A new version of Stephen King's "Carrie" is streaming on Prime Video, and critics are split on whether the classic needed a fresh take.

All eight episodes of the series came out Oct. 7. Horror writer and director Mike Flanagan created it and directed four episodes. King is an executive producer.

Summer H. Howell stars as Carrie White, a teen with growing telekinetic powers. In this version, she has never left home. Her doomsday-prepper father has died, and her very religious mother, Margaret, played by Samantha Sloyan, must let her attend public school. There Carrie faces active-shooter drills and a cruel Instagram gossip account, Variety reported. It all builds toward the famous prom scene.

Variety's Aramide Tinubu called the show "a superb reimagining" that captures what made the story timeless. She praised how it gives "agency to the young women at the center of the story."

The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg was less sold. He praised the cast, especially Howell, and called the adaptation "at best admirable and at worst defensible." But he wrote that this Carrie is "less distinctive and far less scary than it should be." He said stretches of the show feel more like Netflix's "13 Reasons Why" than "Carrie."

The novel was King's first. Brian De Palma's 1976 film made Sissy Spacek a star. Later versions, including a 2013 remake, were largely forgotten, The Hollywood Reporter noted.

Flanagan has adapted King before, with "Gerald's Game" and "Doctor Sleep." His next film, "The Exorcist: Martyrs," with Scarlett Johansson, released its first trailer this week.

The cast also includes Matthew Lillard, Amber Midthunder and Heather Graham.

What we know: All eight episodes are streaming now on Prime Video.
What we don't: Whether Amazon will order a second season.