Now that L*ttle F*res Everywhere has premiered its last ep, I have to give my hot take: I did not like it. The writing is (mostly) poor. The acting is at a constant level 11 for no reason. There is little to no nuance to Elena’s and Mia’s characters. They butchered the ending.

Let me be very clear: I think the book is fantastic. But what the book does so well is highlight the SUBTLETY of the racism and classism in Shaker Heights. In the show, every other conversation is explicitly about race/class/motherhood, which is, in my opinion, the major mistake.

Shaker is the perfect vehicle to talk ab the obscurity of these issues (as Ng does so well in the book), but the show only seems concerned with moral absolutes and preachy lines that shove its thesis down your throat. Here’s the thing about Shaker: we know

that racism and classism exist in our ~diverse suburban utopia~ (we’re not blind to it, as everyone-but-Mia seems to be in the show), but we often go ab dealing with it incorrectly/insufficiently. And THAT is what the book captures so well and what is (to me) mishandled

in the show. The show also makes Elena, Mia, and Bebe feel one-dimensional and honestly kind of cartoonish. Ng’s book never lets her characters or plot lines fall prey to moral absolutes. All of the characters are simultaneously right and wrong, understood and misunderstood,

which accurately reflects the real world and, to me, the real Shaker Heights. I’m sorry that the TV writers couldn’t convey that. If you would like to understand what Shaker is really like, read the LFE book. Or, you can read this article from last year,

a well-written and reported piece by alumna @laurameckler. I think it accurately captures the complexity and frustrations of Shaker Heights’ race/class problem. I also know some ppl may disagree w me! And that’s ok! This is just my personal take! https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/10/11/this-trail-blazing-suburb-has-tried-years-tackle-race-what-if-trying-isnt-enough/

LAST THING I’ll say, as I hate to post a predominately negative thread. There were some things ab the show that I liked:
-any scene btwn Mia and Pearl was touching and convincing for me
-The teenage actors: genuinely very good!
-Izzy’s added storyline