To not find Sex and the City actually that 'problematic'?

[whyorwellmatters]

It seems to be in vogue to take shows like Friends and SATC, and decide they're problematic by today's standards.

Currently rewatching season 1 of SATC, and have noticed nothing especially bad.

What's all the fuss about?

I enjoyed it at the time but I have no intention of watching the upcoming reboot. Some things need to stay in their moment and anyway, if Samantha isn't in it, what's the point?

The second film was so appalling that I can't see them coming back from it.

with The Kardashians and "influencers" constantly on luxurious long haul holidays and flogging make up and bikinis.

I see plenty of backlash against that though, which wasn’t as evident in SATC days.

if Samantha isn't in it, what's the point?

This. Why bother?

@TheKeatingFive

but it was in part exploring women having their own money as a norm and what they liked spending it on

Yeah absolutely. It felt very liberating at the time.

Views have moved on now though.

I remember very powerfully what an impact it had at the time. My 20 year old self was blown away.

Me too, the films were shite though particularly number 2.

@TheKeatingFive

with The Kardashians and "influencers" constantly on luxurious long haul holidays and flogging make up and bikinis.

I see plenty of backlash against that though, which wasn’t as evident in SATC days.

The SATC women were doing it for themselves thoogh, not to cultivate a "brand identity" on social media.

SATC 2 is very problematic and wasn’t that long ago. The tv series mostly makes me cringe because it’s only hit me as I’ve got older that Carrie is a fucking nightmare.

As for Friends I think Chandler’s attitude towards his dad is realistic even though it’s not very PC. There’s a massive lack of diversity considering it’s New York in the 1990s/00s. What really pisses me off is when Rachel gets off the fucking plane for Ross. What’s the fucking point? Their relationship was so shit they probably split up within a few months anyway.

I think the earlier SATC were the best anyway – they were written by a group of women, whereas later on Michael Patrick King took over. I don’t think he did a particularly good job, tbh. I do agree about the over consumption … Carrie’s clothes seemed so ground breaking and daring at the time: now I look at them and think , Christ love, what are you wearing?’ The first film was ridiculous, the second was utterly disgraceful. I’m presuming that Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha didn’t read the script before signing on the dotted line. Their part were appalling. But to get back to your original question OP – yes I could probably watch the first series and still reasonably enjoy it. I remember seeing one of the writers interviewed once, and she said that they used to use their own experiences as storylines for the show. The bit about Maranda being broken up with by her date’s doorman – that happened to one of the writers!

I don't think its "problematic", but I thought even at the time they were in the main vacuous twats with far too much money and not nearly enough sense.
The premise was just so daft, your woman wrote one inane column a week but could afford to live in NY, buy designer clothes and shoes and be constantly spending money practically every second of the day?
And everyone used to go on about how amazing the clothes were and how she always looked so incredible..I thought she looked like a kid with a dressing up box, mainly ridiculous. Lots of silly, flouncy impractical things. Did so not get it.

It made me try to drink cosmopolitans at the time, I didn’t like them but thought I looked sophisticated 😂

Used to watch with a group of friends, as only one of us could afford the channel it was on. I dont think it is terrible, in the way I dont think Friends is terrible - but they are of their time (lack of diversity, some problems with bisexuality etc etc) and attitudes have moved on a lot.

The SATC women were doing it for themselves thoogh, not to cultivate a "brand identity" on social media.

They were educated, cultured, self made

These days, I don’t think these types of women aspire to mainstream designer labels in the same way.

I think the fact it was supposed to be okay, even aspirational, is what made it sort of problematic. The ladies in it were generally horrible, quite catty and extremely self absorbed. Totally blind to the social issues of the day. Such a middle class WASP show. If viewed like Alan partridge, ie openly offensive but entertaining and cringeworthy...then I can enjoy it. With a massive pinch of salt.

I liked it as an 18-25 year old at the time it was on. It was aspirational to me. The clothes, the big city life. It was also a bit more realistic about relationships. Like Charlotte had the dream wedding and it all went to shit then had problems having a family. Carrie kept having her on/off relationship with Mr BIg who was an arsehole. I loved Samantha too. The idea of a woman being so sexually forward at the time was something we hadn't seen before.

Now, looking back on it, what was new about it has been done to death in other shows. I also hated the first film giving everyone a happy ending. I couldn't even face the second film.

Not a very diverse show but then what was then? We’ve moved on a long way. I loved it to be honest - it was funny, looked great and was all about women which was rare then.

The revamp is a bit like the spice girls reforming. They were of the time. Not now.

@Missdotty

I think the fact it was supposed to be okay, even aspirational, is what made it sort of problematic. The ladies in it were generally horrible, quite catty and extremely self absorbed. Totally blind to the social issues of the day. Such a middle class WASP show. If viewed like Alan partridge, ie openly offensive but entertaining and cringeworthy...then I can enjoy it. With a massive pinch of salt.

Middle aged?? The women in it or the viewers?

My favourite ‘Samanthaisms’ were when she let a one night stand into her shared building and the residents were baying for her blood because someone got robbed and she said ‘They chased me out of there like I was Fuckenstein’ 😂😂😂 That and ‘Goldilocks’ when unable to chose between men.

Urgh Season 1 is the worst OP...it gets sooo much better than that! I usually don't watch episodes earlier than S3 now, which is when it hits its stride.

I don't really get why people see it as problematic? I think that the show actually explores a lot of ground that wasn't covered before and brings women to the forefront, which is fab. I can only think of one episode which would probably not be made now, and that was an early one.

I also love Friends but can see more where some jokes wouldn't be written now (Chandler's dad etc).

Middle aged?? The women in it or the viewers?

It says middle class, not middle aged.

It isnt problematic OP but sadly people are way too quick to take offence these days.

The concept of something or someone being 'problematic' is American woke speak (and I'm as left wing as they come). These programmes were of their time. You can't judge them based on the values of nowadays.

You can not enjoy them anymore. You can turn them off and watch something else. But demanding other people stop watching them is ridiculous.

I really liked it and I still like it now. Yes, if I sat there and analysed it I could find a lot that I wouldn't find palatable in real life. But it entertained me then and it entertains me now.
I still think Carrie should have stuck with Aiden though and Paris was a bit crap.

I didnt see it as problematic at all, agree some stuff is dated but what show isn’t.

People love to be offended by everything these days though.

as much as I’m lookimg forward to the new show, i also know it will be full of ‘wokeness’ which every show must now have or fave being criticised .

@freddiesmoustache that's brilliant!

Middle aged?? The women in it or the viewers?
MissDotty said middle CLASS not middled AGED.

It’s very dated and I would say a lot of things are very “problematic” today. The racial stereotyping of any character that wasn’t white! The way Charlotte goes from nice little wasp to push bolshy Jew, her entire personality wouldn’t change like that. But the trope that Jewish women are like that is still being pushed upon her for no reason. The bisexuality comments as PPs have said. . The “fabulous” gay bbfs only there to serve as some sort of fanboy for Carrie. Plus Carrie just being a generally vile person and the toxicity of a lot of her relationships being portrayed as normal.

If they carry on with the same lazy writing it won’t last long.