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 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]
The show focuses on 16-year-old Carter Stevens, who lived an idyllic life in Pennsylvania as a popular, smart, and pretty girl with a close relationship with her single mother. However, after getting arrested for breaking and entering, her life is entirely flipped upside down when she discovers the horrifying truth—that she was abducted from Virginia 13 years ago—by the lady who claims to be her mother. She is swiftly forced to adjust to her former family – including her parents, her goody-two-shoes twin sister Taylor, and her overlooked younger brother Grant – while also uncovering dark secrets that make her abduction more complicated than it appears.
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 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]
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]
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.
'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.'
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.