A slumber party quiz sparks intrigue, uncertainty and an awkward beginning for Claudia and Mallory. Elsewhere, Kristy learns to let go of control.
In 2020, the television industry aired 493 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's The Baby-Sitters Club.
"Claudia and the New Girl" was written by Sascha Rothchild and directed by Robert Luketic
Claudia wants to be seen as a leader. When Kristy is out sick for a week, Claudia wants to step up and take charge of the Baby-Sitters Club. She is proud of being labeled as an individualist. She stands out because she is completely unique. She views all of that as being natural for taking a leadership position when the opportunity comes. And yet, she struggles when it comes to the job. She wants to prove herself to Kristy. In training Mallory though, Claudia doesn't know how to break free of herself in order to help others. She gets rave reviews as a babysitter. She is fun and creative. People admire the kits she always brings with her. That is a staple of the club no matter who shows up for the job. It's a quality of their friendships as well. They celebrate each other's differences. It makes them stand out as a cohesive whole. Of course, Kristy feels the need to put a label on all of their personalities. The majority of them are confident in who they are. That too is a breath of fresh air. The show presents these various identities. None of them are better than another. They are each unique. That should be celebrated and cherished. It also overlaps with the business structure. Kristy uses the personality traits to determine who should play which role within the organization. She champions Claudia as an individual. When it comes to leadership, she opts to leave Dawn in charge. Her revolutionary ways are vital as well. She brings a lot of good ideas to the club. They just need to be channeled a bit more. That's what makes Kristy a strong leader. She listens to everyone's concerns and can decisively offer a solution. She makes everyone happy. Of course, she's also terrified that the club functions perfectly without her leading the way. She places her self-worth in being the president of this club. That's not healthy. Her friends do struggle without her in that leadership position. Dawn can't get off the phone because she gets sucked into the personal stories of the clients. Claudia yearns for more respect and attention. She prides herself in planning the perfect little details that can be appreciated by all. Her culture is important to her. It doesn't make up the total of her being though. She has learned a lot from Mimi. She values how distinct and confident Janine is in herself too. Claudia wants to present as that as well. She struggles. It's a relatable challenge. She expects Mallory to be better than she is. She can't be that without the proper training. As such, it's just as much a complaint on Claudia's leadership style. She makes up for it eventually. All she needs is the clarity of listening. Mallory talks a lot. She has a lot of big and bold ideas. She is eager to please. She too wants the respect of the rest of the club. She wants to be right. Her personality will lead her in the right direction. She has to figure herself out first before being able to help anyone else. That's necessary in order to do this job. They are literally caring for little humans who can't take care of themselves. It can't be about their own struggles and desires. Claudia has a routine for how to behave on the job. Instead of sharing, she just wants to dismiss everything that Mallory is doing. Mallory has her own path. It's one that she discovers thanks to the creative spirit of Claudia. They simply have to be willing to share that with one another. The business is growing. The club is expanding. New ideas are being introduced. It's responsible to listen and take all things into consideration. Some questions are too big and profound for these girls to have to think about right now. And yet, they can have a dramatic impact on the world too. It's a service they provide largely by leading through compassion and empathy. They aren't perfect. Claudia wants to present herself as the perfect person to talk to about anything. She wants that to be known. Others have to be willing to share. They do that according to their own timelines. Claudia has to respect that as well. All of this should reveal the depths of these characters. They must stay true to who they are. That means apologizing when they are wrong and being forgiving when others make mistakes along the way. That's the power of friendship. Claudia can rely on those around her just as much as she offers support to them when they need it.
Claudia wants to be seen as a leader. When Kristy is out sick for a week, Claudia wants to step up and take charge of the Baby-Sitters Club. She is proud of being labeled as an individualist. She stands out because she is completely unique. She views all of that as being natural for taking a leadership position when the opportunity comes. And yet, she struggles when it comes to the job. She wants to prove herself to Kristy. In training Mallory though, Claudia doesn't know how to break free of herself in order to help others. She gets rave reviews as a babysitter. She is fun and creative. People admire the kits she always brings with her. That is a staple of the club no matter who shows up for the job. It's a quality of their friendships as well. They celebrate each other's differences. It makes them stand out as a cohesive whole. Of course, Kristy feels the need to put a label on all of their personalities. The majority of them are confident in who they are. That too is a breath of fresh air. The show presents these various identities. None of them are better than another. They are each unique. That should be celebrated and cherished. It also overlaps with the business structure. Kristy uses the personality traits to determine who should play which role within the organization. She champions Claudia as an individual. When it comes to leadership, she opts to leave Dawn in charge. Her revolutionary ways are vital as well. She brings a lot of good ideas to the club. They just need to be channeled a bit more. That's what makes Kristy a strong leader. She listens to everyone's concerns and can decisively offer a solution. She makes everyone happy. Of course, she's also terrified that the club functions perfectly without her leading the way. She places her self-worth in being the president of this club. That's not healthy. Her friends do struggle without her in that leadership position. Dawn can't get off the phone because she gets sucked into the personal stories of the clients. Claudia yearns for more respect and attention. She prides herself in planning the perfect little details that can be appreciated by all. Her culture is important to her. It doesn't make up the total of her being though. She has learned a lot from Mimi. She values how distinct and confident Janine is in herself too. Claudia wants to present as that as well. She struggles. It's a relatable challenge. She expects Mallory to be better than she is. She can't be that without the proper training. As such, it's just as much a complaint on Claudia's leadership style. She makes up for it eventually. All she needs is the clarity of listening. Mallory talks a lot. She has a lot of big and bold ideas. She is eager to please. She too wants the respect of the rest of the club. She wants to be right. Her personality will lead her in the right direction. She has to figure herself out first before being able to help anyone else. That's necessary in order to do this job. They are literally caring for little humans who can't take care of themselves. It can't be about their own struggles and desires. Claudia has a routine for how to behave on the job. Instead of sharing, she just wants to dismiss everything that Mallory is doing. Mallory has her own path. It's one that she discovers thanks to the creative spirit of Claudia. They simply have to be willing to share that with one another. The business is growing. The club is expanding. New ideas are being introduced. It's responsible to listen and take all things into consideration. Some questions are too big and profound for these girls to have to think about right now. And yet, they can have a dramatic impact on the world too. It's a service they provide largely by leading through compassion and empathy. They aren't perfect. Claudia wants to present herself as the perfect person to talk to about anything. She wants that to be known. Others have to be willing to share. They do that according to their own timelines. Claudia has to respect that as well. All of this should reveal the depths of these characters. They must stay true to who they are. That means apologizing when they are wrong and being forgiving when others make mistakes along the way. That's the power of friendship. Claudia can rely on those around her just as much as she offers support to them when they need it.
