The Carrie Diaries

Totally a guilty pleasure, but overall I enjoyed the show and specially the characters.

The first thing I had to point out after I read some reviews is that you probably didn't know about The Carrie Diaries (and its sequel, Summer in the City) in the bookstores, released by Candice Bushnell about two years ago. Maybe you guys are so hammered up with the SATC TV show than the book, that's why. This thought lead to negative reviews saying Carrie's face became round, Carrie doesn't have a sister, etc. Well, the author has her ideas and I shall say that her intentions are shown pretty well in this new show.

I watched the pilot when I was resting due to a stomach ache. The first thing I noticed was the glimmer of the 1980's- surprisingly well done. Also, we get to see Manhattan in Carrie's eyes and how wonderful it was. I can understand most characters and to know if this could be my favorite show, I might need to watch more episodes.

Also, I have to say that AnnaSophia is great to be back on our screens. She definitely grew over the years- from a cute kid to a blossoming actress. Good on her and the fellow actors on the show!

I would say this is a lovingly decent sort of show..... we'll see.

First of all, this show is not based on SITC HBO show. This series is based off of the novels written by Candace Bushnell. So all those people whining that this is a different Carrie and that the show got it all wrong, well, honestly, HBO got it wrong in the first place. So quit whining. And people complaining that young Carrie's face is all wrong? Yes, because the show is going to find another girl that looks EXACTLY like SJP. Seriously? And this show is on the CW. It's not going to be the same as a show on HBO.

All this nonsense from die-hard SITC fans aside, this show is pretty adorable. This is about Carrie before she became the Carrie we all know and love. Before the boys, heartbreak and living life in the city. This Carrie is still young and just learning about life and is just trying to get through high school. Overall, this show is fun and lighthearted and brings back some nostalgia for the '80's. It's well acted, the clothes are great and the relationships are relatable.

The show begins in 1984. Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) is a 16 year old high school student in Castlebury, Connecticut. Her dad (Matt Letscher) is left alone with her and her little sister Dorrit (Stefania Owen) after the death of her mother. Sebastian (Austin Butler) is the new pretty boy with the troubled past. Her best friends Maggie (Katie Findlay) and Walt Reynolds (Brendan Dooling) are dating except she's sleeping with an older man and he's gay. Her other friends are the smart Mouse (Ellen Wong) and nemesis-turn-friend Donna LaDonna (Chloe Bridges). She tries to have a life in Manhattan with an internship at a law office which she quits for one at Interview magazine for her flaky boss Larissa (Freema Agyeman). In the second year, she meets wild Samantha Jones (Lindsey Gort).

This show received lots of heat for not being a strict prequel to 'Sex and the City'. The tone is definitely a run-of-the-mill high school drama. It's pretty tame and unimpressive. I don't really care if it doesn't connect all the dots with SatC. However if the name isn't there, this is a very bland show. ASR is a very impressive young actress doing a solid job. Katie Findlay could be the next breakout star. She has a great story at the end of the first season. In fact, that was the only high point of the show. The rest is a passable affair.

Two negative reviews to one positive. Time to check in. I had an odd schizophrenic feeling (intrigued by the romance, but put off by the neurotic woman stuff) about Parker's Carrie and never really got into it. So I was biased going into Diaries.

The pilot played twice tonight back to back and I started a recording on the first hour not sure if it was a two-hour pilot or an immediate repeat. I had reception problems so bailed out and was going to abandon my interest but just watched the second playing in real time as long as it was there. I was captivated almost immediately.

For one thing, I think AnnaSophia is cute as the dickens as well as a compelling actor having just seen her in Bridge to Tarabitha. But beyond that, I thought Diaries was even truer to the Sex in the City theme than the original, if that makes any sense. There's something about the innocence of an origin back story that's more interesting than the ongoing series of contrived situations that all seem the same from week to week. The acting in general is easy and realistic without all the jargon and cultural quirks of much of today's TV.

Prime time television dramas and situation comedies generally tend to all have the same smell to me like dumpsters and garbage trucks have no matter what people throw away. Diaries seems fresh to me. I may well lose interest somewhere into the series, but I am going to put this on my recording schedule and look forward to a new addition to my core viewing listing.