Carrie Bradshaw?

smilingontheinsidee · 2023-11-26T17:30:08+00:00

So I know it’s been debated to death of what a toxic person she is and bad friend and this thread is nothing to do with that. Aibu to think it was really odd that you barely knew anything of her life before NY? She briefly touched on her father leaving but her mother is never mentioned or makes an appearance and whether she has siblings or half siblings, I just find it odd to have a main character and have no background to them.

WeekWeekWeek · 26/11/2023 17:34

You could say the same for all the other characters.

The show wasn’t about their pasts, it was about their relationships.

Scruffington · 26/11/2023 17:36

We heard snippets of Charlotte's and Miranda's backgrounds but v little on Carrie's or Sam's.

wasn't there a short lived show about her early days in Manhattan? Maybe they mentioned her origin story more in that.

NuffSaidSam · 26/11/2023 17:38

It never really went into the backstory of any of the characters did it? It just wasn't that type of show.

AngryBird6122 · 26/11/2023 17:39

Well we met Charlotte's brother, Miranda's mum died. So not nothing about the others, but not very much. It used to bother me that we didn't get any backstory on her

GertrudeSteinsbook · 26/11/2023 17:41

I kind of liked that about it. Carrie was quite free spirited & a good role model for people that maybe don’t have family. I guess not everyone does or is close to theirs. I thought it was refreshing.

fishshop · 26/11/2023 17:42

Scruffington · 26/11/2023 17:36

We heard snippets of Charlotte's and Miranda's backgrounds but v little on Carrie's or Sam's.

wasn't there a short lived show about her early days in Manhattan? Maybe they mentioned her origin story more in that.

There was an origin story called the Carrie diaries but it featured her being raised by a salt of the earth single dad- which wasn’t her back story in the show

Carrie spoke about her own self described ‘daddy issues’ and that her father was never around

Grapefruitstars · 26/11/2023 17:47

Samantha mentioned her mum had 3 kids
Charlotte is from a very wasp family and has a brother.
Mirandas mum died and she has a sister. She also said her dad was home at 7 every night indicating he was reliable.
All we know about carrie is that her dad left.

Original poster

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 17:47

AngryBird6122 · 26/11/2023 17:39

Well we met Charlotte's brother, Miranda's mum died. So not nothing about the others, but not very much. It used to bother me that we didn't get any backstory on her

I’m sure Samantha once mentioned she was one of many? Although none were specially mentioned or ever featured.

None of their parents were featured. Charlotte had two weddings. I’m not even sure Miranda’s dad was mentioned/featured at her mums funeral?

Just seems odd to me to have four characters and none of their past ever really mentioned, you only found out how they met when the first movie came out.

OP posts:

Grapefruitstars · 26/11/2023 17:58

When she was really ill once Sam said she should have had kids and her mum had 3 at her age.

Didimum · 26/11/2023 18:00

I never felt the need to know Carrie’s background to enjoy the show for what it was. As another poster said, it wasn’t particularly relevant to the show.

I also don’t ever get the criticism against Carrie’s character for whatever problematic thing she did. A protagonist isn’t supposed to be perfect or always do the right thing. It’s better if a character is believable and has flaws, so long as the audience can at least see motivation – in Carrie’s case being young, single and swallowed in some head fuck relationships. I also don’t get the criticism of ignorance in its treatment of any now topical themes – homosexuality, promiscuity, etc. It wasn’t produced to be worthy or with a moral compass. It was very much of its time, the same as any show from the 90s.

LimeCheesecake · 26/11/2023 18:05

I like that we don’t know. It’s often presumed that for women, “family” is the priority, but the point was you had these 4 women with interesting careers, single and childfree (at the start at least) and their families didn’t play much part in their lives. They had families. But they were people who didn’t have much involvement in their lives.

Original poster

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 18:06

Didimum · 26/11/2023 18:00

I never felt the need to know Carrie’s background to enjoy the show for what it was. As another poster said, it wasn’t particularly relevant to the show.

I also don’t ever get the criticism against Carrie’s character for whatever problematic thing she did. A protagonist isn’t supposed to be perfect or always do the right thing. It’s better if a character is believable and has flaws, so long as the audience can at least see motivation – in Carrie’s case being young, single and swallowed in some head fuck relationships. I also don’t get the criticism of ignorance in its treatment of any now topical themes – homosexuality, promiscuity, etc. It wasn’t produced to be worthy or with a moral compass. It was very much of its time, the same as any show from the 90s.

No we’re not discussing flaws etc - there’s a billion and one threads about this.

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VeronicaSawyer89 · 26/11/2023 18:12

Did you never watch the Carrie Diaries? I really enjoyed them when they were on TV. She's a teen living with her dad and younger sister and her mum is dead. https://www.itv.com/watch/the-carrie-diaries/10a2752

Fedupwitheveryone · 26/11/2023 18:17

I think it was just the style of show? and also that we forget how revolutionary it was )back in 2000??) to have female professional, grown characters discussing sex so much. it was a fresh take when it started.

it was also based on a book w very little family background, and for whatever reason the show's creator's carried on the theme. Think the point was to make it about urban life, not family life. By extension, not family background either

Gowlett · 26/11/2023 18:18

Must look up the Carrie Diaries. Is it good? I liked Girls.

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:21

I also don’t ever get the criticism against Carrie’s character for whatever problematic thing she did. A protagonist isn’t supposed to be perfect or always do the right thing. It’s better if a character is believable and has flaws, so long as the audience can at least see motivation – in Carrie’s case being young, single and swallowed in some head fuck relationships.

Agree! I’ve never understood the hate she gets. As a mid twenties woman at the time, her self centredness and mistakes pretty typical tbh and I liked her and found her funny. The demands for unrealistic perfection in all people and things is pretty recent though. I watched at the time and nearly everyone loved her and the show. Each of them had human faults but somehow it’s always Carrie that gets the criticism now.

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:22

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 18:06

No we’re not discussing flaws etc - there’s a billion and one threads about this.

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Oh right. Maybe you should have set out your parameters for the discussion in the OP and then we’d have all known to stick to them…

Emi199 · 26/11/2023 18:23

GertrudeSteinsbook · 26/11/2023 17:41

I kind of liked that about it. Carrie was quite free spirited & a good role model for people that maybe don’t have family. I guess not everyone does or is close to theirs. I thought it was refreshing.

I felt like this about her and Sam never having kids.

Original poster

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 18:23

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:21

I also don’t ever get the criticism against Carrie’s character for whatever problematic thing she did. A protagonist isn’t supposed to be perfect or always do the right thing. It’s better if a character is believable and has flaws, so long as the audience can at least see motivation – in Carrie’s case being young, single and swallowed in some head fuck relationships.

Agree! I’ve never understood the hate she gets. As a mid twenties woman at the time, her self centredness and mistakes pretty typical tbh and I liked her and found her funny. The demands for unrealistic perfection in all people and things is pretty recent though. I watched at the time and nearly everyone loved her and the show. Each of them had human faults but somehow it’s always Carrie that gets the criticism now.

And this is why I specifically requested the thread to be about the family/background aspect and not derail it. Thanks.

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Original poster

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 18:24

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:22

Oh right. Maybe you should have set out your parameters for the discussion in the OP and then we’d have all known to stick to them…

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I said the thread has nothing to do with that. It’s been done to death.

OP posts:

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/11/2023 18:24

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:21

I also don’t ever get the criticism against Carrie’s character for whatever problematic thing she did. A protagonist isn’t supposed to be perfect or always do the right thing. It’s better if a character is believable and has flaws, so long as the audience can at least see motivation – in Carrie’s case being young, single and swallowed in some head fuck relationships.

Agree! I’ve never understood the hate she gets. As a mid twenties woman at the time, her self centredness and mistakes pretty typical tbh and I liked her and found her funny. The demands for unrealistic perfection in all people and things is pretty recent though. I watched at the time and nearly everyone loved her and the show. Each of them had human faults but somehow it’s always Carrie that gets the criticism now.

Mid twenties? Pretty sure she was in her 30s at the start.

EmmaEmerald · 26/11/2023 18:25

The scriptwriters made an active choice to do that.

They felt the episode with Charlotte's brother was a test - I thought that was fun though I can see why more wouldn't work.

I like that the show took this route. There's so many of us for whom family, especially those you live far away from, don't have much impact on our lives.

I miss those days myself! When my friends were my family....nostalgia....

BethDuttonsTwin · 26/11/2023 18:26

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/11/2023 18:24

Mid twenties? Pretty sure she was in her 30s at the start.

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I said I was in my mid twenties not her 🙄

<<hides extremely controlled thread>>

Gowlett · 26/11/2023 18:28

She was in her 30s. That’s why meeting a guy was more pressing, say in the case of Charlotte where she wants kids.

I think in their 20s they were getting around. And moving away from family, establishing their own lives. Which was great.

Didimum · 26/11/2023 18:31

smilingontheinsidee · 26/11/2023 18:06

No we’re not discussing flaws etc - there’s a billion and one threads about this.

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I know. You still mentioned it so I wanted to. I first addressed your actual discussion point. Surely a thread on SATC is not supposed to be so highly policed – no one is obligated to agree or disagree with me or even reply. You included.