Theres something appealingly retro about MTVs latest scripted offeringand not just becauseFinding Carter bears a striking resemblance to Caroline B. Cooneys beloved 1990 novel The Face on the Milk Carton. (You may know it better as the inspirationfor a TV movie that aired in 1995).
These days, showsfor and about teenagers tend tofall into one of two categories: the Ryan Murphy-esque dramedy (high-energy, soaked with pop culture references, alternating wildly between irony and sincerity; see MTVs own Faking It orAwkward. for examples), or theGossip Girl-ian glitzy melodrama (think privileged kids who dont act like actual teenagers, getting into trouble and sleeping with each other;Pretty Little Liars is the current standard bearer). The pilot episode ofFindingCarter, though, is neither self-consciously hip nor glamorously soapy; its dialogue is straightforward, its dramatic elements are understated, and its charactersare good looking in a low-key way rather than being regulation CW hotties. Id compare the result to ABC Familys recent rash of family dramas (Switched at Birth, The Fosters), but theyre a little more after-school-special-y thanCarter; more than anything, actually, the new show resembles an early 00s teen drama, likeSouth of NowhereorCaitlins Way. (The comparison makes sense if youve heard of either of those shows, I swear.)
Which is a good thing.Carters relatively down-to-earth toneplus a strong, grounded performance by Kathryn Prescottgives the showa sense of authenticity that helps mitigate its sudsier elements. The basic gist: After committing a petty crime, teenage Carter (Prescott, formerly of the U.K. Skins) discovers that she was actually kidnapped as a toddler and raised by her abductor (Milena Govich). In short order, shes torn away from the life shes always known and reintroduced to the biological family she never knew: domineering mother Elizabeth (Cynthia Watros ofLost), a detective who nevertheless could never solve the case of her missing daughter; good guy father David (Alexis Denisof), who made a mint by writing about Carters disappearance and might just be tempted towrite a sequel; twin sister Taylor (puzzlingly played by Anna Jacoby-Heron instead of Prescotts real-life twin sister, who also appeared on Skins), whos just the tiniest bit resentful from growing up in her absent sisters shadow; and overlooked younger brother Grant (Zac Pullam), probably the most perceptive person in the whole family.
Theres plenty of drama to be mined from this juicy premiseand for the most part, episode one ofCarter manages to do so without straying too far into Lifetime Original territory. There are, however, a few little plot nuggets that point at unnecessary complications to come down the line. First and foremost: Elizabeths having an affair with a hunky fellow officer who also happens to be the father of Taylors best friend, Gabe. And Taylor is secretly in love with Gabe. And Gabe is not-so-secretly into Carter. Theres also the matter of Carters fake mom, who escapes the clutches of police custody only to pop up again just long enough to tell Carter that there are things her daughter doesnt know, things [she] should know, about her pastnot to mention a montage of future scenes that indicatesthings could get very ridiculous very quickly; theres a lot of yelling, and kissing, and dramatic exiting as music swells.
It wouldnt be very surprising to seeCartergo off the rails, even in episode two; MTV, after all, is not a network known for subtlety. But ifCarter can embrace the things that make the pilot work so wellandstick to its low-key 00s rootsit might become something thats been sorely missingfrom the small screen for awhile: A teen-centric drama that doesnt feel like a guilty pleasure, even to those watching it long after the conclusion of their own adolescence. And hey, if all else fails, at least well always haveThe Face on the Milk Carton books. (Did you know the series fifth and final installment was just releasedin January 2013?)
Source: http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/07/08/finding-carter-premiere/
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