Mike Flanagan’s ‘Carrie’ puts a twist on the classic story

If I had to pick my favorite horror story of all time, it’d probably be Stephen King’s “Carrie.” I love how the real horror in the story isn’t the gore. Instead, it’s how genuinely cruel people can be, pushing a young girl to her breaking point and causing mass destruction.

When I first heard about Mike Flanagan’s TV adaptation of “Carrie,” I was excited, but a bit hesitant. The teasers showed that the series would take a more modern approach to the original story, which made me nervous, but Flanagan was able to tell this story through a modern lens without compromising its integrity.

This adaptation stars Summer H. Howell as the titular character Carrie White, Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White and even features Matthew Lillard as the school principal.

Howell embodies the role of Carrie perfectly. She makes her endearing and showcases her kind heart and curiosity. She’s not the same Carrie we know from before, which makes the story even more interesting.

Flanagan portrays Carrie as an inquisitive, kind, open young girl, eager to learn and experience the world. She’s been sheltered for her entire life, so when she gets the opportunity to attend school, she takes full advantage of that, even if her mother doesn’t approve.

Carrie also possesses telekinetic abilities that she can’t quite control, often causing something to happen as a result of emotion.

The show also introduces a new character, Emaline, as a friend for Carrie, something that’s lacking in many other adaptations. Emaline helps Carrie navigate her powers and learn to use them.

In this version, Carrie has been homeschooled her entire life, and her mother, Margaret, was a stay-at-home mom. However, during her sophomore year, her father tragically passes away in an accident. In order to maintain custody of her daughter, Margaret has to go to work, and Carrie is forced to attend school.

This world is entirely new to Carrie, who isn’t used to the socialization or way of life. She’s excited about it, though, which adds a new layer to the story.

Chris Hargensen and Sue Snell seem to take her under their wing, though Chris’ intentions are far from pure. They start inviting her to things, and Chris makes sure that everyone knows not to mess with “her girl.”

In this iteration, Chris is given more of a backstory. While it far from justifies her actions, it helps clue the audience into why she is the way she is. But Flanagan somehow made her even more cruel than in previous adaptations, and the consequences she and others face for these actions are very real.

The bullying shown in “Carrie” takes a new form in this version, incorporating social media and a page made to target Carrie and harass others. It becomes the talk of the school, and this series shows how truly dangerous social media and bullying can really be.

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My favorite detail about this adaptation is the title card. It’s a small, seemingly meaningless thing; however, the title card starts white and grows increasingly darker until it finally turns blood red for the famous prom night events.

Flanagan chose to end his series differently than any other adaptation of the story, too, which left me shocked — but you’ll have to watch to find out.

If you’re a fan of any other adaptation of “Carrie,” or just looking for a spooky watch this October, I cannot recommend this show enough.

Rating: 9/10

powers40@miamioh.edu

Stella Powers is a senior journalism and media and communication major from Wooster, Ohio. Powers is the Culture editor for The Student and former editor-in-chief of The Miami Student Magazine. Outside of TMS, she enjoys film, television and theater.