Carrie (2026)

Tinubu calls the series a captivating, harrowing reimagining of King’s story. She praises how it gives Carrie agency while connecting the tale to social media and contemporary America.

Graham calls the series a remarkable triumph and a strikingly fresh adaptation. He praises its superb acting and resourceful, affecting approach, while noting that some added storylines feel forced and the prom scene falls short of the film adaptation.

Mangan finds the remake witty, smart and well suited to its moment, with its expanded story avoiding the usual streaming bloat. She especially praises Summer H. Howell’s open, optimistic portrayal of Carrie.

Gajjar finds the series unsettling and often effective, but says its detours and dubious ending weaken it. She especially praises Summer H. Howell and Samantha Sloyan as hypnotic anchors.

The review presents the series as a strong, positive adaptation. It praises the fresh and creative approach to Stephen King's story.

Travers finds the series too gentle and preachy to work as horror, despite its effective teen drama. He praises Summer H. Howell’s endearing, nuanced performance as Carrie.

Fienberg finds Flanagan’s adaptation an ambitious but ultimately disappointing expansion of the familiar story. He praises Summer H. Howell’s performance and the topicality, but says the series loses much of the original’s distinctive terror.

Hadadi finds the series overstuffed with commentary and too timid to make Carrie a compelling, fully realized character. She criticizes its smoothing away of Carrie’s awkwardness and rage, leaving the protagonist bland and the horror without tension.

Pearce strongly condemns the series for stripping away the story’s female rage and Carrie’s agency. She particularly objects to changes that make Carrie passive and soften the characters responsible for her suffering.

Richard finds Flanagan’s adaptation addictive and largely successful, though some expansions weaken the story. He especially praises Samantha Sloyan’s layered performance as Margaret White.

The reviewer finds the series an uneven but worthwhile adaptation, with some changes that feel misguided. Summer H. Howell’s performance and the show’s tender emotional moments are singled out for praise.

The critic finds that the series strays too far from the original and loses its emotional complexity. She praises the richer supporting characters and the performances, particularly the expanded portrayals of Chris and Margaret.

The critic finds the reboot dull and too softened to satisfy horror fans or teen-drama viewers. She particularly objects to its gentler portrayal of Carrie’s mother and other characters, which drains the story of its original savagery.