Netflix cancels The Baby-Sitters Club
The series, based on Ann M. Martin's novels, ran for two seasons on the streamer
Sad news tonight for devotees of the cult of Claudia Kishi: Netflix has announced that it’s canceling it’s adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club after two seasons on the streaming air.
This is per Variety, which reports that series creator Rachel Shukert issued a statement earlier today, announcing that her version of the club, based on the one imagined by Ann M. Martin way back in 1986, had been foreclosed:
I have wanted to be a part of the world Ann M. Martin created since I was 7 years old, and for two amazing seasons I actually got to be. It was a dream come true. Although I am heartbroken not to be returning to Stoneybrook for 20 more seasons, I am so proud of the incredible show our amazing cast and crew created and the way it brought joy and comfort to so many when they needed it most. Thank you to Walden Media and to Netflix for giving us the opportunity to introduce Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, Mary Anne, Dawn, Jessi, and Mallory to a new generation of fans who I know will love them as much as we do for years to come.
We were decidedly fans of Shukert’s take on the series, which hewed to a traditional sitcom structure without ever downplaying the emotional realities of its young and talented cast of characters. Reviewing the first season, Nadra Kareem Nittle called this version “the best screen adaptation of the book series yet,” beating out both the 1990 HBO series, and the 1995 film version. More recently, Saloni Gajjar dubbed the second season arguably even better, highlighting how “issues are taken care of deftly and emotionally, without steering away from the show’s or the books’ innate lightheartedness.”
The Baby-Sitters Club last aired new episodes in October of 2021. The series starred Sophie Grace, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph, Malia Baker, and Alicia Silverstone.