The Carrie Diaries reimagined the origins of a television icon in 1980s Connecticut
In short: Before she was the Manhattan columnist of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was a teenager navigating high school in 1984. This CW prequel series explored her formative years, from small-town life to her first steps into the New York City magazine world, eventually introducing a younger version of Samantha Jones.
The Carrie Diaries, which aired on the CW from January 2013 to January 2014, served as a prequel to the HBO hit Sex and the City. Based on the 2010 book by Candace Bushnell, the series followed 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw, played by AnnaSophia Robb, as she juggled high school in Castlebury, Connecticut, with a secret internship at a New York City law firm and later, a position at Interview magazine. Despite its premise, the show is not considered canon to the original series or its later revival, And Just Like That, due to various inconsistencies in Carrie's established backstory.
The narrative arc spanned two seasons, tracking Carrie’s transition from a small-town dreamer to a young woman establishing her independence in the city. Key supporting characters included her rebellious sister Dorrit, her best friends Maggie and Walt, and her mentor Larissa Loughlin, a stylish editor who eventually marries Carrie’s father’s friend. The second season notably introduced Lindsey Gort as a young Samantha Jones, a casting choice that drew critical praise. Had the series been renewed for a third season, showrunner Amy B. Harris planned to introduce Miranda Hobbes as a roommate for Carrie’s friend Mouse at Harvard.
Critical reception was mixed but generally improved over time. While the first season held a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the second season earned a 100% rating from the seven reviews tracked by the site. Despite the show's cancellation in May 2014, it remains a distinct exploration of 1980s nostalgia, focusing on the character's early ambitions and the complex social dynamics of her teenage years. The series was helmed by producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who previously worked on Gossip Girl, and was adapted for television by former Sex and the City writer Amy B. Harris.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Carrie Diaries (TV series)
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