Original Book - Writer: Ann M.Martin (ghostwriter: Jan Carr)
Netflix Series - Director: Robert Luketic Writer: Rheeqrheeq Chainey
Basic plot
Jessi is very excited when she gets to babysit, a famous kid, Derek Masters. At the same time she is nervous about upcoming ballet performance and with Derek's encouragement, she wonders if she would be better switching careers.
Things that are kept the same
- Jessi is finding her ballet classes tough at Stamford, she can't help feeling disappointed about teachers critiques at times.
- With her hectic schedule she is happy that things work out so she can babysit, famous kid, Derek Masters.
- Derek is nice and she realises that despite his busy career he still just want to play around like a real kid too.
- When auditions for ballet are not going as she likes, she is not keen to update her friends on how she really is doing with ballet.
- She wonders if she could have a career like Derek instead after his suggestion and she tells her parents this.
- In the end she decides she is really happy just being a dancer.
- Derek gets ready to leave for LA.
Things from other books
- Having a group of kids come to Jessi's performance and go for food after is similar situation, when Jessi arranged Matt Braddock's class to come to see her ballet (Original Book 16)
Things that are changed
- From conversation with her mom, about wanting to go to Stamford Ballet School for last 3 years, it seems the family have lived in Stoneybrook for a while, not just recently moved here like the books.
- Derek's family is different, he doesn't have brother or mother here, instead being raised by single dad.
- In the books Derek is a tv star, that is back visiting from LA. In Netflix series he is a TikTok star that does unboxing videos. His dad is trying to move him on in his career for acting,and in the end they are going to move out to LA.
- The Superbrat in title, in the book Derek tells Jessi he is being bullied at school, in the end she finds out he was actually doing the mean things to other kids, when he was finding it hard to fit in, though he started to be nicer when things settled down. In Netflix series that is Derek's TikTok name. (Name comes from a video when he was 3 where he pretended to be supervillain - Superbrat)
- Mr Masters expects Derek to make videos while Jessi's babysitting. He isn't happy when one time they don't do it and have ice-cream. After talk with Kristy he realises he was pushing too hard.
- In the books Jessi is auditioning for small part in Swan Lake (outside school production) in the Netflix series she is disappointed she is background icicle in the Winter recital.
- At first Jessi thinks her parents aren't as supportive as Mr Masters, as they won't accommodate her extra dancing practice (even Mal points out they built her a studio in the basement)
- When Jessi tells her parents in the books she wants to pursue modelling/acting they say fine, knowing she is just really just anxious about her auditions and trying to pretend she doesn't care so much. In the Netflix series, she wants to build online presence and even says she will quit ballet, her mom is not having it. She tells er she can't quit just because she's not star of the show anymore.
- There is no going away breakfast party for Derek like in the book, but the BSC are trying to arrange a event for kids whose parents are at a meeting and decide to bring everyone to Jessi's dance.
Final Thoughts
A lot of changes but this keeps the essence of story/characters better than the previous episode. I really liked the Ramsay family and Mrs Ramsey calling Jessi out for wanting to quit the minute things don't go her way. It was also fun to see the unusual pairing of Mary Anne and Jessi (who she brings as support to talk to her mom). More Mal and Jessi friendship also nice to see. The kid who played Derek was good, and it was interesting to see it updated that he was a TikTok star, growing up with videos being released of him since he was 3 and his Dad really pushing him to it was a relevant addition for kids these days.
