MovieChat Forums > Sweet Valley High (1994) Discussion > Book Jessica Vs TV show Jessica

Book Jessica Vs TV show Jessica

posted 13 years ago by welsh_blue_blood
10 replies | jump to latest

Did anyone else hate what the tv show did with Jessica's character? Season one wasnt so bad but with each series she just became increasingly dumb and bimbo like.
In the books yes she was vain and shallow and could make bonehead decisions but she was also very clever and just as intelligent as Elizabeth when she put the effort in. It was just that she had very different values.
But in the tv show she was just a stereotype of an air-head valley girl blonde bimbo.

[–] Coryraisa 13 years ago

Yeah, kind of. They also made her meaner in the TV version and more vindictive.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JCrewgirl 13 years ago

Jessica was awful in the beginning of the book series, I remember book 2 Secrets when she tells everyone about Enid's drug using past just so she can win some beauty contest (there was a similar plot on the TV show like that too but they changed it around, book 4 where Jessica pretty much teases and makes a spectacle out of Robin Wilson for her own amusement since she didn't want Robin in her sorority and book 10 where she manipulates Annie Whitman because she doesn't want her on the cheerleading squad and hurts her to the point where she tries to kill herself, were Jessica at her worse! As the books went along she got better though. Lila was the only one who was really stuck up IMO but even she got more mature as the series went on.

I still pray for Lindsey Lohan.

[–] danessf 11 years ago

"They ruined Jessica... They ruined a lot more than Jessica"

by Dane Youssef

You're absolutely right. They didn't just ruin Jessica in the later episodes. They did the same with Todd, Winston, Manny, Enid... and everything else. They started to follow the books at first, but because "Saved By The Bell" was so incredibly hot back then... they were trying to re-model the show the same way.

They really did f-up "Sweet Valley." Come on, there's a reason this show was cancelled after only four seasons and only the first season made it to DVD. The rest are now available to watch for free on YouTube.

The books were immortal--enormously popular. They really did capture adolescence in a lot of ways. The characters were big and life with three-dimensions, and deep layers. No matter what the plots were. And they turned it into the dumbest and most unrealistic of sit-coms. Why? 'Cause another show just as stupid ("Saved By The Bell") was incredibly huge and that's what they were trying to go for. If you're going to adapt something beloved to the masses with a built-in audience of billions, give them what already is. And it's not like the changes they made were ANY kind of improvement. By season three, the show had become borderline-unwatchable. Remember--the show was cancelled BECAUSE everyone stopped watching--even those little girls who treated the book series as their Bible. And collected every piece of merchandise the damned thing spit out. It's strange, but the books don't even seem to exist anymore. And the show is now available for free... and virtually forgotten.

Go figure.

I'm still hoping they get the movie right.

--For The Sweetest of Valleys (the real one), Dane Youssef

[–] JCrewgirl 11 years ago

Well the average early morning series DOES only go on for four seasons even Saved by the Bell only had four.

Just got secretly engaged to the best guy ever!!

[–] danessf 10 years ago

by Dane Youssef

Honey, Saved by the Bell had a helluva lot more than FOUR seasons! Double-check your history!

There was "Good Morning, Miss Bliss." There was the junior-high years on "Saved by the Bell." There was "Saved by the Bell"--period. There was "Saved by the Bell: The College Years." And there was "Saved by the Bell: The New Class."

Not to mention those hour-long serial TV movies...

So... "Bell" went on for a while, honey. Maybe too long.

This thing bit the dust early on--and for good reason.

Sorry about the tardiness of this retort. I finally got to this, around to reading your reply.

So... I assume by now you're married.

Any kids... ?

But once again, re-iterating my original point--the show ruined... pretty much everything.

--All The Best Physically Possible, Dane Youssef

[email protected]

[–] TCokie 7 years ago

I had NO idea they were on YouTube. Thanks.

[–] gatumonibandana 11 years ago

jessica was smarter in the books i agree
she was a bitch in the books as well but her bitchiness was sometimes contrived/purposeful in a way. she showed potential growth and good feelings but always was forced back into the "bad twin" role to highlight elizabeth's goodness.

[–] andromache3 8 years ago

Jessica was a real piece of work in the books and displayed truly sociopathic tendencies, it was creepy what she would do to get what she wanted and the way she constantly manipulated Elizabeth was sickening. She made Regina George look like a big old pussy cat. So above and beyond a regular mean girl. I didn't honestly think the TV version was that bad but I could be wrong.

"You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you." Mr Darcy

[–] TCokie 7 years ago

Remember she also got her sister drunk to win queen at the dance and when Elizabeth drive drunk and killed her boyfriend she said nothing for like months.