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A 1987 Canadian television adaptation of the Ramona Quimby series of books by Beverly Cleary. Produced in Hamilton, Ontario by CHCH-TV (famous as one of Canada's first independent TV stations), the series first aired there in late 1987 and premiered in the U.S. on PBS a year later, also airing in French on Quebec's La Canal Famille under the title Ramona Q. It only lasted 10 episodes and has yet to be released on DVD. Like the more recent movie, it uses various events from the books, especially Ramona Quimby, Age 8, but makes them all take place within the same year.
Stars Sarah Polley as Ramona Geraldine Quimby, before she went on to fame in the CBC adaptation of Road to Avonlea.
The show provides examples of:
- Ascended Fangirl: Sarah Polley was already a big fan of the Ramona books and was thrilled to get the role of Ramona.
- Canada Does Not Exist
- Compressed Adaptation: While it's mostly based on one book, it does
- Dawson Casting: Surprisingly averted. She's actually played by an 8-year-old, and the series is set in third grade. Beezus was also played by an age-appropriate actor, Lori Chodos (who, unlike Polley, has few other credits).
- Enforced Method Acting: Sarah Polley and Lori Chodos were grossed out for real by the raw, bumpy-skinned chicken parts they had to work with in the "sisters fix dinner" episode.
- Hey, It's That Guy/Voice: Ramona is Sara Stanley, Ramona's teacher is Jodie from Today's Special, and her Aunt Bea has the voice of Zoicite from the first English dub of Sailor Moon.
- Keep Circulating the Tapes: Due to a combination of not being particularly well known and the distribution rights being passed around like a hot potato, the series has not been released on DVD.