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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask your opinions on Sex and the City?

331 replies

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 10/01/2025 21:04

I saw something on tiktok today that said 'Carrie was to Big what Janice was to Chandler' 👀👀😬

I rewatch it all the time tbh, it's my fave show but now that Gen Z have found it, there are a lot of hot takes available online

What do people think of Carrie, now that 20 years have passed? Who's your fave? x

OP posts:
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Ohnonotmeagain · 11/01/2025 11:59

GooseMoose2 · 11/01/2025 09:11

My favourite man was Harry.

Harry and Steve. Both nice normal men who were too good for all the drama and deserved better. Both women clearly thought they were too good for them.

now Sebastian Kidd in the Carrie Diaries 😍. Carrie should have stuck with him and been the ultimate NY power couple. I like to think of it that way as if satc never happened 😂. But her character in satc was always on the look out for something better which is why she never found it.

ruethewhirl · 11/01/2025 12:04

I liked it then and I like it now. It's just a lighthearted TV show that's of its time. Carrie was often selfish and immature and not the best role model, but I don't think the writers ever meant her to be perfect.

whatsthpoint · 11/01/2025 12:23

SundayNightBluesAreHere · 10/01/2025 21:12

Not helpful in the slightest but I've never seen it, which I feel may be not the norm for a mid-40s woman.

Good input! Why did you answer this thread? To feel superior?

fashionqueen0123 · 11/01/2025 12:25

Lightblueblanky · 11/01/2025 00:06

Oh yes.

Very, very dated really.

Brilliant writing still. I couldn't be arsed to watch the new series apart from individual clips. Had it on my to-do list but life's too short.

I also find the fashion and attention seeking behaviour absolutely horrendous/cringe now.

Now that I've got more life experience, can see how awful Carrie was - or maybe that was the point?

Samantha seems to have been absolutely parodied in the (rubbish) second film. Probably the best true feminist there

Still would watch an episode or couple clips for old times sake!

Not my theory here but doing the rounds on X!

  1. Big is actually damaged goods in his own (super rich) social class due to his first divorce, sleeping around too much, hanging with models.

Bit like beautiful normal posh women not wanting Elon Musk - if you're already from a rich family and have a nice life, a weird rich man with problems isn't attractive.

  1. This is why he dates Carrie as she's so easy to impress/dismiss, he moves to France not only for work but to make a new start socially. Carrie has no power, she doesn't have a rich family to back her up.

All the rich A list women in New York don't want to marry Big or have a serious relationship with him. He really was obsessed with dating a successful actress in one episode - but she wasn't interested.

They might sleep with him but despite his wealth, he's seen as a bit odd/outsider/the fallback guy.

Carrie isn't in his social circles or anywhere near his social class so she doesn't hear how undesirable he is as she's not friends with his friends.

He doesn't tell his mother about her, and the only 'friend" of his she meets is a guy who owns a restaurant he visits often.

  1. Natasha is younger and they meet in France so Big had some space to get to her and charm her, and is now "back in" with the posh rich set. The new start worked.

But Bigs promiscuity crops up again with the affair.

  1. Big only considers marrying Carrie after Natasha divorces him as (with two divorces, Natasha's family bad-mouthing him in New York) his reputation is now completely gone.

No one of his class wants the drama he brings. He settles for her....even doesn't want the big public wedding with her (although it's her first and only wedding).

If he'd been marrying someone from a rich family he'd have agreed to a big wedding with as many prominent people there as possible. He's still essentially embarrassed by Carrie.

Even the SATC2 storyline with Big not wanting to go out with Carrie to premieres and parties ...still all about him not wanting to be seen as a couple in public life.

Very interesting! The only bit I don’t agree with is the last bit. I think hes just older and can’t be bothered!

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 11/01/2025 12:27

Lottapianos · 11/01/2025 10:07

'There had been nothing like it before. To me, it was a show about female friendship and did touch on serious themes like sexism in the workplace, infertility, menopause, cancer etc.'

Completely agree. I particularly love that Samantha was openly appalled by marriage and children, and completely unapologetic about it! It also showed some very relatable moments when the friends fall out / let each other down / make unreasonable demands of each other - it wasn't all happy happy gal pals. They were always the most interesting bits I reckon.

There are a million problems with the whole show of course. Horrible toxic relationships presented as 'love'. The gay men were portrayed as a cross between a pet and an accessory. Carrie is awful but I absolutely adore SJP and her outfits were (mostly) stunning so I can get over it! I still watch the show and still love it, overall

Agree with everything here

Anthony gets a much deserved bigger role in ajlt- although the storyline about how he's never bottomed got ripped apart by some gay men online

I love Samantha so much

OP posts:
Hohofortherobbers · 11/01/2025 12:52

I loved it back in the day. Loved the first film too, when she opens the blind on her 'honeymoon' and you see her tearstained swollen eyes Sad so heartbreaking .

AliasGrace47 · 11/01/2025 18:35

Yeah I know it's so ridiculous to say that 😄 Carrie is basically Candace Bushnell's alter ego & Bushnell is v definitely not a Trump supporter or tradwife!

In the interview she claimed to be a modernist writer & complained that she was pigeonholed as chick lit so her best books are still unpublished. I'd be interested to see, but I wonder if they were as good as she thinks.. I'm not a chick lit snob, I think whem well-written it can address serious issues while still being wish fulfilling & funny, but maybe she was trying a new style that didn't work? The interview is interesting

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/candace-bushnell-is-back-in-the-city&ved=2ahUKEwiVlonRp-6KAxUcQEEAHX9lPKcQFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw251MBnOTCzreOs5RqYAiOy

I remember reading she based it on Mary Mccarthy's The Group, so maybe it was originally meant to be more serious?

Newnamesameme · 11/01/2025 18:50

EmeraldRoulette · 10/01/2025 22:13

No. How does anyone arrive at that?

Charlotte didn't want to sell the ring or have it remade, in the wedding band boneyard I think they called it - so she opted to give it to Carrie instead. It's rather beautiful. Her engagement ring helped out a friend.

Carrie didn't force her, but she expected Charlotte to help her and said if the tables were turned she would do the same. That's just as bad.

tothelefttotheleft · 11/01/2025 18:52

@EmeraldRoulette

Thankyou for explaining. Will agree to disagree

Darksideofthemoonshine · 11/01/2025 19:05

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 11/01/2025 11:51

Agree with everything you said, as much as carrie is terrible, she's also great😄

Miranda is so awful in ajlt, so clear that she just didn't want to film with men 😬. Cynthia was obvs a lesbian but women can be tomboys without being gay!

Hard agree. Putting aside all the other “woke” nonsense - it really annoyed me that we were all supposed to fall over ourselves in celebration for Miranda when she cheated on Steve with they/them (can’t remember their name). That scene in the kitchen was beyond cringey.

MotherTuckinGenius · 11/01/2025 19:13

SATC is my all time favourite show EVER. So much so that I watch the entire series in full at least four or five times per year. I just find it pure escapism and the fashion and scenes of NYC is spectacular! Carrie will always be my favourite - as flawed as her character is.
I'm wearing it straight these days but when left to its own devices I have the full on Carrie mane of 'hello? C C C Curly!'

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 11/01/2025 19:30

Read one of Marian Keyes' (wonderful) early books and you'll see accounts of relatively similar attitudes to dating and fashion (without the crazy wealth) in the UK and ROI. It was absolutely an exaggeration of society and parts of it now seem ridiculous/reprehensible, but it struck a chord with plenty of women in their 20s, 30s and older and that's why it was popular enough for someone to spring for a revival 20-odd years later.

Wishingplenty · 11/01/2025 19:35

It comes accross so dated when rewatching it now. Even for it's time. Carrie comes accross so immature and petulant. At the time I loved it.

IsawwhatIsaw · 11/01/2025 19:41

Never watched this or Friends either.

Helpmeoutherebro · 11/01/2025 19:46

Loved it back in the day…not going to let gen z wreck it like they try to with friends

Lottapianos · 11/01/2025 20:30

Hohofortherobbers · 11/01/2025 12:52

I loved it back in the day. Loved the first film too, when she opens the blind on her 'honeymoon' and you see her tearstained swollen eyes Sad so heartbreaking .

I still cry at the scene where she smashes her wedding bouquet over his head in the street, after he runs off on their wedding day 😭 I mean, of course he was going to do that, but still

Was FUMING when she got back with him at the end 😡 such bullshit

AliasGrace47 · 11/01/2025 21:12

Darksideofthemoonshine · 11/01/2025 19:05

Hard agree. Putting aside all the other “woke” nonsense - it really annoyed me that we were all supposed to fall over ourselves in celebration for Miranda when she cheated on Steve with they/them (can’t remember their name). That scene in the kitchen was beyond cringey.

Hmm..it's not necessarily woke to have a lesbian character- but I get that it didn't fit Miranda's character before, since previously she was shown to be a straight tomboy? If they meant her to be bi, that could've worked, but it's hardly great representation to have her cheating.
I think I read once that in the OG series Samantha has a relationship w a female artist? Dunno how it's handled, but I feel like Candace Bushnell was progressive, esp for her time, even if not everything comes off well now, like Carrie being in thrall to 'Mr Big'.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 11/01/2025 21:16

Darksideofthemoonshine · 11/01/2025 19:05

Hard agree. Putting aside all the other “woke” nonsense - it really annoyed me that we were all supposed to fall over ourselves in celebration for Miranda when she cheated on Steve with they/them (can’t remember their name). That scene in the kitchen was beyond cringey.

Yes it was cringe! Che was the person, who i found insufferable

Miranda, I dunno, they've just ruined her and it's a shame

OP posts:
mumofoneAlonebutokay · 11/01/2025 21:18

AliasGrace47 · 11/01/2025 21:12

Hmm..it's not necessarily woke to have a lesbian character- but I get that it didn't fit Miranda's character before, since previously she was shown to be a straight tomboy? If they meant her to be bi, that could've worked, but it's hardly great representation to have her cheating.
I think I read once that in the OG series Samantha has a relationship w a female artist? Dunno how it's handled, but I feel like Candace Bushnell was progressive, esp for her time, even if not everything comes off well now, like Carrie being in thrall to 'Mr Big'.

Edited

Definitely, the show was progressive then

But ruined by woke I mean just some of the storyline are just bleurgh

I feel like miranda being a lesbian was more about keeping Cynthia nixon happy, as some else said

Che for me though was unbearable, glad they're gone for s3

OP posts:
Helpmeoutherebro · 11/01/2025 21:27

The new episodes are just awful, very cringe, can’t watch…they were so fun back in the day

SundayNightBluesAreHere · 11/01/2025 22:23

@whatsthpoint Not at all. Why would I feel superior by not watching a 20+ year old TV show? I'm not the only one who has said the same thing on this thread. I answered the title question - I don't have an opinion because I didn't watch it. That's what forums are all about.

Appalonia · 12/01/2025 00:40

Watched the last episodes on Sky Mix tonight. Made me cry! It ended so beautifully, wish they'd just left it there. I refuse to watch AJLT, I don't want it to ruin my memories of a much loved show!

Darksideofthemoonshine · 12/01/2025 01:03

AliasGrace47 · 11/01/2025 21:12

Hmm..it's not necessarily woke to have a lesbian character- but I get that it didn't fit Miranda's character before, since previously she was shown to be a straight tomboy? If they meant her to be bi, that could've worked, but it's hardly great representation to have her cheating.
I think I read once that in the OG series Samantha has a relationship w a female artist? Dunno how it's handled, but I feel like Candace Bushnell was progressive, esp for her time, even if not everything comes off well now, like Carrie being in thrall to 'Mr Big'.

Edited

But she isn’t a lesbian - is she? With che being they/them?! I say that tongue in cheek because che is obviously a woman. But that’s what I’m getting at. They’ve put in a storyline about “non-binary” (which is complete bullshit by the way) - that’s why it’s become ridiculous. And we’re all meant to be ok with her cheating on Steve because it’s woke.

In contrast when Samantha yeeeears ago had a fling with the woman nobody batted an eyelid. It wasn’t unrealistic bollocks basically

AliasGrace47 · 12/01/2025 01:16

Darksideofthemoonshine · 12/01/2025 01:03

But she isn’t a lesbian - is she? With che being they/them?! I say that tongue in cheek because che is obviously a woman. But that’s what I’m getting at. They’ve put in a storyline about “non-binary” (which is complete bullshit by the way) - that’s why it’s become ridiculous. And we’re all meant to be ok with her cheating on Steve because it’s woke.

In contrast when Samantha yeeeears ago had a fling with the woman nobody batted an eyelid. It wasn’t unrealistic bollocks basically

I agree- Cynthia Nixon frustrates me as I'm lesbian myself & she goes around saying she 'chose' to be one, after being happy w men before. That's not how it works.. But evidently she put that onto Miranda. & Che is a 'they'? That does sound woke...

It's interesting to hear it was a milestone for being so open about sex. Nowadays third wave feminism & sex positivity has been hijacked by misogyny, porn etc but I don't think the baby should be thrown out w the bathwater. Most women do want to settle down & aren't that into casual stuff, if at all, but being an outlier isn't bad by default. The issue is when Samantha's free-&-easy life is held up as how all women ought to be, & then men hijack that. Second wave feminism veered towards celibacy often, & sex positivity was partly reacting to that. It ended up veering off course- I guess those issues are still being worked out now..

sweetpickle2 · 12/01/2025 07:39

Miranda is queer rather than lesbian, I think?

Also Che isn’t “obviously” a woman, what an odd thing to say.