10 Things I Hate About You

Back in March I did a retro review of 10 Things I Hate About You and I mentioned that there would be a TV version on its way. Well last Tuesday the small screen version made its debut on ABC Family. The premises is still the same with two contrasting Stratford sisters who represent extreme sides of society at school. Kat played by Lindsey Shaw is a feisty feminist who takes no prisoners and Bianca played by Meaghan Jette Martin is a social butterfly who yearns to get in with the hip crowd. However, the storyline differ slightly from the film; here Kat and Bianca are newcomers at the school while in the film they had been there for years with Bianca being the creme a la creme. Also Bianca has a much sweeter disposition than the character in the film.

Now no school drama would be complete without a baddy so enter Chasity Church played by Dana Davis, the most popular girl in the school who has all the students and teachers eating out of the palm of her hand. She automatically locks heads with Kat over a parking space which is bad news for Bianca who has been scouting Chasity on Facebook in her attempt to bowl her over. Meanwhile Kat finds herself the object of attention by social outsider, Patrick Verona played by Ethan Peck (Gregory Peck's grandson) and makes friends with a graffiti artist called Mandella. The comedy value is provided by ultra geeks, Cameron and Michael who devise a strategy to get Cameron hooked up with Bianca. Their dad, Walter Stratford is played again by Larry Miller who is the only actor from the film.

I downloaded the pilot on itunes (which is free) and really enjoyed it. The dialogue is just as sharp as it was in the film and both Kat and Bianca are compelling characters to watch. I find it interesting that a TV series has been made 10 years after the film hit the screen but with the fascination that we now have with the 80s this show will slot right in.

Check out the preview to the show below.



10 things I Hate About You airs on Tuesdays on ABC Family.