Before ABC Family became Freeform, there was another Shakespeare adaptation of “Taming of the Shrew” that aired on the network. The classic teen romance 10 Things I Hate About You got a revamp in 2009 with its own television show. While the show did receive a high score of 7.3 and was a fan favorite, it only lasted one season.
Fans of the original movie version would realize that the show swayed in a vastly different direction to the original concept. There’s no covert plan to get the Stratford sisters to date. But, it does have the resident bad boy, the comedy, and teen drama. Though both the series and movie have their own unique charms, it’s tough to discern which is the better of the two.
10 Movie: The Late 90s Nostalgia
There’s no denying that movie from the late 90s and early 2000s have a certain charm to them that makes them unbelievably fun to watch. It might be the fashion, the cinematography, or the overall nostalgia 0f the time period, but the movie brings back fond memories like CD players and the coveted teen parties.
Seeing as the movie was released in 1999, it encompasses the best of what a 90s trend had to offer, as well as the optimism of being on the cusp of a new millennium. There’s something much more reassuring about the hairstyles, crop tops, capris, and overall feel to the movie that the show doesn’t have.
9 Show: The “New Girls” Dynamic
There’s a slight difference in how the two Stratford sisters are introduced in the show. In the movie, their status is already established in school amongst their peers. Bianca is the sweet and eligible girl while her older sister is the “shrew.” The introduction of the new student, Cameron (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is what sets off the story.
In the show, the Stratford sisters are the new girls. They have no reputation to uphold, nor do they have a preexisting story. This allows for more leeway into how the characters will develop in the show.
8 Movie: Heath Ledger In The Main Role
Heath Ledger’s role as Patrick Verona is one of the reasons why the movie became so popular. He embodied the role well as a highly charming and handsome bad boy. The show’s Patrick was played by actor Ethan Peck, but his character didn’t have the same feel as Ledger’s character.
Ledger’s portrayal of the role felt more aloof and standoffish and fit the bad boy tone more. He even stabs a frog with his knife and tries to smoke in class. But, he’s still charming, like when he serenades Kat (Julia Stiles) with “Can’t Take My Eye Off of You.” The show version is cuter than a bad boy.
7 Show: Bianca’s More Detailed Story
Bianca’s (Meaghan Martin) story arc in the show is vastly different from what’s seen in the movie. In both versions, she’s still the sweet and angelic sister who wants to be loved by everyone. But, in the show, she has a different agenda. She wants to be popular, and, to do so, she becomes the school mascot to get in the good graces of the head cheerleader.
There’s no ploy of getting someone to date her sister so she can. Instead, it’s all about Binca trying to become popular, and, along the way, she starts to get feelings for the head cheerleader’s boyfriend. In the show, Bianca has her own path and story to figure out that’s more complex than the movie’s version.
6 Movie: The Love Story
If comparing Patrick and Kat’s relationship between the movie and show, the movie wins by far. Audiences see a developing attraction and affection from Patrick in regards to Kat. He starts to realize that she’s much more than meets the eye. She is well versed in politics, world affairs, and is intelligent.
He starts to fall for her despite the deal he made to woo her for money. The bad boy changes his tune. The love story in the show isn’t as romantic. The relationship is more based on overall sexual chemistry than anything else.
5 Show: Kat Is Much More Involved
Both versions of Kat Stratford are meant to be a bit hard around the edges. The movie version is more of a “shrew” than the shows’. Both embody this feminist character that cares about the environment and dislikes social norms like high school social status. In the movie, Kat thanks the prom is a waste of time and pretty jocks to be a joke.
Kat (Lindsey Shaw) in the show is much more hands-on with her point of view and beliefs. She even manages to change a teacher’s grading policy because it was too lenient. She even calls for reform to enact “Meatless Mondays.” Movie version Kat does no such thing.
4 Movie: The “Date” Storyline
The 1999 movie was meant to be a loose rendition of the Shakespeare play, while the show is a loose rendition of the movie. To be fair, what made the movie a fun watch was its “dating” storyline that isn’t seen in the show. Cameron wants to date Bianca but can’t until her sister Kat does also.
Hence the elaborate plan to get the popular guy Joey involved so he can be the financial support to hire Patrick Verona. Patrick then tries to woo Kat so that Binca can date. Along the way, Bianca realizes she liked Cameron all along and Patrick comes to fall in love with Kat. It’s what made the movie so well-liked. The show doesn’t use this storyline at all.
3 Show: High School Drama is More Dramatic
If looking to decide on which version to watch based on the teen drama, the show is the better option. While the 1999 movie is based in high school, the teen drama isn’t as over the top as in the show. The show version amps up the drama to a point it’s highly comical. There are moments where the main characters get in trouble at school and even suspended.
There’s a boiling war between Bianca and the head cheerleader over a guy. There are even blind date set-ups and the drama of Bianca’s boyfriend aspiring to be a model. Even Mr.Stratford creates his own drama at school when dating the guidance counselor.
2 Movie: A Better Form Of Comedy
While both versions have their comedic moments, the movie does a better job. It’s simplistic but works and is in tune with the late 90s and teen storyline. Kat smashing her car in Joey’s is a highlight, especially when her father comments that his insurance doesn’t cover PMS or “whoops.”
The comedic jokes are subtle and not over the top. Cameron’s friend gets male genitalia drawn on his face and remarks it at the very end. There’s also when Patrick goes to Club Skunk in over Kat and shouts, “I’ve never seen you look so sexy,” right when the music stops.
1 Show: Changing Storylines
Seeing as the show didn’t focus on the “dating” plan like the movie, it uses other plotlines to make up for it. This made the show fun to watch as every episode had to deal with a new story arc. There’s even Bianca becoming a mascot to then having feelings for the head cheerleader’s boyfriend and trying to keep it a secret. Kat starts to become attracted to Patrick in a tug-of-war relationship.
The show also used subplots like Kat sneaking into school to take a test after being suspended. There’s even Patrick and Kat going to get tested before committing to coitus. At some point, Bianca’s boyfriend is on the cusp of an eating disorder. Mr. Stratford even does online dating.
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