The Saddle Club (season 3)
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The Saddle Club is an Australian-Canadian children's television series developed by Sarah Dodd, based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three best friends in training to compete in equestrian competitions at the fictional Pine Hollow Stables, while dealing with problems in their personal lives. The third season aired between September 7th, 2008 to April 10, 2009 on the ABC network in Australia and on YTV in Canada.
While the first two seasons of The Saddle Club (2001-2003) were well-received, the third season (2008-2009) faced a negative reception and is often considered non-canon due to its drastic changes.
Bad Qualities
- The main problem with Season 3 is the executive meddling that led to all the original cast members from the first two seasons not being invited back due to them aging out of their roles. This decision significantly impacted the show's continuity and connection with its audience.
- To make matters worse, the original actors were not informed that Season 3 was in production. Lara Jean Marshall, who originally played Lisa, explained in an interview that they were unaware of the new season until much later. This lack of communication not only disrespected the original cast but also alienated long-time fans who had grown attached to these characters.
- The series missed a significant opportunity by not continuing with a Pine Hollow adaptation featuring the original cast. Instead of introducing a new cast, the show could have depicted the main characters transitioning to high school, making both good and bad decisions, and allowing the audience to grow up with them. This approach would have provided richer, more mature storylines, reflected the natural progression of the characters' lives and maintained the connection with the original fanbase.
- The characters often make situations overly dramatic when it isn't warranted, leading to a sense of exaggerated tension.
- The writing and humor have also declined from the clever and hilarious nature of the first two seasons to being unfunny and stale in several episodes. Some of the jokes fall flat compared to earlier seasons.
- Another issue is that this season start exiting main/major characters with no little to no explanation as to why they left or having abrupt departures:
- Ashley, who was Melanie's best friend, is replaced with Jess. Ashley’s absence is not addressed, leaving a significant gap in Melanie's storyline.
- Kristi is another character who disappears with minimal explanation. Although mentioned in a few episodes, her whereabouts remain unknown. Veronica hints that Kristi may have moved to another country, but this is never confirmed or elaborated upon.
- Scooter, while not a main character, had a significant storyline with Veronica involving a "will they, won't they" dynamic. His character is never mentioned again, effectively ignoring this major subplot.
- Other characters such as Red, Drew, Debra, Dorothée, and Liam do not make any guest appearances.
- The producers could have retained most of the adult characters from the first two seasons, like Catherine Wilkins, Brett Tucker, and Cathy Godbold, to maintain a sense of consistency and continuity.
- The age discrepancies are notable in Season 3, with characters like Carole, who is supposed to be 14, portrayed by an actress (Victoria Campbell) who is actually 11. This, coupled with many actors looking younger than the original cast, creates a dissonance for the audience.
- The conflicts between the Saddle Club girls can often seem ridiculous and exaggerated.
- Some characters have been flanderized:
- Veronica reverts to her season 1 persona, despite having saved Pine Hollow from shutting down, which should have given her more depth and vulnerability.
- Phil transitions from a fun-loving, sarcastic boy to a comic relief troublemaker.
- Lisa, although retaining her original personality, becomes pettier and loses the hopeless romantic aspect that made her endearing.
- Mrs. Reg lacks the nurturing mother figure presence she had in the original seasons, sometimes coming across as unlikable.
- Certain characters, such as Veronica, Phil, Murray, and Lisa, can be unlikable at times. For instance, there's no clear reason why Murray rides at Pine Hollow in Season 3, as he wasn't a student there in Season 2. Veronica's friendship with Desi is also portrayed inconsistently, with Veronica sometimes being a poor friend, and Desi seemingly reluctant to maintain the friendship.
- While Marny Kennedy does a commendable job portraying Veronica, she lacks the same charisma and line delivery that Heli Simpson brought to the character.
- Several continuity errors ignore previously established events:
- Stevie and Phil's relationship from Season 2 is not acknowledged.
- In the episode "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," Stevie claims Lisa can't do cross-country, contradicting Season 1's "Herdbound" episode where Max praises Lisa’s cross-country skills.
- The series can feel stale at times, with some acting performances bordering on cringeworthy. The season premiere, "Back in the Saddle," sets a negative tone for the rest of the season.
- One notable problematic episode is "The Duchess and the Donkey." In this episode, The Saddle Club's actions are questionable. Stevie can't ride due to a broken ankle, so Lisa and Carole decide not to ride out of solidarity. Veronica bets her new saddle that they can't stick to this decision, promising that if they ride, she gets to be their leader. Lisa and Carole attempt to ride a visiting horse in secret, but Veronica catches them. Somehow, this scenario is portrayed as Veronica being sneaky, and the Saddle Club devises a nasty initiation ritual to get her to decline joining them, which is treated as a happy ending. However, considering they would have claimed her saddle if not caught, it appears that Veronica is unfairly treated.
- The character Trouble the Donkey can also be annoying at times, adding to the episode's issues.
- Overall, season 3 has little to no connection to the first two seasons, making it seem almost non-canon. It loses the original charm, appearing more immature and lacking the interesting storylines of its predecessors. This season faced significant backlash from the older audience who grew up with the original series and much preferred the classic version over season 3.
Good Qualities
- Despite its shortcomings, Season 3 has some redeeming qualities. While weaker compared to the first two seasons, it remains enjoyable because the original creator and executive producers are involved.
- Thankfully, most characters haven't been flanderized in this season, retaining their personalities and charm.
- The new actors do a commendable job portraying the characters.
- Even though he appears in only two episodes ("Moving On" parts 1-2), Carole's dad, played by Chris Kirby, is the only original cast member to appear in this season. Additionally, Kia Luby (Kristi’s actress) appears in video journals during this season, providing a nostalgic touch.
- The acting remains decent, even from the new cast. Max is friendlier in this season compared to seasons 1 and 2. The new characters, such as Desi, Simon, Jess, and Jack, are likable. Even those who dislike Season 3 often appreciate these new additions:
- Desi becomes a friend of Veronica without being a jerk to the Saddle Club.
- Melanie and Jess have a strong friendship.
- Simon undergoes a compelling character arc throughout the series.
- Unlike other former characters, Kristi is mentioned in a few episodes.
- There are many heartwarming and funny moments in this season. It is one of the few kid comedies that instructs on important morals about self-love, relationships, and friendship.
- It also spawned several enjoyable music videos at the end of most episodes, featuring songs like:
- Home
- Being A Girl
- A Question A Style
- Together We Can Win
- Feel The Beat
- It's My Life
- It still stays faithful to the Saddle Club books.
- Like the first two seasons, it has amazing set design and decent lighting.
- It's nice to hear the lyrics from ''Hello World'' in the theme song.
- There are a lot of good episodes such as:
- Moving On (parts 1-2)
- Cut to the Quick
- Itchy
- Lisa's Choice (parts 1-2)
- Out Foxed
- Breaking Up is Hard To Do
- Happy trails
- Riding To England (which was a good way to end the series).
- Some Saddle Club fans enjoy this season despite the absence of the original cast. Additionally, this season transitioned the series to high definition, enhancing the viewing experience.
Reception
Season 3 of The Saddle Club received mixed-to-negative feedback from fans. Many criticized the recasting of all the major roles, especially since it wasn't made with the original cast following the tragic death of Jessica Jacobs (who played Melanie in Season 2). Some fans also noted the absence of characters like Ashley, Kristi, Deborah, Scooter, Red, and Drew, who were replaced by new characters such as Desi, Simon, Jess, and Jack. Another criticism from fans was that the series wasn't a Pine Hollow adaptation carrying on with the original cast. Additionally, some fans found the season immature and lacking the compelling storylines that were present in the first two seasons. However, there were still viewers who were just happy to see the show return, and some new fans, unfamiliar with the original series, enjoyed this era of the show.
Trivia
Here's a video of Lara explaining her experience on the show.
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