The Carrie Diaries

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.

This is a very weird show, as it is very "little girly" with the cute voice over, etc. Yet, there are some pretty racy type things..which is fine if you are older and watching this. But then, if you are going to cater to both young and older audience, then give us some real nostalgic authenticity. Because as a person who was this age in the 80's, there is nothing even remotely fun about watching the show from that viewpoint either. The props are not that accurate, the clothes are not accurate, the phrases are not accurate.. who used the phrase "drama queen" in the 80's? That came much later. So it isn't even fun to watch for nostalgia. I am a few episodes in, and haven't once thought "oh wow, I remember that!" The music is okay, but they could choose better moments with that too.. it just seems like the production crew isn't really in touch with this era.. at all. And the show doesn't really seem appropriate for young girls, so I really don't see where this is going. Hopefully they figure it out later.

You need to understand that this show is not a SATC prequel, it's a CW show. It doesn't feel like SATC and it certainly doesn't have the essence of HBO.

People should stop complaining about it not being SATC, cause it's not. So, don't expect SATC's humor, don't expect SATC's plot and stories, and over all, don's expect SATC's characters. I don't know how old people who judge this show are, but why the heck are you watching it if you're over 30? This show is not for SATC's fans, it's for teenagers, and you shouldn't judge this according to your feelings. And don't get me wrong, I love SATC, that's why I'm not even thinking of comparing these two.

As for the actual show, it is a pleasant teen show, with beautiful people and amazing clothes. It's not entirely based on Carrie's life and the fact that it takes place during the 80s is charming.

Watch it if you like shows like Gossip Girl and 90210.

*CW and HBO are networks

Watched the pilot last night out of curiosity when I saw that the wonderful AnnaSophia Robb was starring as the young Carrie. I liked it.

I'm from New York, raised in Brooklyn, and when I was a teenager I started taking the subway into the City (Manhattan) on weekends, going to movies, matinees of Broadway/Off-Broadway plays, restaurants, stores, etc., and the exposure to such a huge, unlimited-opportunities place made me fall in love with it immediately. So I can relate to the way the show depicts the young Carrie's joyful reactions to discovering this vast and infinitely seductive new world.

AnnaSophia is an incredible actor; she's elevated everything I've seen her in by her mere presence and she most definitely does the same with this project. Her enthusiasm is contagious and I'll definitely continue watching just for her alone.

(PS: I've decided to not think of the show as a prequel to Sex and the City - and it IS Sex AND the City, not Sex IN the City - but rather to see it as a separate character for the most part; that way all the comparisons to SJP are avoided and I can simply enjoy it for the charming offering it looks like it's going to be.)