User Reviews

I grew up on this book series and now I teach them almost every year. My children love the books...but this show is nothing like the books.

The actors don't seem to be really acting. The only tiny bits you see of any story or plot line were taken directly from the books themselves. The rest of the show is 'artistic license' brought on by people who call themselves writers. Hah!

The plot lines also do not make sense as they do in the books. For instance, Peter receives Dribble at the beginning of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. This happens in the first chapter, as it does in the first episode. However, what the story leads up to (and takes an entire book to lead up to) Fudge eating Dribble, is covered in one episode. Just for fun, they also throw in the Yarbys plot line and change Juicy O to Soupy. Forgive the language, but what the actual hell man? Four chapters worth of material from one book in a twenty minute episode? Introducing a poor little turtle just to have him eaten at the end of the episode? Who does that? Even HBO realized it takes more than one hour to build in chapters worth of books. ABC didn't get that memo.

Some of the more comedic and charming details are glazed over. Remember Fudge putting stamps on the Yarby's suitcase? Putting mashed potatoes on the wall and wearing peas on his head in Hamburger Heaven? The incident in the shoe store? The toddle bike commercial? His incessant spelling and singing? Swallowing his teeth after trying to fly off the monkey bars? "Eat it or wear it?" The character that was built by Judy Blume is no longer that child. Considering the instances above, Fudge, who looks up to and obviously adores his older brother, has been turned into a brat and terror beyond the series. The subtle charms of this character have been changed into random immaturity that do not suit a child at this age. This child resembles that of a wild child, not the charismatic, charming and precocious child Judy Blume created in her novels.

The parents in this story are not what Judy Blume displayed in her novels either. Patient, loving parents that also want to further their child's potential are not displayed in this series either. Since when does any adult in the series say "I hope you aren't jumping on the couch" and then watch their four year old blanatly continue to disobey them and laugh, rather than take action? Warren and Annie are not the same parents from the books I know and love.

To be honest, none of the characters seem to even hit close to the bar of what Judy Blume's vision was. It just falls flat. What was a series of loving (though flawed) people who learned from their mistakes, just turned into a lame attempt at comedy.

In conclusion, as a lover of this series and the author Judy Blume, I will tell this to any fan who wants to watch this lame attempt at a children's tv show adaptation of a book: Don't waste your time. For someone who spent over ten years excited to finally view this show, I can say I have never been more disappointed. There are so many more book adaptations out there that can quench your thirst for an adaptation. Fudge is definitely not one of them.