Kristy and the Baby Parade

 

Book #45, Netflix S2 E8

Original Book -  Writer: Ann M. Martin (ghostwriter: Ellen Miles)

Netflix Series - Director: Kimmy Gatewood  Writer: Rachel Shukert

Basic plot

The BSC decide to enter a float in the Stoneybrook Baby Parade but things don't go as planned.

Things that are kept the same  

• The BSC decide it would be a good idea to enter some of their clients in the Baby Parade float section and it would be good opportunity to advertise the club.
• All the members pitch ideas, most seem impracticable, like outer space theme, or Manhattan glam, they decide to go with "The Old Woman who lived in a shoe"
  
• It seems they may have been over ambitious and have some communication problems, so Stacey picks out an orange paint and Mal buys a clashing pink for the costumes.
• No-one is happy with how the costumes look, so Dawn (and others in the show) dress the babies in other outfits.
• The float is a disaster, Charlie is not happy to be using his car to pull the float and the BSC start fighting with each other, blaming each other for it failing.
• They do make up in the end, and at least one of the babies wins in the stroller section.
  

Things from other books 

• While not this specific situation Kristy's dad letting her down is mentioned in several books most prominently in the Portrait Collection: Kristy
• Kristy's dad wants the kids to meet his new girlfriend (Friends Forever 1) in this case he invites them to his wedding, they don't have a new baby yet but are talking about having a family. Charlie is the one who is not happy with it, but they do attend and accept he is never going to be good father to them.
  
• Stacey's parents are fighting a lot (Original Book 26, they divorce in book 28)
  

Things that are changed

• In the book the parade is bi-annual,  in the show it was a regular event but stopped 10 years ago, Stoneybrook is bringing it back for it's 80th anniversary.
• They are having a special old winners car and Kristy and Watson are both old winners.
• Kristy had no idea she was a winner of a baby parade, but Claudia knows and holds a bit of grudge because Mimi and Alma (Mary Anne's mother) had entered her and Mary Anne before Kristy came in last minute and won with a Mrs Claus costume.
• In the book the subplot involves Kristy helping Andrea Prezzioso enter stroller competition and they all go on a infant care course, none of this is in the show.
  
• They all have their pitch for a float
• Kristy - baseball game (book), no idea (show)
• Claudia - outer space (book & show), more elaborate idea in show.
  
• Mary Anne - Three Little Kittens (book), Nutcracker (show)
• Stacey - Glamorous Manhattan (book & show)
• Dawn - Surfing USA (book), Music Festival (show) 
• Mallory - Misty of Chincoteague (book), Old Woman that Lives in a shoe (show)
• Jessi - no idea (book) Nutcracker, pitched with Mary Anne (show)
• The reason Kristy doesn't have an idea to pitch in the show is she is too distracted as her biological dad has said he is going to visit with his new girlfriend and baby.
• This is particularly hard on Elizabeth as her and Watson attempts to have baby have not been successful, but she is supportive of whatever her kids want to do.
  
• Sam doesn't want to see him, but the rest decide to meet him. 
• He cancels last minute on day of parade, and Watson speaks his mind what he thinks of him and asks if he can formally adopt the Thomas kids which they accept. 
  

Final Thoughts 

Obviously this was meant to be just a season finale rather than a show finale, I'll get more into what I would have liked in another season in the next post, but taking it as it is, it's not the worst show finale. Kristy really accepting her new family and Watson adopting the Thomas children seems to be a complete arc for her from her first episode in season 1. And as always the BSC are supportive friend network the ending song being from the original tv series, seems a nice completion of the series.They took a lot from the original book including the disaster float, which was fun. In the book it was actually a nice change to see the babysitters take on a project and not excel at it! This doesn't seem to be a favourite book by may readers but I always liked it. I am sad this is the last of the series, but happy with the adaption we got.