Parents' Guide to

The Carrie Diaries

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Sex and the City prequel is edgy but has merit for teens.

TV CW Drama 2013
The Carrie Diaries Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 11 parent reviews

Liomarys R.
Liomarys R. Parent
January 11, 2018
age 18+

Highly innapropriate

The show starts by depicting virginity as a thing to "check off". The clothes wore do not meet real life school dress code. One of her friends is basically raped by an older guy (she is a minor and he is an adult in college) and she describes the experience as "hurting a lot and me wishing for it to be over already"=RAPE. Instead of using this to target that as rape, when she tells it, it is normalizedand also is idealised as "good". This is HORRIBLE. As an adult, I did not make it past the first 10 minutes of the first episode. Also, if you are a Sex and the City fan, you might not be able to deal with the inaccuracies. In SAC, Carrie states that her dad was NOT in the picture, he abandoned her and her mom. Here, her mom died? And she lives with her dad? She yells in her room (a teenage tantrum) over what to wear? Is this the obnoxious model we want for our future young leaders to be? NO. So, not, we are NOT watching this at home.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much consumerism
1 person found this helpful.
bdumais
bdumais Parent of 11, 13 and 14-year-old
April 5, 2014
age 17+

The initials "CW" are a tip off

If you want your sons and daughters to begin down the road of Sex and the City, dehumanization and objectification as sexual objects, this show is for you. Ditto if you want them to never have a trusting, meaningful and Godly relationship with their future spouses.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

With the start of her junior year of high school, life should be getting back to normal for 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb), but after the recent loss of her mom, she's anything but settled. Instead, she feels like all eyes are on her, and the fact that her best friends' lives seem to be finding direction only highlights her uncertainty about her own. But then in walks Sebastian (Austin Butler), a handsome face from her past, sparking an interest that she'd assumed was gone for good. Better yet, Carrie's dad (Matt Letscher) lines up an internship for her in Manhattan, where she meets free-spirited magazine editor Larissa (Freema Agyeman) and gets her first taste of adulthood and the glamorous city life she's long craved. She's sure she'll never be the same now that she's seen how the other half lives, but where her dreams will take her is anybody's guess.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (11):
Kids say (25):

THE CARRIE DIARIES is based on a series of books by Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell and follows Carrie's formative teen years when she's first introduced to the big city. Both the show itself and Robb in particular have big shoes to fill in following fan-favorite Sex and the City and the iconic Sarah Jessica Parker, respectively. To her credit, Robb meets the challenge head on, attempting to channel Parker's appearance and mannerisms and daring you not to love her smart, well-spoken character who's driven more by her personal goals than she is by sexual infatuation or lust.

That said, the '80s-set show does lack a clear vision of its target audience. To fully appreciate The Carrie Diaries, you should be a fan of Sex and the City, but instead, the show is geared toward teens who likely haven't seen the original. What's more, if your teen does get drawn into Carrie's story, it's likely they'll want to see where she winds up, which will lead them straight to the HBO series known for steamy love scenes and frank talk about bedroom habits. But if you can set aside the connection between the two shows and judge this one on its own merit, there's a lot to like in its presentation of positive friendships, family relationships, and Carrie's passion to fulfill her dreams.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Carrie Diaries depicts relationships. Which friendships are most meaningful to Carrie? How do your friendships enrich your life? Why do they seem to have more staying power than teen romance does?

  • The loss of Carrie's mom is a defining moment in her life. What turning points have you experienced that have shaped the person you are? Are you stronger for having made it through these events? How do our family relationships influence our value systems?

  • Teens: Who do you think this show is geared for? What was the author's purpose in writing The Carrie Diaries after Sex and the City? Have you ever seen Sex and the City? If so, do you think you can better appreciate Carrie's story because of it? If not, does this series make you want to watch it?

  • Do you think The Carrie Diaries will appeal to adult fans of the original show?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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