The Babysitter's Club, based on the novels by Ann M. Martin and comics by Raina Telgemeier, was recently adapted for Netflix. As a modern adaptation, the Netflix series has plenty of opportunities to blend today's humor with callbacks to the 1980s culture that was part of the books.
The modern setting revitalizes the series, as well as opens possibilities for storylines that could not be written 40 years ago, such as discussing transgender children. Therefore, humor in The Babysitter's Club is both relevant to the story and to modernity. It's indicative of actual teenagers and children and is enjoyable because it feels real.
10 Normal Teenagers
After learning that the Babysitter's Agency is made up of older girls who are trying to drive the Babysitter's Club out of business by touting their longer hours and greater experience, Claudia asks, "Why don't they loiter at the mall like normal teenagers?"
This is a great throwback to the 1980s setting of the novels, while still bringing in some humor to what is a dire situation for the club, Kristy especially (because it was her idea, of course).
9 Responsibility
"We have to do the most responsible thing of all," says Kristy, on trying to come up with new ways to endear their clients to them after learning the Babysitter's Agency exists and is trying to drum them out of business. Mary Anne's immediate response is: vacuum!
And she isn't wrong; this is such a Mary Anne thing to say, which also shows how the best friends have kept each other on their toes. This episode, which also deals with Stacey's struggles with her diabetes (currently hidden from her friends), is pretty heavy, so it's nice to find great quotes sprinkled in to keep some levity here.
8 Rugs
The first season slowly showcases Mary Anne's growing maturity, and redesigning her room is part of that. Of course, Stacey, budding fashionista, and Claudia, artist extraordinaire, beg to help, and new bedding is brought in. Says Stacey of one new item (much to Richard's alarm), "This rug is my husband!"
Later she claims she wants to divorce the rug and marry a particular pillow instead. These quotes are great because they aren't expected at all; they're modern in a specific way, and it's only Stacey who could have said them.
7 Instagram
As a modern adaptation, of course, The Babysitter's Club would mention Instagram, though none of the main club members use it at first. Claudia claims social media rots the brain, and who would disagree? When Toby and Alex find Mary Anne buried in the sand while sitting for the Pikes in Sea City, they ask her, "Do you want us to dig you out, or are you doing this for the gram?"
This is an interesting allusion to what most teenagers would be doing on the beach, as opposed to Mary Anne, who's working. This also leads Mary Anne to form some friendships on her own, which is pretty mature for her.
6 Curious George
When Kristy is trying on bridesmaids dresses for her mother's wedding to her boyfriend, Watson, she says this about a particular banana-colored dress: “The only person in the world that thinks I look great is Curious George before he tries to eat me.”
What marks a point in Watson's favor is that he immediately agrees to buy Kristy a dress she actually likes and wears well. While funny, this changes Watson and Kristy's relationship for the better, and with it being so close to the wedding, that's a good thing.
5 The Face
The incident that kicks off the entire plot of the show is that Kristy's mother Elizabeth has a hard time finding someone to watch David Michael, Kristy's younger brother, when all of his siblings are busy. The audience (and Kristy) are treated to a montage of Elizabeth calling various services, only to be offered ridiculous prices or busy plans.
Elizabeth asks Kristy, "Who was that girl we had that time? You know, the one with the face?" when she's trying to think of something specific, which is such an accurate depiction of trying to remember someone that the entire audience cackled.
4 Ancient Grains
Richard and Sharon, Mary Anne and Dawn's respective single parents used to date in high school, and therefore have a hilariously adorable reunion when Dawn and Sharon move to Stoneybrook midway through the season. Said by the girls after the pair meet up in the grocery store and fumble their way through an interaction: "Adults flirt by talking about ancient grains."
Too true, too true. The Babysitter's Club is very well-written, however, in regards to how strange adults can be, sometimes more so than children. This also gave fans hope that Richard and Sharon's relationship would continue to play out as it did in the books.
3 Legal Poison
Claudia shows off her candy art in the sixth episode, where the main plot deals with her grandmother Mimi's stroke. Therefore, Dawn's bit of calm and levity here is gratefully accepted. "These are so good they almost make me forget that refined sugar is legal poison,” she says.
This fits well for Dawn's California casual character and is also a nod to the novels, where she is actively against sugar in multiple instances.
2 Feminine Products
Kristy cracks out a great zinger after looking at the packing list for Camp Moosehead. “Feminine products? What? You mean like makeup? Are they telling the boys to bring masculine products?” she asks. While this absolutely fits with Kristy's budding business, smash-the-patriarchy attitude, it's also a good teaching moment for a young audience who very well might be around the same age and just starting to think about these things.
Therefore, this line from Kristy is relevant, fits her character, and is funny!
1 Legalities
Stacey, upon meeting everyone and hearing the idea for the club, asks for everyone else's social media handles so she can start to coordinate a plan. Mary Anne asks, looking worried, "Isn't it illegal to be on Instagram before you turn 13?" This fits Mary Anne very well since she was raised by an overprotective father.
However, it also ties into the older vibe of the books, since the novels are set in the 1980s. Old technology is used, such as the retro phone the girls get off of Etsy. This brand of humor is very in line with what The Babysitter's Club is.
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