Generation: Baby-Sitters Club

“The Baby-Sitters Club” has resonated for generations because of the vision of girlhood it presents: one full of autonomy, agency, independence, and community. This episode, author Ann M. Martin tells us how she created the series and the characters, captured the tender years of adolescence, and went on to influence generations of storytellers. 

Because the books we love shape us for life. 

GUESTS: 

One of the things readers loved about “The Baby-Sitters Club” was its depictions of babysitting. Babysitting has been a core piece of American girlhood for a century, and an important right of passage. But the job has evolved, and continues to change for new generations of parents and kids. This episode, we travel to a local babysitting class to explore the changing nature of American childhood, tweenhood, and babysitting. And we learn how these early work experiences shape the workplace. 

GUESTS:

Since its start in the 1980s, “The Baby-Sitters Club” has grown to include multiple spin-off series, including a collection of graphic novels that young readers today continue to devour. This episode, we travel to a BSC anniversary party and to a graphic novelist’s studio to learn about how the series has evolved to stay relevant for new generations — from the covers to the text itself — the work that goes into creating a graphic novel, why young readers today love them, and what this can tell us about why we shouldn’t turn our noses up at the books young reader...

Many fans of “The Baby-Sitters Club” found the series through the on-screen adaptations, whether the 1990 HBO show, the 1995 movie, or the 2020 Netflix series. 

This episode, we talk about how a book moves from the page to the screen, what it means for readers when a favorite book is adapted, and what forces determine what we see. We meet the child actors who brought to life beloved characters, and the showrunners and critics who grew up with the series. And we ask what it means when media for girls gets dismissed, and why these beloved shows and movies aren...

The popular children's series “The Baby-Sitters Club” launched 40 years ago in 1986 when editor Jean Feiwel approached author Ann M. Martin to write four books. Since then, the series has grown to include hundreds of titles, multiple on-screen adaptations, and generations of young readers impacted. 

This episode, we time travel to the Scholastic Book Fairs of our childhoods to learn about the origins of “The Baby-Sitters Club” — and other iconic paperback series — and discover how they shape generations of readers and the publishing industry.

GUESTS: 

How has a 200+ book series about a group of tween babysitters shaped the publishing industry, Hollywood, and the lives of the people who grew up with it? And what can those babysitters teach us about friendship, entrepreneurship, and girlhood? This five-episode podcast revisits the popular series to learn about why we cherish stories that take the tender years between elementary school and high school seriously. 

"Generation: Baby-Sitters Club" is the latest season of the podcast “Generation: The media we love & how it shapes us” from Connecticut Public. 

For more about "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club", visit ctpublic.org/ba...

The team behind “Generation: Barney” and “Generation: Gilmore Girls” is back with something new. This season, we take a look at how a group of adventurous tweens created a worker-owned childcare cooperative that fueled over two hundred books and multiple on-screen adaptations. 

Meet "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club”, a five-episode podcast series about the books we love and how they shape us. 

Coming October 2026. 

Visit ctpublic.org/generation for more!

Support the show: https://www.ctpublic.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, fans travel to Connecticut to get a taste of Stars Hollow. No, the town doesn’t exist. But it is inspired by very real places. Those places have even been shaped by the show. In this episode, we explore which parts of Connecticut inspired "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. We’ll road trip with you to discover your own piece of Stars Hollow – and to see how the real-life places compare to the Connecticut on the show. 

Parents, a heads-up: audio contains a few bleeped explicit words.

This episode is sponsored by Panera. Whateve...

25 years after its premiere, "Gilmore Girls" lives on because of its fans. Those fans have created a special community – one that feels a lot like the small town of Stars Hollow in the show. What is it about "Gilmore Girls"  that inspires people to come together? And what can it teach us about what we’re missing in our daily lives? 

“Gilmore Guys” podcast host Kevin T. Porter, cast member Yanic Truesdale, and Fan Fest Society event organizer Jennie Whitaker reflect on the special fandom that is keeping the show alive on television screens and in our hearts. <...

"Gilmore Girls" premiered on The WB in October 2000 and it’s still finding new fans 25 years later. In this episode, we’re on a mission to find out how "Gilmore Girls" found its audience, while staying true to itself – from its "Gilmore speed” delivery, its pop culture-packed references, and its complicated female characters.  

Hear why it resonates from actor Keiko Agena, who played Lane Kim on the show, and fan and "Ginny & Georgia" creator Sarah Lampert. 

Parents, a heads-up: audio contains a few bleeped explicit words.

This episode is sponsored by Panera. Whatever you're feel...

Why do three Gilmore Girls and a small town continue to resonate with generations of fans? And what does a TV series that ended nearly two decades ago tell us about who we want to be? This three-part podcast looks for answers in the place that inspired it all: Connecticut. 

"Generation: Gilmore Girls", coming December 2nd, listen wherever you get your podcasts.

For more, visit ctpublic.org/gilmore.

"Generation: Gilmore Girls" is sponsored by Panera. Whatever your feeling—at Panera, It Just Meals Good. Order now at PaneraBread.com.

Marketing support pro...

The team behind 'Generation Barney' is back with something new. This season, we take a look at one of the most famous shows set in Connecticut. Meet 'Generation Gilmore Girls,' a three-part podcast about the media we love and how it shapes us. 

Coming soon. Wherever you get your podcasts.

For more visit: ctpublic.org/gilmore 

Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.

Support the show: https://www.ctpublic.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barney made kids feel loved. He was a friend, sometimes even a father figure, to Millennials and Gen Zers. To this day, many are finding comfort in this purple dinosaur and trying to put his values into practice. So, why do the things we loved as kids stick with us? What draws us back to them decades later?

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/DINO and get on your way to being your best self.

This episode is sponsored by MasterClass. Learn from the best to become...

“Barney & Friends” was all about the music. Barney and the kids on the show would learn about everything through song. The people behind Barney’s tunes had to make sure toddlers could easily understand what they were hearing — that meant songs had to be active, repetitive, and simple. But those same ingredients? They made some parents cringe. For a lot of them, the songs felt like torture.

This episode is sponsored by MasterClass. Learn from the best to become your best. Head over to masterclass.com/DINO for the current offer.

The seven-part podcast is produced...

For a lot of young viewers, Barney wasn’t just a character on TV. He was more like a friend. Barney even became a kind of mentor for some kids. For one group of friends, their friendship — and even careers — might’ve turned out totally different had it not been for a purple dinosaur.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/DINO and get on your way to being your best self.

The seven-part podcast is produced by Connecticut Public and hosted by Sabrina Herrera. The reporter-producers are Meg Dalt...

On “Barney & Friends,” Barney starts off as a plush toy and then comes to life. That iconic stuffed animal wasn’t just on the small screen; it was in the homes of children around the world. Merchandise was a huge part of the show’s success. But “Barney & Friends” wasn’t the first movie or TV show to connect with fans through merch. That dates back a long time — and has a history that includes He-Man, Ronald Reagan, and George Lucas.

This episode is sponsored by MasterClass. Learn from the best to become your best. Head over to masterclass.c...

Kids all over the world loved Barney. But even though Barney loved everybody, not everybody loved him back. Some parents found the character pretty annoying. Other grown-ups took things a step further. In some cases, the Barney backlash even got violent. That extreme reaction from adults? It can tell us a bit about our culture today — and how much our identities can get wrapped up in the things we love and hate.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/DINO and get on your way to being your best self.

In the 90s, preschoolers went nuts for “Barney & Friends” — and that’s kind of by design. The people behind the show put a lot of thought into every detail, from the word choices in scripts to the behaviors Barney modeled. Barney spoke to kids in a language they could understand. And those little ones? They were also central to the creation, and evolution, of the show.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/DINO and get on your way to being your best self.

The seven-part podcast is produced...

For years, two men brought Barney to life. One was the voice, one was the body, and together they entertained kids around the world. Bob West and David Joyner created an iconic character in Barney, from the goofy laugh to those gravity-defying jumps. Just like the character meant so much to many of us, Barney meant a lot to Bob and David, too.

The seven-part podcast is produced by Connecticut Public and hosted by Sabrina Herrera. The reporter-producers are Meg Dalton and Lily Tyson. The editor is Cassandra Basler. The project manager is Megan Fitzgerald. The sound...

Meet “Generation: Barney,” season one of the "Generation" podcast from Connecticut Public about the media we love and how it shapes us. It’s about the purple dinosaur. But it’s also about music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia. Most of all, it’s about the television that helps us become who we are, from the station that helped launch Barney into the world.

The seven-part podcast is produced by Connecticut Public and hosted by Sabrina Herrera. The reporter-producers are Meg Dalton and Lily Tyson. The editor is Cassandra Basler. The project manager is Megan Fitz...