Ready or Not

THIS SHOW IS REALLY COOL. I have seen it many times. It shows how 2 different people can become best friends. I think that its a great show to watch with friends and i was sad to see the series end. :(

You Canadians really have your stuff together. You show all the oldies but goodies. This YTV sounds interesting and I would love to have that channel if it means I could watch this show. I adored this show! I cannot explain how upset I was that I didn't have the premium channels back in the day and would have to wait for Disney's free preview weekend to watch this show. Canadian based teen shows are really good at hitting the nail of teen life or emerging teen life. Mess like Dawson's Creek are ridiculous compared to this show and "Higher Ground". I loved the dynamic of the 2 lead characters. They dealt with a lot of issues you wouldn't think to address, and did it without an ABC After-School Special quality about it. It was very blunt and "this is what it is", now deal quality that I liked. Laura Bertram is a tremendous actress. I remember her from a lot of childhood shows like "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and was just wowed at my young age by her talent. I can't even remember specific episodes, but I hope they add it to the WAM! channel. Might write a letter...lol. Seriously, it was a great dramatic show about entering adolescence and the issues we have on the way. Awesome piece of work!

I used to watch this every so often during it's original run... I only recently began tuning in regularly. In retrospect, there are some points of the show that are kind of cheesy and laughable. For example, when Amanda got her first bra- her FATHER knew! And they talked about it so casually: "So, you're going to get a bra tonight...". Most girls at that age (she was supposed to be 12 or so then, right?) are uncomfortable discussing that kind of thing with their fathers. I know I was! :P Same with Busy. When she got her period, her dad knew about it.

But, those, and several other points aside, it was a pretty informative and 'realistic' show. It dealt with issues and problems girls face as they grow up- such as peer pressure, hazing, homosexuality, divorce and the likes, but it wasn't preachy or sugar-coated. They were approached directly and tangibly... and, unlike many TV shows, sometimes the conflicts weren't resolved within the half hour. It also encouraged individuality- something that should be stressed more, especially in today's society.

And as someone already mentioned, these girls were actually around the age they were supposed to be playing! Unlike a lot of shows, where they're all 25 year olds playing teenagers.

If you ever get a chance to watch even one episode, do it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

This was a really great show, and I remember watching it on Showtime when it first started way back when. I'm 22 now, and would probably watch the show today, because it was light, and the humor worked really well. I don't remember everything about the show, but I do remember that it was definitely quality television, and so much better than the teen stuff on today, which is utter crap.

Set in 90s, in the Canadian suburbs, Ready or Not centers on the unlikely friendship of two girls with opposite dispositions: the insecure, accident-prone Amanda Zimm, who tends to leap into embarrassing situations without thinking them over (Ready); and the cool, insightful, and cautious, Elizabeth "Busy" Ramone (Not).

At it's best, Ready or Not showcases a type of bittersweet realism, found in The Wonder Years and Freaks and Geeks. The girls are free to talk about pretty much anything (to quote Amanda discussing her older, 7th grade idol, Chrissy "letting a guy touch her boob for a second because it's supposed to give him a boner or something".) Even though there's the occasional after-school special message, it's saved from being cheesy with it's humor. For example, the episode where Busy's brother awkwardly attempts to bum a cigarette off of a group of older kids and obliviously declares "a guy just likes to enjoy a butt every once and a while".

However, in the last two seasons, there was a noticeable difference in tone. They could no longer go through the same embarrassing shenanigans as in the earlier episodes without looking foolish instead of naive. Things become more serious, and there is less humor to be found.

Seasons 4 and 5 also concentrates on the two girls growing up and growing apart. Amanda is bubblier, and having an easier time with boys and the social dynamics of school. Though, Busy is thrown threw a loop. She is suddenly unsure where she fits in when it becomes more apparent that Busy is Jane Lane to Amanda's Charlotte York. Through it all, Busy becomes more desolate, yet consistent. At times, it makes it really hard to like Amanda's character, her boy-crazy, social climbing ways become more apparent than ever. However, both girls work hard at staying friends no matter how different they are, and whatever the circumstances.