The Girl in the Woods

I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't expecting much going in but I found myself binging the season in one night. Considering each episode is under 30 minutes and there's only 8 episodes, I think it balanced the plot well with fleshing out the characters and world-building.

I've seen some criticism about the 'gender-identity' subplot, but I think it was well done without dragging the main plot too much. It allowed us to understand one of the other characters while giving us insight about the world Carrie comes from too. While the other character struggles with how to explain to others about what it means to be non-binary, Carrie struggles with how she sometimes doesn't feel like a person at all...more like a tool or a weapon. It's a pretty good way to parallel their experience in a way that allows them to get a better understanding of the other.

I look forward to seeing how they continue to flesh out the characters and further the plot in the future. This show has a lot of potential and I don't think it's being given enough credit. Honestly, aside from teenagers and a place that holds "nightmares", this show has nothing in common with 'Stranger Things'. It's an unfair comparison because they have almost nothing in common and this show isn't even trying to be another 'Stranger Things'.

I hope this show gets picked up for another season, hopefully with longer episodes (or more episodes). I look forward to seeing where the show takes us in the future.

Carrie (Stefanie Scott) and her people have been tasked with guarding a mysterious door in the Oregon woods. One day, she decides to run away from the door. She is befriended by outcast teens Tasha (Sofia Bryant) and Nolan (Misha Osherovich). She is being tracked by Arthur Deane (Will Yun Lee).

Stefanie Scott is a bit wooden as an actress, but that's fine for the character who is hiding stuff. The start is a bit clunky. There is a better way to play this from a cult idea. This really needs to start with Tasha and Nolan. Nolan is a fascinating side character with potential. There is material here for a good show, but it's not done in the most imaginative way. All in all, the show is uneven, but just compelling enough to keep watching. I like the group dynamics and the nightmare monsters. After one season, it's probably done.

The premise of the show has potential, but the characters are cliché to the point of absurdity. They hardly need dialogue because it's blatantly obvious what each character is going to say in every scene.

This is a supernatural teen show but with an atypical and rather interesting plot. The main character, Carrie, grew up in an isolated cult deep in the woods that dedicates itself to keeping nightmarish monsters locked away behind a mystical door, all to nobody in the outside world's knowledge. She eventually leaves the cult for reasons unknown and the story goes from there.

The writing is far from stellar. It's obviously not going for any awards, but the show is entertaining enough to keep you watching. Not everyone will like it though, and that's fine. The episodes are short so it's not a time-sink. Watch the first episode and decide from there.

If you're wondering why a few people are calling the show "woke," it's because the main girl is gay, and the female co-star is black, with the male-costar being non-binary. That's enough to have some people hate the show. Skip it if that bothers you.

Terrible acting and dialogue hinder what could have been a creepy and cool monster show. I don't see this having a season 2 but I could be wrong. Watch it with very low expectations and you may enjoy it.