If you grew up on the original 1964 Louise Fitzhugh novel, or even the 1996 movie with Michelle Trachtenberg, the 2010 TV movie Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars probably felt like a fever dream. It’s a Disney Channel-style flick that aired on Disney Channel in the US and Teletoon in Canada, but it wasn’t actually a Disney production. It was a co-production between 9 Story Entertainment and Decode Entertainment. Honestly, it’s a weirdly specific artifact of that awkward transition period where "blogging" was the coolest thing a teenager could possibly do.
Jennifer Stone, coming off her Wizards of Waverly Place fame, took the lead. She’s great, actually. She brings a grounded, slightly cynical energy that fits Harriet M. Welsch. But the movie itself? It’s a massive departure from the source material. Instead of a lonely girl spying on her neighbors to understand the complexities of the human condition, we get a high-stakes competition to become the "class blogger." It’s sort of jarring if you’re looking for the melancholy of the original book.
Why Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars Still Stirs Up Debate
The 2010 movie basically reimagines Harriet's notebook as a digital space. In the 1996 version, the notebook is a private, sacred thing. When it's stolen, it's a violation. In Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, the conflict is flipped. Harriet is competing against her arch-nemesis, Marion Hawthorne, for the title of the official class blogger. This changes the stakes from internal character growth to external social status.
A lot of fans of the book hate this. I get it. The whole point of Harriet is that she isn't seeking attention. She’s an observer. By making her fight for a public-facing blog, the movie strips away some of that "outsider" DNA that made the character iconic.
The Marion Hawthorne Problem
In the original story, Marion is a mean girl, sure, but she’s a catalyst for Harriet’s isolation. In the 2010 version, she’s almost a cartoon villain. Vanessa Morgan plays her well—she’s got that perfect "popular girl" sneer—but the script turns her into a rival blogger who is willing to do anything to win.
It becomes a "who can get more clicks" story.
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Is that realistic for 2010? Maybe. We were all obsessed with Tavi Gevinson and the rise of the "teen influencer" back then. But it feels dated now. Seeing Harriet try to get "scoops" on a teen heartthrob named Skander Hill (played by Wesley Morgan) feels more like an episode of iCarly than a literary adaptation.
The Production Reality of the 2010 Movie
Let’s talk about the technical side for a second. This wasn't a big-budget theatrical release. It was a TV movie. You can see it in the cinematography. Everything is bright, saturated, and very "Toronto-core"—you can tell it was filmed in Ontario from a mile away.
Director Ron Oliver, who worked on Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps, keeps the pacing fast. It’s never boring. But it lacks the texture of the 1996 film. It’s basically a bright, shiny piece of 2010s nostalgia.
Does it hold up?
If you view it as a standalone teen comedy, it’s fine. It’s fun. Jennifer Stone is charismatic. The fashion is... well, it’s very 2010. Lots of layers, waist belts, and statement necklaces. If you view it as a faithful adaptation of Fitzhugh’s work, you’ll probably be annoyed.
The movie tries to modernize the concept of "spying" by making it about "reporting." But spying and reporting are two different things. Spying is for yourself. Reporting is for an audience. That’s the fundamental disconnect in Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars.
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What the 2010 Version Got Right (Surprisingly)
It’s easy to dunk on this movie for being a "Disney-fied" version of a classic. However, it does handle the friendship between Harriet, Sport, and Janie with some decent heart. Alexander Conti and Melinda Shankar bring some groundedness to the group.
- Sport's Character: He’s still the loyal, slightly worried best friend. He provides the emotional anchor Harriet needs when she gets too caught up in the "blog war."
- The Lesson: Despite the flashy blogging subplot, the movie eventually circles back to the idea that some things shouldn't be shared. It touches on the ethics of privacy, which, honestly, is more relevant today than it was sixteen years ago.
- The Pacing: It moves. It’s a 95-minute movie that feels like 60.
One thing people forget is that this movie was part of a larger push to keep the Harriet IP alive. It was followed by an animated series much later, but for a long time, this was the "modern" Harriet.
The Controversy of "Modernizing" Classics
When we look back at Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, we see a trend that was rampant in the late 2000s: taking 20th-century literary characters and giving them a smartphone (or a laptop). It happened with Nancy Drew, it happened with The Hardy Boys.
The problem is that Harriet’s specific brand of spying relies on her being invisible. In the 2010 movie, she’s trying to be seen. It's a total 180.
Critics at the time were mixed. Common Sense Media noted it was "lightweight fun" but lacked the depth of the original. That’s the consensus. It’s a snack, not a meal.
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Breaking Down the Plot Beats
The movie centers on Harriet trying to expose the "real" Skander Hill. She thinks he’s a jerk. She wants to prove it on her blog to win the contest. Along the way, she realizes that even celebrities are people with private lives.
It’s a standard "don't judge a book by its cover" trope.
Is it groundbreaking? No. Is it offensive? Also no. It’s just... very 2010.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans of the Franchise
If you’re planning a rewatch or introducing someone to the world of Harriet M. Welsch, here is how you should approach it.
- Watch the 1996 version first. It captures the atmosphere of the book much better. It feels like New York. It feels like childhood.
- Treat the 2010 movie as a time capsule. Watch it for the fashion, the early-internet lingo, and Jennifer Stone’s performance. Don't go in expecting a deep dive into the psyche of a social outcast.
- Read the book. Seriously. If you’ve only seen the movies, you’re missing the gritty, weird, and often uncomfortable reality of Louise Fitzhugh’s writing.
- Compare the "Spying" vs. "Blogging" dynamics. It’s a great conversation starter for kids about what it means to have a private thought versus a public post.
The 2010 version of Harriet is a product of its era. It reflects a time when we were just starting to figure out how the internet would change our social lives. While it might not be the "definitive" Harriet, it’s a fascinating look at how we try to update classic stories for a new generation—and sometimes miss the mark on why they were classic in the first place.
If you want to see a more recent take, the Apple TV+ animated series actually goes back to the 1960s setting, which many argue is where Harriet belongs. But if you want a dose of nostalgia and a reminder of when "blogging" was a competitive sport, Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars is waiting for you.