Netflix’s attempts to further woo Gen Z continue, this time with a millennial spin. The streaming conglomerate has announced the cast for its upcoming 10-episode adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club, based off the iconic Ann M. Martin book series of the same name.
A staple in any 90s girl’s bag, The Baby-Sitters Club series saw the publication of 210 novels from 1986 to 2000. The books depicted the titular fictional group of middle school girls who run a babysitting business in the fictional suburbs of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. The new series exhibits an attempt from Netflix to capture youthful audiences, in addition to millennial subscribers that grew up reading the original series.
The Baby-Sitters Club will showcase young newcomers as the series’ leads, including Sophie Grace as club president Kristy Thomas, Malia Baker as secretary Mary Anne Spier, Momona Tamada as vice president Claudia Lynn Kishi, Shay Rudolph as treasurer Stacey McGill, and Xochitl Gomez as club member Dawn Schafer. The cast additionally Alicia Silverstone (a nod to her 90’s icon status as the lead in 1995’s Clueless) as Kristy’s single mother, Elizabeth Thomas, and Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains) as Elizabeth’s love interest, Watson Brewer.
The series is not nearly the first in adapting the books, and follows the footsteps of an HBO series of the same name that aired between January and March 1990. What followed was the 1995 film directed by thirtysomething actress Melanie Mayron in her debut, starring then teen idols Larisa Oleynik (The Secret World of Alex Mack) and Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That). In addition, the series has also spawned multiple graphic novels and even a 1996 computer game titled Baby-Sitters Club Friendship Kit.
Netflix was first announced to adapt the series in 2019, which will see Martin included on set as a producer. Rachel Shukert (GLOW, Supergirl) will serve as the showrunner, joined by Lucia Aniello (Broad City) as executive producer and director. Lucy Kitada and Michael De Luca will also executive produce, alongside Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov of Walden Media.
No further details regarding the release date of The Baby-Sitters Club have been released as of yet, however, the series is expected to hit the platform this year.