My Thoughts on New Carrie Series

Review Summary

Charlie went into the new Carrie series expecting a familiar story stretched into an unnecessary eight-episode cash-in. He jokes that Hollywood might soon make a Green Eggs and Ham miniseries, spending five episodes cooking before the big first bite. But after friends recommended Carrie and online hype caught his attention, he gave it a chance—and found the first seven episodes surprisingly strong.

What Worked

Charlie especially liked the series’ modern take on the story. It brings in social media bullying through a gossip account called Carrie Red and gives Carrie’s mother, Margaret, more nuance. Margaret is controlling and cruel, but the show explores her fear and protective instincts without excusing her behavior.

Chris, one of Carrie’s main bullies, also gets a more complicated backstory involving her family’s collapse and her resentment toward Carrie’s kindness. Charlie praises Carrie as a sympathetic character whose curiosity and goodness are steadily worn down by humiliation.

What Didn’t Work

Charlie’s biggest problem is the finale. He felt the series built effectively toward Carrie’s iconic prom breakdown, only to muddy it with Emmaline, a mysterious, possibly imagined friend who encourages Carrie to use her powers, and a larger group of superpowered people.

When Emmaline appears to take control during the massacre, Charlie argues, the story shifts responsibility away from Carrie and undercuts the tragedy at the heart of Carrie. He also disliked the reveal that Margaret has powers and her subsequent death at the hands of the people interviewing her, viewing both twists as setup for a future season rather than satisfying conclusions.

He had smaller complaints, too, including a storyline in which Carrie Red exposes a predatory teacher that the show seems to introduce and then drop.

Overall

Charlie found the series promising and thought it handled most of its characters and modern setting well. Still, he was frustrated that the finale diverted attention from Carrie’s defining moment toward supernatural plot threads he wasn’t interested in.

Characters Discussed

Charlie, Carrie, Margaret, Chris, Emmaline, Sue, Tommy, Billy, Carrie’s gym teacher, and the other psychics.