Were We Wrong To Love Sex and the City?

 

A couple of weeks ago, I finished rewatching Sex and the City for maybe the 20^th time. And I had to wonder… were we wrong to love Sex and the City?

I first watched Sex and the City in the nineties. My mum was a big fan of all of the characters and the fashion. I was far too young to understand what was going on in the program, but regardless, I was hooked. I fell in love with it and the show very quickly became one of my comfort shows that I rewatch time and time again.

Each time I have rewatched the series, I have had differing opinions. Over the years I have loved different characters. Being able to relate to various scenarios. Not to mention developed my own love for the high fashion mentioned in the show. However, this last time, I felt a little icky watching the show. I thought that I would share with you guys some of the things that made me uncomfortable while watching…

 

Carrie was a terrible friend.

I think first and foremost, Carrie is a bad friend to the other girls. For example, she shames Samantha, even though she knows what she is like. She manipulated Charlotte into selling her ring and giving her a lump of cash, despite the fact she wasted her own money on shoes. And with Miranda, she didn’t tell her about the chat with Steve from the first movie. Throughout all series of the show, she was a wanker with them and there are many more examples. She was truly lucky that they stuck by her.

 

Carrie was weak with Big.

Watching Sex and the City as an almost 30-year-old, it blows my mind the relationship that she has with Mr Big. He is a narcissist. He is a terrible man. In the beginning, I did have to wonder if she was under his control, a little like a domestic abuse relationship, where you can’t quite see how they are being or treating you. However, I think that you quickly learn that isn’t the case. She should have grown a backbone and told that big ugly man to take a hike. I know that as viewers we love a will they/won’t they relationship. But I felt like this got it all wrong. I can’t even tell you how disappointed I was when they married in the movies.

 

Carrie was a dick to Aidan.

Whether you are team Big or team Aidan, I don’t think that anybody can dispute that Aidan was a good guy. Granted, sometimes that doesn’t make a particularly exciting TV show. I am not even on about her affair with Mr Big behind his back. This is about their broader relationship. She was terrible to him. Whether it was accepting his proposal and then refusing to wear the ring. Screaming at him for buying the place next door and making improvements, that she had agreed to. She was pathetic and cold to a good guy. I am team Aidan, all the way!

 

Carrie was a bad girlfriend to others.

Throughout the show, Carrie has many other boyfriends. To each of them, she is just as cold and to be honest, quite a bitch. She wasn’t an overly affectionate or loving partner, yet when they were just as cold with her, she would scream over lunch with the girls. To be honest, I’m glad she got dumped on a post-it note. She deserved it.

 

Carrie was a terrible adult.

Throughout Sex and the City, Carrie never fully nails the whole adult thing. As I mentioned above, there was the whole performance with Charlotte and the engagement ring. Following the breakdown of Charlottes marriage, Carrie quite literally forced her to sell her Tiffany engagement ring so that Carrie could make the down payment on her apartment. Carrie had no money of her own, because she had lived above her means and spent all of her money on her closet. Now, I can spend just as good as anybody, but I know how to budget and be an adult at the same time. How was this person a role model for so many women in their twenties?

 

I really wish that I hadn’t watched Sex and the City again. It would have remained on a pedestal in my mind. However, I now cannot watch an episode without wincing. How the hell did people use to watch this and love Carrie? I feel like as I have grown up, I have found other things with some of my other favourite shows. For example, I used to swoon over Jim from The Office, now I think he was really problematic with Pam. I guess with age comes a new outlook and I am looking at the things that I used to love with completely new eyes. I would love to hear from you guys on this. Have your opinions changed? Will you always be a Sex and the City fan?