How Mike Flanagan's Take on Carrie Upends the Tragedy of Stephen King's Horror Classic

Mike Flanagan's updated take on Stephen King's Carrie series on Prime Video presents a modernized version of the beloved horror classic, but may leave some fans wanting more. The eight-episode series explores the tragic story of telekinetic teenager Carrie White as she navigates high school life in the 21st century, incorporating contemporary issues such as cyberbullying and school shootings.

Showrunner Flanagan, known for his work on Netflix horror series like Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, initially hesitated to adapt Carrie due to the film's status as a cinematic masterpiece directed by Brian de Palma. However, he ultimately saw an opportunity to bring new relevance to the story by modernizing it, focusing on themes that resonate with today's high school students.

The series begins by introducing Carrie (Summer H. Howell) as a sensitive and sheltered teenager living with her strict, religious mother. Once she starts attending Ewen High School, Carrie encounters a group of popular girls who mercilessly bully her. Flanagan expands on the iconic locker room scene by incorporating social media and modern technology, adding layers to the story's exploration of teenage torment.

However, the addition of a new storyline involving Carrie's recruitment by a secret society of psychically powered women, led by Adelaide (Kate Siegel), feels superfluous and disrupts the series' overall impact. In the original novel, Carrie handles her telekinetic powers alone, resulting in her own tragic death. In the show, both Carrie and her mother Margaret survive, leaving the audience with unresolved questions about the consequences of their actions.

While Flanagan's modernized version of Carrie successfully addresses relevant issues of today, the inclusion of the psychically powered women subplot ultimately dilutes the emotional intensity and tragedy of the original story.