I didn’t intend to bookend Two Months of Terror with a pair of streaming series, but so it is. What began 61 days ago with the “It: Welcome to Derry” letdown concludes on a high note.
“Carrie” is an eight-episode (so far) series developed by horror stud Mike Flanagan and airing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. It tells the story of the titular teen; an awkward and shy girl who happens to possess supernatural powers.
Based on Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel, “Carrie” premiered in October of 2026, nearly 50 years to the day of the release of the classic film starring Sissy Spacek. It serves as the fourth screen adaptation of King’s novel.
Differences
Mike Flanagan updated several aspects from the source material, and I enjoyed the changes.
Carrie White (Summer H. Howell) is our main character.
Carrie’s father dies in an accident to start the story, and her mother, Margaret (Samantha Sloyan) is overly protective. So much so that Carrie is homeschooled and never allowed to leave the house. A house that is being haunted by the ghost of her dad.
Carrie wants to fit in. Not only is she awkward, but she also has kinetic powers that she is learning to control. The story is told in flashbacks, but we all know how it’s going to play out.
Summer H. Howell is wonderful in the lead performance. Carrie is always a sympathetic character. Watching her on screen runs the gamut of emotions. It’s difficult to match Sissy Spacek, but Howell holds her own with one of horror’s most iconic characters.
I really liked how the story evolves from the original. Piper Laurie’s character from 1976 is terrifying and certainly memorable. This version of Margaret White is less fanatical and more organic. Her path is a different, modern form of self-righteousness I won’t divulge. She’s abusive, but the loving bond between mother and daughter is omnipresent. She displays her overly conservative values both at home and at work, devoting herself to keeping Carrie away from modern societal terrors like computers, the internet, and teenage boys.
Samantha Sloyan frequently plays this sort of character for good reason. She’s oddly excellent at playing crazed zealots. I first saw her in a similar role in “Midnight Mass” and she’s an amazing talent.
High School Horror
Carrie is forced to attend high school, and this is where the bulk of the story takes place. She’s shy and awkward, but excited for the experiences most of us take for granted. A fun montage at the start shows Carrie navigating the school, technology which is foreign to her, and various classes.
Of course, there’s a popular clique of nasty girls that are designed to make Carrie’s life miserable. Sue Snell (Siena Agudong), Tina Blake (Josie Totah) and the ringleader Chris Hargensen (Alison Thornton) are all characters lifted from the pages of the book. Alison Thornton was my favorite character, making a perfect representation of snotty popular girl with evil intentions.
Amber Midthunder gym teacher Rita Desjardin who serves as a friendly face for Carrie. Heather Graham and Gil Bellows lend support as Chris’ mom and stepdad. And the best part? The school’s principal is played by the great Matthew Lillard. For some reason, high school plots are always fun to watch.
Happy Halloweekend!
“Carrie” is a fun series that you can binge in a day. I’ve heard that the show may return for a second season. To be fair, I could do without the post-prom scenes that set up a sequel, but the series remains contained enough to enjoy as a standalone film.
The brand-new series is a perfect close to the horror season.
