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In June 1990, a calculated culture war campaign raged in Florida while copaganda reigned supreme in theaters and a cable channel brainwashed its loyal viewers. I mean, can you even imagine?!  Brooke and Kaykay discuss the suburban horror and existential dread of Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook, and on THAT note:Been feeling a white hot rage for some reason this week? US TOO! Wanna do something about it? Check out this overview of ways to defend abortion rights and fight fascist misogyny. Links referenced in this episode: Washington Post article on the 25th anniversary of 2 Live Crew's arrest for obscenity Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration live broadcast Part 1 of You're Wrong About's series on The Amityville Horror Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

May 1990 was a rollercoaster: Madonna's "Vogue" video blew our minds, the death of Jim Henson broke our hearts, and a new BSC ghostwriter boggled our brains. The Sea City we knew and tolerated -- Burger Garden, mini-golf, and Tunnel of Luv -- is gone; in its place we get a yellow wallpapered liminal space serving hostility, down-low lobster dinners, and night terrors. OK THEN! Brooke and Kaykay drag the hell out of Mary Anne and Too Many Boys and its attempted normalization of purity culture and segregation. Plus: Odes to the Muppets, coupons, and the Original Recipe Banana Republic.Links referenced in this episode: Jim Henson on Arsenio Hall Anthony Violanti's Buffalo News column on Andrew Dice Clay Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

The pop culture of April 1990 blew our young minds: Sinead O'Connor! Fire Marshal Bill, Homey the Clown, AND the Log Lady! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and its soundtrack (the perfect gift)! A ripped-from-the-tabloids Very Special BSC starring Claudia Kishi that isn't as problematic as you fear! Dreams really CAN come true, y'all...Brooke and Kaykay discuss Claudia and the Great Search's exploration of alienation and attunement, with loving digressions on the respective joys of recording songs off the radio and browsing through microfiche.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

March 1990 was a big month for Janet Jackson and Julia Roberts and a bad month for fans of the HBO BSC series. On a related note, a hearty WTF?! to Netflix. Brooke and Kaykay mourn the loss of a 3rd season of the Netflix BSC show before lamenting the treatment of autistic and Australian children in Kristy and the Secret of Susan. But hey, at least Claudia's added Mentos to her bedroom candy stash!Speaking of treats: Please enjoy Pajama Party's "Hide and Seek" video. It's 4 minutes of triple-distilled 1989. You're welcome.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

February 1990 packed a lot of change into a short month: Nelson Mandela was released from prison, the Brady Bunch was given a gritty reboot (with a theme song that must be heard to be believed), and two mismatched single parents hastily crammed their households together with minimal planning & conversation. What could go wrong?Brooke and Kaykay discuss the Gaslight (Dawn), Gatekeep (Mary Anne), Girlboss (Kristy) vibes of Dawn's Wicked Stepsister, the importance of behavior modeling in leadership, and the bravery of healthy conflict in relationships. And seriously: Check out Florence Henderson's theme to The Bradys. We cannot stress this enough.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

It's hard to take a lighthearted tone in such dark times, but fortunately this episode was recorded well in advance of the horrendous attack on Ukraine. If you need a respite from the weight of this brutal, stupid world, join us as we reflect on some of our favorite things from January 1990: "Rhythm Nation," the original BSC TV show (!), and GOZZIE KUNKA.Brooke and Kaykay discuss Mary Anne and the Great Romance's exploration of shifting family dynamics, attachment styles and their impact on relationships, and the struggle to find a proper balance between "lonely" and "free," with diversions on Gozzie Kunka, '90s nautical fashion, and Gozzie Freaking Kunka.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

December 1989 brought an appropriately dramatic end to the 1980s: The month kicked off with Dad Bush and future Pizza Hut spokesperson Mikhail Gorbachev announcing an end to the Cold War; ended with a piano scarfed David Hasselhoff rocking Berlin into the 1990s; and saw the debut of The Simpsons and the reign of "We Didn't Start the Fire" in between. Optimism was the general vibe, though there's little evidence of this to be found in the 3rd Baby-sitters Club Super Special. OOF.Brooke and Kaykay discuss the problematic treatment of racism and fatphobia in the final BSC book of the 1980s, with digressions on WASP colonial cosplay, MORE PEE WEE (!!), and Young Kaykay's close encounter with the Moonies. Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram

November 1989 was serving INSPIRATION: The fall of the Berlin Wall! The Velvet Revolution! The debut of Queen Latifah! The introduction of queer icon Ursula the Sea Witch! The Baby-sitters Club's addition of literacy tutoring to their ever-expanding list of services! Brooke and Kaykay discuss Mallory and the Mystery Diary's ode to the joys of reading and its model of educational empowerment, with digressions on Pee-wee, potatoes, and the badassery of Helen Keller.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram NOTE: We will no longer be posting to or sharing content from Spotify, due to the company's decision to prioritize misinformation over truth. New audio home for our soundtracks coming soon!

October 1989 was a month of political, physical, and personal shakeups: Regimes fell in Central Europe, San Francisco quaked on live TV, and copaganda's stranglehold on the box office was ended by two Scientologists and a talking baby. It was all quite tumultuous -- as was Stacey McGill's home life.Brooke and Kaykay discuss Welcome Back, Stacey!'s insightful portrayal of the stress of decision making and the impact of institutions on personal relationships, with digressions to spread the gospel of Young MC and lament the misery of CCD.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

The vibe of September 1989 was BOLD, with popular uprisings against authoritarianism in East Germany, South Africa, and Beverly Hills (justice for Zsa Zsa!), Cher's scandalous strut across an aircraft carrier and up the music charts, and the debut of Joan Rivers' delightfully chaotic daytime talk show. An auspicious time to be young and creative!Brooke and Kaykay discuss Jessi and the Superbrat's exploration of performativity and the alienation of the exceptional, with digressions on cereal box toys, Camel Cash, and the dress code on Suze Orman's island. Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

August 1989 was a month for motley crews out of their elements: a bevy of your loudest uncle's favorite bands (including Motley Crue, natch) rocked Moscow; two movies about dysfunctional families in crisis ruled the box office; and half of Stoneybrook Elementary got shipped upstate to spend two weeks bunking with strangers who greet them with varying degrees of hostility and judgment. (Well, technically the latter happened in July 1989...but what even is time, anyway?) Brooke and Kaykay discuss the impact of peer pressure to assimilate on individuals and communities, with an extended digression on a camp karaoke classic and yet another Young Kaykay survival story.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

Hollywood went deep into copaganda in July 1989 (Batman, Lethal Weapon 2, AND Turner & Hooch?!), and Ann M. Martin went even deeper into the Kubler-Ross model in this exquisitely realized portrayal of death and grief. Grab your weighted blanket for this one, kids, cause it's the Coping with Existential Despair Hour! YAY!Brooke and Kaykay discuss Claudia's attempt to find meaning in loss and their own experiences with the grieving process, with digressions on Kaykay's Cool Aunt status and a pitch for a gritty reboot of a Nickelodeon classic.But really: This is a heavier episode than usual, so you may want to plan your listening accordingly. And fear not: All will be brought into balance with extra fart and/or menstruation jokes in the next episode.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

June 1989 was rough and so is this book. Y'ALL. Over the course of the last three books, the BSC went from exploring profound questions like "Where is home?" and "What makes a family?" to "Why is Logan?!?!" Buckle up, kids, because it's a damn V.C. Andrews novel up in here. Brooke and Kaykay read the gaslighting, cat-napping, ball-dropping Logan Bruno for FILTH while trying to make sense of Ann M.'s narrative choices, with digressions on the Haunting of Jamie Newton, cultural alienation, Cootie vs. cooties, and toilet animals (again!). Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

In May 1989, we bid farewell to Alexis Carrington and Alex P. Keaton, said hello to Toonces the Driving Cat, and crossed our fingers for the health and safety of 28 children in Connecticut who spent Mother's Day Eve wandering through Sudsy's Carnival without adult supervision.Brooke and Kaykay discuss the evolution of our cultural and personal concept of "family," with digressions on Motley Crew mirrors, helium balloon-based disasters, existential dread, and Kaykay's dreams of Ann M. Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

April 1989 was heavy: The Tiananmen Square Protests began in Beijing, the Central Park Jogger case threw New York City into a frenzy, and Ann M. Martin laid down some hard philosophical truths about the ephemeral nature of one's definition of "home." (Oh, you thought this was a lighthearted beach read? Au contraire!)Brooke and Kaykay discuss Dawn's journey through the stages of change, with digressions on California slander, commune food, and their personal encounter with the one and only Teen Witch. TOP THAT!Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

March 1989: When Madonna pissed off the Pope (and Pepsi), a fever dream opened the Oscars, and Ann M. Martin gave a civics lesson disguised as a book about pet-sitting.Brooke and Kaykay discuss the BSC's battle with interpersonal and structural power dynamics, with digressions on sleepover choreography, the hypnotic effects of '80s commercials, and what may be the QUEEREST! MOMENT! YET! in this book series.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

February 1989: Paula Abdul went straight up the charts, two San Dimas youth went on an excellent adventure, and Ann M. Martin attempted to turn "mall" into a verb.Brooke and Kaykay discuss Mallory and the Arnold twins' pursuit of individuation via consumerism, with digressions on contraband cassette tapes, 80s mall madness, and (of course) trout fishing.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

It's a revolutionary season finale for a revelatory show! Brooke and Kaykay bid a fond farewell to their summer vacation with The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix, with diversions on the fringe benefits of poison ivy and the perils of Taco Bell. Stay to the end for an update on the plan for Season 2, which premieres on Netflix on October 11.  Programming note: As planned, the Baby-sitters Fight Club is going back to the original book-and-pop culture history format and biweekly schedule with the next episode on Mallory and the Trouble with Twins, which will be available in this podcast feed on September 24th!Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

An episode about disillusionment and empowerment? TIMELY! In Netflix's extremely loose adaptation of Super Special #2: Baby-sitters Summer Vacation, the girls take on social inequality, bureaucracy, and personal betrayal -- and we get the most Clearly Coded Queer episode in the series (say THAT five times fast). Speaking of disillusionment/empowerment: Women's rights are under assault in America with the implementation of SB 8 in Texas. If you are a U.S. resident, please contact your state and federal representatives to demand action to secure a woman's right to control her body and dictate her own future. And if you are able, consider donating to Texas Abortion Funds to support frontline organizations providing critical assistance to those in need.Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify

Changes abound in the Netflix adaptation of Kristy's Big Day, which features two major milestones: first periods and second weddings. Brooke and Kaykay discuss it all, plus: witch pride, '80s puberty educational videos, good first vehicles (besides luxury SUVs), and the debut of the new hit summer anthem, "Lesbian Aunts."Visit us at our website, and follow us on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify