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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 22, 2017 20:59:24 GMT -5
What do you think is still relevant (or maybe even more so) today? Or vice versa, what was relevant at the time that really doesn't hold up in current times?
Stuff I've thought about:
Relevant:
Dawn's no guns and environmental concerns (still everyday hot topics in the US)
Jessi's racial stuff (same as above)
Mallory's bullying (more so than back then?)
Mary Anne's anxiety/mental health stuff (there seems to be much more of that now, too?)
Not relevant:
Abby's soccer fetish (Soccer was trying to become a thing in the US when she showed up, but I don't believe it's ever going to truly take off.)
Dawn's vegetarianism (It was rather uncommon back then at least for kids. Now there are so many dietary things flying around that I feel like no one would care. She would probably be gluten free now.)
Logan being from Kentucky (No offense to those from Kentucky, but you're a quiet little place that no one thinks about. Now he would be an immigrant from who knows where.)
Any others or specific plots that stand out as being either outdated or timeless?
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Post by CharlotteTJohanssen on Aug 23, 2017 1:27:44 GMT -5
Lol at the Kentucky (I'm from there!) bit from Logan.
Something not so relevant: Stacey's diabetes. It'll be a big deal but not so much that it would define her character. Other characters might have other illnesses.
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mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636 
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Post by mallorypike on Aug 23, 2017 5:47:19 GMT -5
I can't think of anything relevant, but I think a bunch of middle schoolers is not relevant. Most people don't want any babysitters under, like, age 16. (Other than families, that is.) Another irreverent plot would be Jessi taking care of Becca and Squirt all by herself on a 3-day weekend; the CPS would totally take the kids away and the Ramsey parents would totally get arrested if that happened in today's time. Also, Claudia and Dawn would never ever be allowed to go sailing by themselves with a bunch of little kids, including a sick 4-year-old. Those are the plots I can think of that are not relevant. I'm sure there's more.
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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 23, 2017 7:20:55 GMT -5
Lol at the Kentucky (I'm from there!) bit from Logan. Something not so relevant: Stacey's diabetes. It'll be a big deal but not so much that it would define her character. Other characters might have other illnesses. Oops, I thought I was in the clear with the Kentucky comment. I actually saw an I Love KY vanity plate on someone's car this morning!  I thought about Stacey, too. Juvenile diabetes is a big thing now. Even though Stacey had a different kind it wouldn't be all mysterious. I don't know if that would make her more or less relevant. Maybe now she would have lupus or Lyme disease. |
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Post by booklover85 on Aug 23, 2017 17:49:22 GMT -5
Lol at the Kentucky (I'm from there!) bit from Logan. Something not so relevant: Stacey's diabetes. It'll be a big deal but not so much that it would define her character. Other characters might have other illnesses. Oops, I thought I was in the clear with the Kentucky comment. I actually saw an I Love KY vanity plate on someone's car this morning! I thought about Stacey, too. Juvenile diabetes is a big thing now. Even though Stacey had a different kind it wouldn't be all mysterious. I don't know if that would make her more or less relevant. Maybe now she would have lupus or Lyme disease. Stacey would feeling less lonely with diabetes with it being more common these days. Claudia would definately be diagnosed with a full blown learning disorder. There will be several books addressing it. That's if the author(s) don't sweep it under the rug. The girls will have to be a lot older than 11 and 13. There won't be any extravagant trips to Hawaii, Europe or the ski resort because of budget issues. |
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mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636
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Post by mallorypike on Aug 23, 2017 21:17:49 GMT -5
MA and Stacey wouldn't have been allowed to go out on dates with random boys at Sea City, considering they were only 13 (hell, MA was still 12 in Boy-Crazy Stacey!).
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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 23, 2017 22:12:33 GMT -5
Relevant: Mallory's dad losing his job, may be Hurricane Bill after Katrina happened.
Not relevant: Back to the Future references. (The kids would be casting Harry Potter spells, although that has to be losing steam by now, too.) Claudia having her own landline. It's likely that all of the members would have a phone of some sort now.
...I feel like we have different ideas about what relevance means.
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mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636
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Post by mallorypike on Aug 23, 2017 22:18:29 GMT -5
...I feel like we have different ideas about what relevance means. Dumb question, but what do you mean? |
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Post by CharlotteTJohanssen on Aug 24, 2017 2:34:17 GMT -5
Lol at the Kentucky (I'm from there!) bit from Logan. Something not so relevant: Stacey's diabetes. It'll be a big deal but not so much that it would define her character. Other characters might have other illnesses. Oops, I thought I was in the clear with the Kentucky comment. I actually saw an I Love KY vanity plate on someone's car this morning! I got it don't worry ;-) Not sure if this is relevant but the Pike kids. With most modern families averaging to four kids at the most- would Vanessa, Nicky, Claire, and Margo even be around? |
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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 25, 2017 6:58:57 GMT -5
...I feel like we have different ideas about what relevance means. Dumb question, but what do you mean? I meant if kids picked up a book today then what could they relate to and apply to their lives because it's still going on in the world. It doesn't have to be realistic to be relevant. The lottery story was not realistic, but there was just another Power Ball frenzy going on so I think it is relevant to kids these days. |
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charjo
New To Stoneybrook
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Post by charjo on Aug 25, 2017 11:42:59 GMT -5
Relevant: Mallory's dad losing his job, may be Hurricane Bill after Katrina happened. Not relevant: Back to the Future references. (The kids would be casting Harry Potter spells, although that has to be losing steam by now, too.) Claudia having her own landline. It's likely that all of the members would have a phone of some sort now. ...I feel like we have different ideas about what relevance means. CT got a *ton* of damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011, and then again with superstorm Sandy in 2012, so I can definitely see a big hurricane still being a relevant plot point. The first Harry Potter book was published 20 years ago this past June, and doesn't seem to be slowing down in its popularity, at least in the NY tri-state area. However, I'm not sure how much of the sustained popularity is due to new fans or older fans who still love it. I also think the new play last year stirred up interest, even if there was a um, mixed reaction from the fans. (source: I'm in a number of library programming Facebook groups and EVERYONE was planning HP parties/activities this summer) |
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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 25, 2017 17:09:40 GMT -5
Relevant: Mallory's dad losing his job, may be Hurricane Bill after Katrina happened. Not relevant: Back to the Future references. (The kids would be casting Harry Potter spells, although that has to be losing steam by now, too.) Claudia having her own landline. It's likely that all of the members would have a phone of some sort now. ...I feel like we have different ideas about what relevance means. CT got a *ton* of damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011, and then again with superstorm Sandy in 2012, so I can definitely see a big hurricane still being a relevant plot point. The first Harry Potter book was published 20 years ago this past June, and doesn't seem to be slowing down in its popularity, at least in the NY tri-state area. However, I'm not sure how much of the sustained popularity is due to new fans or older fans who still love it. I also think the new play last year stirred up interest, even if there was a um, mixed reaction from the fans. (source: I'm in a number of library programming Facebook groups and EVERYONE was planning HP parties/activities this summer) I swear there are Harry Potter movie marathons on Freeform every single weekend. But, like you said, I have no idea if the viewers are 12 or 25. |
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