How a raunchy comedy struck a blow for Sisterhood: Sex and the City, 10 Years Later
This is an important date in history – for some of us. Ten years ago on this date, Sex and the City, HBO’s “raunch-com,” ended and Carrie finally got her happy ending with “Mr. Big.” And we finally found out his real first name.
I began watching the show around Season 3. Once I got into it, I was hooked. As a writer, I was intrigued by writer Carrie – especially the $4.50 per word she eventually got from Vogue magazine. Hokey as some of her observations were, many were dead on. The – many – relationships were weird and messy, something we could relate to.
The show was about many things: Manhattan living, shoes, finding the “one,” trends in clothes & drinks, more shoes, making a living, parenthood or not, and of course, lots of sex. And shoes.
But it was the recurring theme of loyalty among the main four characters that kept me coming back. In this age of “Mean Girl” motifs and the often prevailing sentiment of “women don’t like other women,” the idea of having such close female friendships that spanned years and numerous men is very compelling. Having people who stood by you and accepted your faults is something most of us would want in our lives. And it was portrayed in very funny and often touching ways.
I still stop to watch the gals when re-runs come on and go “oh, yeah, I remember this phase of their lives” and still get a warm feeling for these brave, kooky, materialistic-but-sometimes-kind women.
Some of my favorite scenes:
1) Batman and the Green Lantern (Aidan and Big) fighting in the mud at Aidan’s country place.
2) Aidan forgiving Carrie after her affair and their estrangement – he throws rocks at her window, he runs to her door, she runs to open it. She jumps up into his arms and he carries her away… (I know, I know – the 16-year-old girl still in me can be a sucker for this stuff.)
3) At Miranda’s mother’s funeral, Carrie leaves her pew to walk with her friend out of the church so she doesn’t have to walk alone (not “walking alone” – big theme for these gals).
4) Charlotte loses her patience after waiting for Harry to propose and says, “I gave up Christ for you.”
4) Harry proposes to Charlotte at Singles Night at the synagogue (even after the “Christ” remark).
5) Smith shaves his head in solidarity with Samantha after she loses her hair due to chemotherapy.
6) And of course, the final episode where Big finally tells Carrie, “You’re the one.”
And the final Carrie-ism:
“The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you YOU love, well, that’s just fabulous.”
For more Sex and the City views:
Pinterest.com/brianneschultz/life-lessons-from-sex-and-the-city
Girls on Film: the Forgotten Legacy of Sex and the City
m.theweek.com/article.php?id=256689
And: Sex and the City 3 Movie, anyone?
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/02/19/sex-and-the-city-3-movie-michael-patrick-king/?cnn=yes