Harriet the Spy

Harriet the Spy has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on fuboTV and Paramount Plus Premium. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Michelle Trachtenberg — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight on Stan and see for yourself.

There is a reason Harriet the Spy keeps coming up in conversation. Harriet the Spy does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Harriet may only be in the sixth grade, but she's already found her calling: to be a spy. In a private journal she takes everywhere, Harriet records suspicious activity and keeps a running list of observations on virtually everyone she knows. It seems harmless enough until, one day, someone finds the journal and exposes Harriet's critical thoughts about her classmates. Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1996. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Harriet the Spy holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Harriet the Spy is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Michelle Trachtenberg sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.