Recently, I’ve decided to take the journey into Sex & The City and rewatch the series from start to finish. I’ve never done that. I grew up with the show playing in the background of my adolescence, the early days of HBO. My mom would cook dinner and then reward herself, and sometimes us, with an episode.

Sex and The City recently celebrated its 20th anniversary prompting pop culture to once again remember it and observe whether the show still holds up. This was my main reason for rewatching. So many women still swear by it. A faithful GIRLS watcher, the comparisons were inevitable though they aren’t the same other than both programs told women’s stories in New York City.

Singles v. Couples & Archetypal Women

I’m still on season 1 and already have several opinions, one of which concerns the “battle against couples” theme. The cliche of I becoming we and the sadness of losing yourself looms as the inevitable outcome to becoming a couple, though it in no way stops these women from relentlessly chasing true love. This, of course, means different things to each of the main characters. They portray an array of women we’ve met or been at several points of our lives: the hopeless romantic who follows the rules of dating like a book, the unrestrained chaser of good feelings despite all logic and reason, the complicated strong one who doesn’t want to admit her desire to be loved, and of course, the one night stand expert who sees no reason to limit herself with something as boring as a relationship.

A world without smartphones

No texting? Social media? It’s tough to relate to a show that doesn’t include the technology that’s been a part of romance since puberty.

For example, when Carry wants to know more about her boyfriend’s ex wife, she makes an appointment to meet her. This, of course, would be unnecessary today with Facebook and Instagram. A more relatable scene would have been Carrie and the girls meeting over wine staring at her laptop as they browse the ex’s various profiles and connections. These optics make a far less exciting scene, but they’re more true to the typical experience today.

Even so, its time capsule element does give me the warm and fuzzies for the yesteryears. There was a scene with Miranda and a man she’s sleeping with: they’re both in bed post-coital position and he proposes they watch a movie as he gingerly picks up a Block Buster VHS box! Block Buster nights… Was there anything better than going to the store, reading the flicks in the aisle and then buying over-priced junk food associated with movie-watching?

One Dimensional Dude Characters

Okay okay in all honesty, it’s not terribly difficult put the technology aspect aside and get into the universal insights being explored in these stories. Let’s get into the meat… hah.

For the most part, the men on SATC have one dimensional story lines, often reducing them to a tired cliche. While I acknowledge this was a for women by women show in a time when we were (*and still are*) starving for these stories, I still wish they weren’t. SATC does to men what most cinema has been doing to women, reducing them to one thing. I get it (don’t yell!), but I wish it would show more layers to these guys. Not because I want them to get more screen time or detract focus, but I think it would support the women’s storylines. If all guys are stereotypes, then really, what hope do they have? What hope do any of us have?

Big Sucks

I have to take a moment to acknowledge that Mr. Big is a real big dick. Though at times I sympathize with Carrie and her hopeless devotion for him, I just wanna smack her and beseech her to have some sliver of self respect! I wondered, as Carrie did so many times smoking her cigarette typing away on her laptop facing an open window with the view of Manhattan, why the fuck could she not let this man go? I wish the movies would have explored her living her own life versus getting dumped and humiliated once again by Mr. Big. The drug she can’t quit.

Speaking of which…

We don’t need another movie (I think)

Full disclosure: I’m a newbie still at the beginning of my SATC journey. Perhaps after I go through the entire series – and obviously fueled by a blind devotion – I will demand we keep tabs on these characters. Only time will tell. 

There was a ton of negative press in the news recently regarding how Kim Cattrall essentially killed the making of a third SATC movie. Sarah Jessica Parker said there was a “beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story.” … but do we really need it? I say no.

More of Carrie in her 40s still picking up Mr. Big’s shit? No, thank you.

I’m not advocating for a happy ending, because so often in life it’s more complicated than the tidy “and they lived happily ever after.” But watching Carrie rinse and repeat the same bad habits is getting boring to me as a viewer. I am aching for her to evolve and find love, even (and maybe especially) if that doesn’t include romantic love. And if that possibility must only exist in my imagination, then so be it 😉

Agree? Any thoughts on SATC?