I was cajoled into watching it by a friend. I'd never watched it when it was on HBO in the 90's. For some reason I though there would be more than six seasons. It seems like if a show is popular now, they run it until it runs out, after about a dozen seasons. It was explained to me that the four main characters (as most of you have probably seen it you'll have to stick with me for a minute) Miranda, Carrie, Samantha and Charlotte are four different personalities. In theory all women are supposed to be represented by a mix of the four. Before I started watching, this friend told me I was Carrie. I took slight offense. I am not a SJP fan, never have been. She's like Nicolas Cage for me, if I watch something it's in spite of him not because he's in it. After 96 episodes (I think), I've been thoroughly convinced I am Carrie with a good measure of Miranda thrown in. I am questioning, pondering, looking and sarcastic nearing snarky. I see very little of Charlotte in me. Samantha? Well, I think most of us want to be a little more Samantha but we haven't got the guts.There are two side to the SATC review for me. Heads: it makes a point of showing lots of different issues: gays, cancer, familial obligation, trouble conceiving/adoption, etc. The show demonstrates a lot of the issues and different reactions women have to those issues. People fight, life isn't always great, we pull together and move on. I did see some very true "observations" in the show. Alternately, I wasn't thrilled with the all's well that ends well ending. Everyone had someone, most had what they wanted all along and it wrapped up in a nice little box. Now I know it's TV. Don't lecture me about it being a fictional media. It just seems to me that after going too far to try are represent topics that often get glossed over, they did the show a disservice by ending it with everyone with someone. Can we, as a society, or as women, not acknowledge or accept that maybe we won't find someone? Maybe we'll only find that someone when we're 40? Maybe it wont be at all like we imagined. I found it absolutely incredulous that Carrie and Big ended up together. It could be that someone's life ended up that way, but I think reality tells us most people's wouldn't.
I never watched SATC when it first aired on TV, I didn't really care about it, nor I had the time to watch it. I actually started watching it towards my 2nd year here in Spain, after another painful break up with S. One night, while being abscent-minded on the couch and worn out from crying and lack of sleep, Jennie had teh show on, and I found out that while I watched it I stopped thinking, hurting, and I concentrated on that instead of my own misery. Why? *shrugs*
ReplyDeleteI got to the point where I used to spend hour watching episodes on TV back-to-back, and feeling lost on the weekends when the show wasn't aired. Thank goodness it played in POrtugal while I visited!!
Anyway, in my delirious state, I started analyzing more than just "a drug for my soul and mind", I noticed all the subject addressed in the show, as well as the different personalities, and their own different problems. Like real women, they had glorious moments as well as miserable ones, some sillier than others, and yes, at the end of each episode I wondered why did I have to be 75%Charlotte and 25% Miranda, but I think we all can identify with the characters at some extent (lucky are the ones who can truly see themselves in Samantha, DAMN!)
I started watching the series from the begining, and eventually the 1st movie, which moved me to tears while I was watching Carrie being half dead in a resort and Mexico and seeing myself reflected the same way in Portugal.
Yet, the show portrais a lot of things that are impossible for us, not only in their love life, but also their life style. Who can really afford to have a flat in NYC and a closet filled with Manolos at the same time. Oh yes! Carrie!
Mildred