Carrie is a story most of us know. A sheltered and bullied girl is pushed to her breaking point by a cruel prank. When distilled to that sentence, it’s obvious why the Stephen King tale has such a beloved place in both literature and film canon—and that’s without even mentioning its supernatural elements.
Adapted for television by Mike Flanagan, Carrie aims to bring the book into the 2020s. In Flanagan’s hands, the series is a meaningful exploration of modern bullying and how society can break down even the kindest people, coupled with Carrie’s realization of her telekinetic abilities. The horror of this series lies less in its supernatural elements and more in its realistic ones. At times, it does feel less King and more Life Is Strange, a story from my own teenage years. However, that similarity is not to its detriment.
I won’t bury the lede. Lead actress Summer H. Howell is magnetic as Carrie White. She will break your heart and terrify you all the same. I found myself at multiple points feeling like Rosa Diaz holding a puppy; we must protect Carrie at all costs.
Every character arrives onscreen as three dimensional. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Amber Midthunder, and the ever-reliable Matthew Lillard.
Agudong’s Sue Snell is an amazing example of how Carrie invests in its characters; you can believe she was never a mean girl but one swept into her friends’ toxic orbit. Likewise, Thornton‘s Chris Hargensen is a dynamic villain whose family life is greatly expanded on.
In fact, the world around Carrie can best be described as “greatly expanded on.” From her classmates to her teachers, Carrie takes its time to build out its characters. This choice, taking its time to get to the root of each character’s why, justifies remaking Carrie as a television series despite the reigning popularity of Brian De Palma’s 1976 film adaptation. Not only do we understand their motives, but we see how they habitually failed to help Carrie.
Perhaps the most shining example of character exploration is Samantha Sloyan’s Margaret White. This is the softest version of the White matriarch we have ever been given. She’s still a religious fanatic, no mistaking that. However, Sloyan imbues Margaret with a sincerity that makes you almost relate to her as a woman just trying to do her best for her daughter. Then, the show reminds you how she is directly responsible for many of Carrie’s struggles.
King purists may balk at the modernization of Carrie’s story as well as certain plot changes, but Flanagan capably reshapes the iconic story for this generation. It’s simultaneously a more and less optimistic take.
Not every change landed for me, but see Flanagan’s vision to the series’ finale, and even the most devout Carrie fan will find something to rejoice in.
Carrie will be available to stream on October 7, only on Prime Video.