The CW’s “Sex and The City” prequel “The Carrie Diaries” stars AnnaSophia Robb as 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw.

Set in 1984, teenage Carrie comes to terms with her mother’s death, experiences first love, fights with her rebellious, younger sister and navigates high school while avoiding her nemesis, Donna LaDonna. As unfortunate as this sounds, “The Carrie Diaries” isn’t awful. While Robb is an odd choice for the role of Carrie Bradshaw, she manages to capture a certain essence of the character.

Freema Agyeman and Matt Letscher deliver solid performances. “The Carrie Diaries” is far more compelling than most teen dramas, but the many clichés in the pilot alone will probably keep it from reaching its predecessor’s cult status. If you’re looking for a new “SATC,” stay away. But if you’ve ever fantasized about living in a John Hughes movie, this might be the show for you.