Finding Carter

Last updated
Finding Carter
Finding Carter intertitle.png
Genre
Created byEmily Jessica Silver
Developed by Terri Minsky
Starring
Opening theme"Vagabond" by MisterWives
ComposerJacob Yoffee
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes36 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Terri Minsky
  • Deborah Spera
  • Maria Grasso
  • Alexander A. Motlagh
  • Emily Whitesell
Production location Atlanta, Georgia
Running time42 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkMTV
Original releaseJuly 8, 2014 (2014-07-08) 
December 15, 2015 (2015-12-15)

Finding Carter is an American teen drama television series that aired on MTV for two seasons from July 8, 2014, to December 15, 2015. [1] The series stars Kathryn Prescott as Carter Stevens, a teenage girl whose life is torn apart when she discovers that the woman she thought was her mother, Lori (Milena Govich), had in fact abducted her from her family when she was a young child. Cynthia Watros and Alexis Denisof co-star as her true parents, Elizabeth and David Wilson, along with Anna Jacoby-Heron and Zac Pullam as her siblings, Taylor and Grant Wilson. The first season focuses on Carter's return to the Wilson family and her adjustment within friendships and romances, while the second season explores the true motives behind Lori's abduction of Carter as well as focusing on Carter's struggle to belong and as the relationships between her, Taylor and their social group.

Contents

The first season, which consisted of 12 episodes, finished airing in September 2014. A month after its debut, MTV renewed Finding Carter for a second season of an additional 12 episodes, which was later extended to 24 episodes. [2] The network later cancelled the series in January 2016. [3]

Plot

The series follows Carter, a teenage girl who has a perfect life in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her single mother Lori. After a prank lands Carter in jail, it is revealed that Lori abducted Carter as a child. Now, Carter returns to her original family and she must navigate through her new life while (initially) vowing to be reunited with Lori. However, Carter's mother, Elizabeth, is determined to find Lori and punish the woman responsible for kidnapping her child thirteen years earlier. Meanwhile, Carter's father, David, is secretly writing the sequel to his hit book about Carter's initial disappearance. Along with being reunited with her parents, she meets her goody two-shoes twin sister, Taylor, and ignored younger brother, Grant.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 12July 8, 2014 (2014-07-08)September 16, 2014 (2014-09-16)
2 2412March 31, 2015 (2015-03-31)June 16, 2015 (2015-06-16)
12October 6, 2015 (2015-10-06)December 15, 2015 (2015-12-15)

Cast

Main

Recurring

Production and development

Finding Carter was written as a writing sample by Emily Silver, who then shopped it around to networks such as ABC Family and MTV. Shortly after, Terri Minsky was brought onto the project as an executive producer and the pilot went through a re-write. [1] On September 12, 2013, MTV placed a pilot order. [7] Scott Speer then signed on to direct the pilot. [1]

On January 30, 2014, Finding Carter was given a 12-episode series order. [1] Filming for Finding Carter takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, [8] in Westlake High School's old facility. In April, it was announced that Jesse Henderson would play Gabe, the role in which Nolan Sotillo was previously cast. [6]

On August 19, 2014, MTV renewed the show for a second season containing 12 episodes. [9] [10] [11] On January 10, 2015, it was announced that Season 2 would premier on March 31, 2015. [12] On May 18, 2015, it was announced that there would be a 12 episode extension to season 2 which premiered in October. The season finale of season 2 was on December 15, 2015. [2] On January 29, 2016, MTV announced the show's cancellation because of a drop in viewers.

Casting

Casting announcements began in October 2013, with Cynthia Watros first cast in the role of Elizabeth Wilson, a police detective and Carter's biological mother. [13] Shortly after, Kathryn Prescott, Anna Jacoby-Heron, Zac Pullam, and Jesse Henderson were cast in the series. Prescott signed onto the role of Carter Stevens, the confident and mischievous lead, who has a close relationship with the woman she thought was her mother; Jacoby-Heron was chosen for the role of Taylor Wilson, Carter's fraternal twin sister; Pullam was cast as Grant, Carter's somewhat-detached younger brother who was born after her disappearance; and Henderson joined in the role of Gabe, Taylor's close friend who immediately finds himself attracted to Carter. [14] In early November, Alexis Denisof was cast as David Wilson, Carter's father, who found success as a novelist after writing a book about his daughter's disappearance. [15] Milena Govich plays the role of Lori, the woman who abducted Carter when she was three. [1]

Reception

Finding Carter has been met with positive reviews from critics. The first season received a 71 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews, based on 9 critic reviews. [16] On Rotten Tomatoes, season one holds a rating of 88%, based on 8 reviews, with an average rating 7.1/10. [17]

Broadcast

In Australia, the series premiered on July 16, 2015, on FOX8. [18] On November 26, 2015, MTV Portugal started broadcasting the show's first season. [19] MTV Denmark started broadcasting both seasons on June 6, 2016. The second season began June 22, 2016. MTV UK began broadcasting the show's first season on June 21, 2016. In Germany Disney Channel started broadcasting the show.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Andreeva, Nellie (January 30, 2014). "MTV's Picks Up Coming-Of-Age Drama Pilot 'Finding Carter' To Series". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Finding Carter (Season 2) - Returns In October". MTV. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  3. Wagmeister, Elizabeth (January 29, 2016). "MTV's 'Finding Carter' Canceled After 2 Seasons". Variety . Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Video: MTV Debuts the Trailer for Its Highly Anticipated New Drama Series, 'Finding Carter'". The Futon Critic. 11 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014. 'Finding Carter' stars Kathryn Prescott as 'Carter Stevens' ('Skins'), Cynthia Watros as 'Elizabeth Wilson' Elizabeth as experienced one of the worst thing's that could ever happen to a mother. Her daughter was kidnapped at age 3. She became a cop so she could find her daughter. In the process she had an affair with a fellow co-worker (Gabe's father). About 12–13 years later she found her daughter. Elizabeth and her found daughter's, Carter/Lyndon, relationship starts out rocky due to the fact that Elizabeth would kill the kidnapper 'Lori' if she could. Elizabeth and Carter have a fun day causing a slow but great relationship between the two. Great Quotes: 'I joined the force to find my daughter and I found her' ('Lost'), Anna Jacoby-Heron as 'Taylor Wilson,' Alexis Denisof as 'David Wilson' ('Buffy the Vampire Slayer'/'Angel') and Zac Pullam as 'Grant.' The series also features Milena Govich as 'Lori,' Meredith Baxter as 'Grandma Joan' ('Family Ties'), Robert Pine as 'Grandpa Buddy'('CHiPs'), Eddie Matos as 'Kyle,' Alex Saxon ('The Fosters') as 'Max,' Jesse Henderson as 'Gabe' and Stephen Guarino as 'Toby.'
  5. "'Finding Carter' Sneak Peek: Season 2 Will Kick Off With All Kinds of Amazing". mtv.com. Matthew Scott Donnelly. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goldberg, Lesley (April 16, 2014). "MTV's 'Finding Carter' Adds Quartet to Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 June 2014. The series, which stars Skins' Kathryn Prescott, has enlisted Jesse Henderson, Jesse Carere, Caleb Ruminer and Vanessa Morgan as recurring guest-stars, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. […] Henderson (Restless, The Gray Area) will play Gabe, a teenager who falls for wild-child Carter despite her sister and his longtime friend Taylor's harboring feelings for him.
  7. "Development Update: Thursday, September 12". The Futon Critic. September 12, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  8. "MTV 'Finding Carter' Casting Call For Teachers and Students in Atlanta". Project Casting. May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  9. Goldberg, Lesley (August 19, 2014). "MTV's 'Finding Carter' Renewed for Second Season". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. Donnelly, Matthew Scott (August 19, 2014). "The 'Journey' Continues: 'Finding Carter' Is Coming Back For Season 2". MTV . Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  11. Abrams, Natalie (August 19, 2014). "MTV renews 'Finding Carter' for season 2". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  12. "Finding Carter". Facebook. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  13. Andreeva, Nellie (October 22, 2013). "Cynthia Watros Joins MTV Pilot 'Finding Carter', Rex Lee & Jonathan Sadowski Cast In ABC Family's 'Young & Hungry'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  14. Goldberg, Lesley (October 23, 2013). "'Skins' Star Lands Lead Role in MTV's 'Finding Carter' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  15. Goldberg, Lesley (November 5, 2013). "Alexis Denisof to Co-Star in MTV's 'Finding Carter' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved June 6, 2014.
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  17. "Finding Carter: Season 1 (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  18. Knox, David (July 3, 2015). "Airdate: Finding Carter". TV Tonight . Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  19. ""Finding Carter" chega à MTV Portugal". November 19, 2015. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.