I distinctly remember stumbling upon one of the “Sex & The City” films while browsing the TV in middle school. At the time, I was unaware that it was based on a very popular TV show, which I later started watching in high school. This summer, I was eager to rewatch the show. After finishing it, I still craved more, so I watched the two spin-off movies that followed. This time around, I had a very different take on them and was quite annoyed with some aspects of the show.
The Unrealistic Lifestyle
When I first watched the show, I thought Carrie Bradshaw’s lifestyle in New York City portrayed a realistic representation of living there. Having now watched it again and visited NYC, it’s clear to me that Carrie’s life is not attainable for most people.
As a columnist in the late 90s to early 2000s, she probably had an average salary, yet she lived a very expensive life. Throughout the show, she wears extremely expensive clothing, including Fendi bags (especially the “baguette”), Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, and the infamous Manolos – mentioning once that she spent $40,000 on shoes. It’s also noted several times that Carrie doesn’t cook, eats out often, and has a hectic social life, relying on cabs rather than the subway, a rather costly means of transportation.
Considering all of these, it doesn’t quite add up how Carrie affords this lavish lifestyle. However, although unrealistic, Carrie’s lifestyle does give you the sense that you will be able to live like her once you move to NYC, which is probably what the writers were trying to accomplish in the first place.
The Cringey One-Liners
Throughout the show we see most characters deliver iconic one-liners, but this doesn’t change the fact that most of the lines in the show just seem “iconic” when in reality most are cringey. For example, Carrie’s line to her date, “Sometimes I would buy ‘Vogue’ instead of dinner. I felt it fed me more,” was clearly written to be iconic but remains cringey at best. Another one is yet again a forced quote by Carrie, “With an armful of discount clothing, I realized I couldn’t discount my feelings.”
The Nonexistent Character Development of Carrie
While we see many examples of great character development throughout the show, Carrie’s character doesn’t evolve much. Carrie seems addicted to drama and the passion it brings. If there’s no drama in her relationships, she finds a way to create it, as seen in her relationship with Aidan. Her healthy relationship with Aidan makes her think there’s no passion, leading to her affair with Mr. Big.
She constantly mistakes drama for passion, a trait that persists throughout her life. As we see her cheat on Mr. Big with Aidan in the second movie, creating some form of chaos in her life because she’s not entirely fulfilled with settling down. However, this time around we do see a hint of character development in Carrie, as she immediately tells Big what went down between her and Aidan.
The Soulmate Talk
One aspect I appreciate in the show is the emphasis on friendship. Although the show portrays many forms of “great romances,” most aren’t long-lasting or functional. However, the bond among the four women is strong – despite imperfections – and they support each other through thick and thin. This is highlighted in the series and even gives rise to well-known quotes such as “Maybe we could be each other’s soulmates. Then we could let men be these great, nice guys to have fun with,” and “Men, babies, doesn’t matter. We’re soulmates.”
And Just Like That…
Sex and the City certainly has its flaws, but it’s an undeniably iconic show that still garners much attention even 20 years after its release. In my opinion, what sets this show apart is that we see these characters in every possible scenario and continue to follow them years later (as seen in “And Just Like That,” the sequel show), demonstrating their timeless appeal. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another sequel in 10 years.