitalised.
- As the book also takes place after Stacey's parents divorced, it shows that this wasn't an amicable divorce as the McGills struggle to be in same room as each other and use Stacey as a go between.
- There is a little bit of tension between the McGills after she has her health scare in the show, but it is very brief.
- In the show, everyone praises Stacey's responsibility and maturity, her doctor nominates her as ambassador for young people with Diabetes, which means she is going to do a cover shoot for a magazine, and make a speech at a gala. She and the BSC are also going to model at the gala to show off diabetic kit bags, that the BSC have vamped up. (Needlessly over complicated event for show)
- Stacey's levels drop while at the gala and she feels dizzy and unwell.She has to stop in the middle of her speech and ask for her doctor. Her levels are soon brought back to normal.
- In the book a lot of subplot involves Charlotte Johanssen turning hypochondriac and worrying about Stacey which makes things difficult for her babysitters.
- In the show the subplot is Kristy finds out through Dawn (who heard it from her mother) that Elizabeth and Watson are trying for a baby.
- Kristy thinks her mom didn't tell her because she was nervous of her reaction. To show her support she decides to win a bassinet at the event. After her and Elizabeth talk and she tells Kristy she know that she would be supportive, she didn't tell her because she didn't want to get her hopes up. Elizabeth doesn't know if she can get pregnant.
- After the Gala, Stacey apologizes to her friends for snapping at them, and learns she doesn't have to be perfect all the time.
Final Thoughts
This is the weakest episode, I'm not very knowledgeable about diabetes, but other people have commented on how inaccurate the blood levels shown to be (like if it is 40 she should have been unconscious not just grumpy). The plot is a bit convoluted, with the gala, I feel they could have simplified it and made Stacey's "emergency" a bit more dramatic. Whereas in the book, Stacey starts going off her diet, but actually her health issues aren't just because of that, she was feeling unwell before that, it is complications from just having diabetes, which is scary for her. But in the show, the doctor says she can have up and down days but her sickness at gala seems to stem from her skipping a meal. It is a disappointment because I really like Stacey's character and feel the elements were there if they had adjusted some of the plot a bit, it could have been much better.
