It’s pretty much an open secret by now that Netflix has no problem axing shows and, in many cases, those cancellations can be very unexpected. 2022 was no different, as a plethora of notable titles on the massive streaming platform met their demise. A show that’s included in that group is The Baby-Sitters Club, the latest adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s best-selling book series. Plenty of fans took the business decision hard, and series creator Rachel Shukert was disappointed as well. However, it sounds like things may be turning around, as Shurkert suggested that the show could make a comeback due to recent awards love.
The Baby-Sitters Club, which was confirmed to be cancelled after two seasons back in March, made some serious noise at the Children & Family Emmys, which were held earlier this month. The young adult dramedy series took home some major awards, including Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series and Outstanding Writing for a Live Action Preschool or Children’s Program. It also won for Outstanding Makeup and Hairstyling. These honors are apparently doing wonders for the show, as Rachel Shukert revealed that early discussions are apparently taking place in regard to a revival:
We’re talking about it in a very preliminary way, talking about if we can bring it somewhere else. Or if we could do maybe like a movie, like kind of a wrap up special. The girls obviously are older now than they were when we started and they’ve really grown up. So I think we would have to set it a little bit in the future. But there’s just so much love for the show and for this property and for these characters, and I’m so grateful for that. Even in the aftermath of the show not being renewed again for Season 3, it was so comforting and just so gratifying to see how much love there was for the show. And this [Emmy] is kind of the cherry on the sundae.
These comments that the EP shared with Variety are sure to be music to fans’ ears. Though it would appear that plans are far from being set in stone, the producer sounds confident that something will happen. It makes sense that there’d be reignited interest in the show right now. Those particular Emmy wins are nothing to scoff at and, even before all of that, Baby Sitters-Club had already received critical acclaim. So there’s a solid chance that this iteration of the storied franchise will return to the small screen at some point.
The Baby-Sitters Club centers on a group of middle schoolers who live in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. The girls form a baby-sitting service and, from there, they’re thrust into a host of adventures while also going through the ups and downs of adolescence. The Netflix show featured a strong cast, which featured up-and-coming talents like Sophia Grace and Shay Rudolph along with ‘90s icon Alicia Silverstone and fellow veteran Mark Feuerstein. Xochitl Gomez also starred in the first season, though her role was recast after she departed in favor of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
From a storytelling perspective, it wouldn’t be too difficult to keep the series going. However, there is the matter of the younger stars aging past their characters as time goes on. Rachel Shurkert herself even mentioned that the girls have “really grown up.” She discussed this very hurdle last year, acknowledging that it puts “a little bit of a timestamp” on the show. But it’s possible that should a company pick up the production, Shurkert has ideas regarding how to proceed.
It’s likely that Netflix won’t seek to revive the series, especially when you consider the sheer amount of content it already has on its plate. But with the acclaim that the title has now received, another streamer or even a TV network may choose to invest in the IP. We’ll just have to wait and see whether Rachel Shurket and her colleagues are able to score a comeback.
In the meantime, you can check out those two seasons of The Baby-Sitters Club now using a Netflix subscription and look ahead to shows that are confirmed for the 2023 TV schedule.
