The CW; Getty Images
"The Carrie Diaries" and executive producer Amy B. Harris (inset)
[Warning: Spoilers from Monday's "Dangerous Territory" and beyond.]
That was quick.
Soon after young Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) and bad boy Sebastian Kydd (Austin Butler) called it quits -- though they were never officially an item -- Sebastian moved on to another Connecticut gal, none other than Carrie's nemesis Donna La Donna (Chloe Bridges). Carrie moved on in her own way, reconnecting with an old acquaintance, George (Richard Kohnke), at a swanky Manhattan soiree. Also in Monday's "Dangerous Territory," Mouse (Ellen Wong) and her boyfriend Seth (Kyle Harris) go the distance -- but not before some untimely truths come out about previous sexual exploits.
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So what does this new boy in Carrie's life mean for her future with Sebastian? And what's going on with her best friends? Executive producer/showrunner Amy B. Harris weighed in on what to expect in coming weeks:
Will Carrie's friend, George, stick around? With the introduction of George, Sebastian's polar opposite, will he remain in Carrie's orbit for a significant period time? "He's definitely someone new in Carrie's life. He's going to be around for a nice little arc," Harris told reporters. "There's a quadrangle coming with Donna and Sebastian now being involved and Carrie having a possibility with George." George, for one, "is a much more relaxed energy than Sebastian," Harris said. "It was fun to bring in a part of Manhattan we hadn't seen."
Will Carrie lose her virginity? An upcoming episode will focus on Carrie's virginity. "What I love about Carrie is she actually values her virginity and thinks a lot about what that will be and who she wants to give it to," Harris said. "George being older and from a more sophisticated world has a different attitude about it." During Sex and the City, there was mention of how Carrie lost her virginity, but it likely won't play out that way on The CW prequel. "I want to chase down what I think is personally authentic to Carrie," Harris explained. Though the season will feature many firsts for Carrie, the writers are discussing how (and when) the moment best suits the character. "We haven't figured out how," Harris said. "She's thinking a lot about how she wants it to happen but we haven't gotten to the place where it's happened."
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How does Carrie's father Tom dating affect Carrie? Harris credited Everwood and Gilmore Girls as focusing on the family drama particularly well, and utilized aspects of those shows for Carrie Diaries with the Bradshaw aspect of it all. "The romanticized version of what she saw her parents' relationship is going to play out in big ways," Harris said. Larissa's presence in Carrie's life will begin to pose more problems with Carrie and her father, she hinted. (Larissa, as well as Donna, will become more redeemable as the season plays out.)
How will Walt deal with his sexuality? "When I wrote the pilot, I thought I would have him come out a lot faster, but then when I watched the pilot -- and the timeframe it's in -- this is a very difficult thing," Harris said. "I wanted to tell this story in the longer, more drawn-out way because it's the truth. Even now, it can be hard to come out and I wanted that experience to be real for Walt which I think is painful and scary." The producer also said it was important for her that Walt not be "stereotypically gay" and that she wanted to differentiate from the fact that he will have a crush on a man. Harris was coy, but she hinted that Interview editor Bennett (Jake Robinson) will return.
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Who is the most tragic character? The Walt-Maggie relationship will come to a head. ("There will be fallout," Harris promises.) "I think in a way Maggie is my most tragic character because Walt, up until 104 didn't even know what he was hiding but now he's making conscious choices to hide behind Maggie, and I think he wants [their relationship] to be true," Harris said. "She's made a lot of bad choices in part because she picked a guy who isn't attracted to her not because of her but because of who he is. But she doesn't know that yet."
Why aren't Mouse, Walt and Maggie in Carrie's future? When asked whether she has thought of why Carrie's high school friends aren't in her life later down the line, Harris replied with a simple, "I have thought about it a lot," adding that the writers "have some good ideas for why they're not around."
More nods to Sex and the City? It was Monday's episode that revealed why Carrie (of Sex and the City) wore a flower in her lapel -- in addition to a young Carrie putting on an abundance of necklaces and using tulle to fill out her dress. As Harris revealed, that reveal was something that was originally considered for the first episode. "In my mind, I'd always thought her mom and gardening and there was some connection to her with flowers," Harris said.
What is the timeline for season one and beyond? Harris shared that the first season will follow Carrie's entire junior year, and should there be a second season, that will likely be her senior year. "There's always good ideas and more story to be told," Harris said, "so let's chase down her junior year." Episode seven, airing Feb. 25, centers on the winter dance with eight on kicking off in January 1985.
The Carrie Diaries airs 8 p.m. Mondays on The CW.
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