kelly duncan gets retro…
The year is 1984 and 16 year old Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) is beginning her junior year of high school while dealing with her mother’s death. While Carrie spent her summer mourning the loss of her mother, her friends were busy losing their virginity’s which they hilariously describe as, no joke, “…putting a hot dog in a key hole.”
Carrie is given the opportunity to intern at a Manhattan law firm one day a week and within her first day she begins her love affair with New York City. During her lunch break she discovers Century 21. For those of you who don’t know, Century 21 is a gigantic discount clothing store that sells high end clothing and accessories for a fraction of the cost. Think TJ Maxx, but with bigger labels and more square footage. Knowing that future Carrie is a major fashionista I assume this won’t be her only trip there.
While shopping she meets Larissa (Dr. Who’s Freema Agyeman), a photographer from Interview magazine, Carrie’s favorite, who introduces her to the version of the city that Carrie had always imagined. Larissa sends her a new hot pink and black polka dot dress, in true 80’s fashion, and invites her to meet up at a club with her friends after work. Carrie ditches her school dance, drinks champagne with a bunch of artists and has the time of her life.
Ditching the dance however, comes with a price. The new guy at school, Sebastian (Austin Butler) who all of the girls like, ends up spending time with mean-girl Donna (Chloe Bridges). Little does she know Carrie spent the summer with him at the swim club. Even though he was Carrie’s first kiss and they clearly have feelings for each other, the last time we see Sebastian he is driving off with Donna leaving Carrie outside of the train station with her best-friends boyfriend. I have no doubt this love triangle will be the focus of much drama.
AnnaSophia Robb is absolutely adorable as a young Carrie and I love the character’s innocence. It’s a nice change for a show on The CW to not be caught up with trying to push the envelope and drop jaws. The soundtrack is top notch, including 80’s classics, “Bette Davis Eyes,” “Footloose,” “I Melt With You,” “Just Can’t Get Enough,” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” (Editor’s Note: The last song is also the title of a movie starring the most famous Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker). There are neon colors everywhere, people use pay-phones, Carrie listens to a Walkman and her home phone is in the shape of two lips. There is no question about which decade this show represents.
The Carrie Diaries has a lot of heart, deals with self-discovery, family, friendships and a whole lot of teenage firsts. The cast is more than likable, the music is amazing and I am officially hooked.
