Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Moderately entertaining teen fantasy has violence, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Girl in the Woods
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE GIRL IN THE WOODS is a slow but intriguing teen drama featuring fantasy and horror. Tasha (Sofia Bryant) and her best friend Nolan (Misha Osherovich) befriend Carrie (Stefanie Scott), a mysterious girl who has escaped from a secluded compound in the woods. She claims she and the other compound residents are sacred protectors of a secret door that keeps evil forces away from the mainstream world. Tasha and Nolan help Carrie stay out of the clutches of Arthur (Will Yun Lee), a man from the compound who has been tasked with taking Carrie back. But with the door now unguarded, an evil force has come to town to feed on the townspeople.
Is It Any Good?
The Girl in the Woods feels like it's trying to capitalize on the Hunger Games and Divergent trends several years too late. It appears dated even while having 2021 elements such as tackling the non-binary experience through Nolan (Osherovich) and having Carrie (Scott) be a young queer girl in a relationship with another girl from her compound. Despite these points of relevance, including having the other lead, Tasha (Bryant), as a girl of color, the series seems like it belongs to 2011 and not 2021. Even still, this blast from the past could make the show immediately nostalgic for viewers, and the horror is just scary, creepy, and gory enough to keep fans of the genre entertained.
Some might take issue with the main human villain being a man of color, Arthur (Lee). But he is also a character that plays against Asian stereotypes and may be a net positive for Asian male portrayals apart from his villainy. Overall, the series drags a bit, slowly doling out information about the overarching mystery. In all, The Girl in the Woods provides enough scares and unintentional nostalgia to keep fans interested.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about friendship. How do Tasha and Nolan showcase positive tenets of friendship? Are there ways they could be better friends to Carrie?
How does Carrie react to Tasha and Nolan's friendship?
How important is trust in Carrie and Tasha's relationship? How is trust exhibited between the two characters?
How do Carrie and Nolan provide positive representation for LGBTQ+ teenagers?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 15, 2021
- Cast : Stefanie Scott , Sofia Bryant , Misha Osherovich , Will Yun Lee , Kylie Liya Page
- Network : Peacock
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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