The Rise and the Fall of Sex and The City’s Legacy
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And just like that, 2021 birthed a revival of the raunchy cult classic, Sex and the City (SATC). Known for its witty commentary, iconic fashion moments, and overall luxurious city girl aesthetic, the show immediately became a hit.
To carry on the legacy of Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte, HBO Max decided to launch a spinoff of the original series titled Just Like That — a ode to Carrie’s sex column.
This announcement was met with gleeful reactions from life-long fans who were yearning for a dosage of television’s four favorite ladies. Unanswered questions from the previous film installments and the potential for rousing new storylines had even the most casual fans of the franchise restlessly awaiting the premiere date.
When the first episode finally displayed across the screens of millions, the masses were not thrilled or even slightly pleased. The general consensus said the show lacked the overall spark and authenticity the original series had, prompting many fans to detach themselves from the new franchise entirely. How could one of the most influential shows of the 90’s blunder so hard at appeasing the viewers of today’s society?
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On June 6, 1998, the world was introduced to the SATC universe. Viewers were immediately entranced by the characters’ sexual escapades, glamorous lifestyle, and tumultuous relationships. The success of season one was further solidified by the show’s Emmy & Golden Globe nominations.
So why did the show resonate so well with viewers? There has been a plethora of shows that have narrated the lives of the beautiful and rich, but SATC was strikingly different. It had the perfect cocktail of complexity, comedy, deeply flawed characters, and just the right amount of real life problems with a dash of luxury fantasy to smooth the plot lines.
As gracefully stated by a SATC book author, Jennifer Armostrong, the show depicts “an absolutely aspirational lifestyle, but it's based in reality.”
Examples of this are constantly scattered throughout the show, equally exhibited by all four of the main characters.
For instance, Carrie is the self-proclaimed fashionista of the group who spends thousands of dollars on luxury shoes and clothing, but also spirals into bankruptcy due to her spending addiction. Most notably, Carrie submerges to rock bottom with viewers when she engages in infidelity with Mr. Big and sabotages her relationship with the fan-favorite Aiden. These are just two out of a myriad of examples of how the characters are not invincible, and instead they show the most unpleasant aspects of being a human.
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The show continued to air for a total of six successful seasons, with the show concluding in 2004. Following the finale of the series, HBO Max released two films to keep the legacy ongoing. These films were met with mixed reviews, but the legacy was not tarnished. The characters were still themselves, just older and less exciting. Fast-forwarding to 2021, the novel installment And Just Like That (AJLT) premiered on December 9th with the following episode being released weekly. Criticisms of the show quickly followed and were met with little to no praise.
What went wrong exactly? Well, the heart of the show – the girls – were no longer the girls we used to envy and admire. The largest wrench in the heart being that Samantha was no longer a part of the show. Her character was mentioned in passing with no physical appearance from Kim Catrell. Additionally, when mentioned in passing, Samantha is behaving uncharacteristically. She is not answering calls or texts from the girls and is not present for Mr.Big’s funeral. Fans of the show know that this is not in Samantha’s nature. She was arguably the most loyal friend of the group who was constantly there for her friends, even when it was not warranted.
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Samantha losing her sense of self through shallow writing is not an isolated incident; almost all of the characters behaved in a fashion unaligned with their personalities. It is expected that characters continue to evolve and change throughout time, but this must happen organically. AJCT failed at accomplishing this natural feat. With a disappointing season that left many fans disheartened, it is imperative that season two have the characters journey back to themselves and become the relatable, flawed, and charming characters that have been beloved for over two decades. Only time will tell if Sex and the City can rebuild its legacy and captivate the attentions of its fanbase.
Strike Out,
Writer: Isabella Patel
Editor: Jordan Ross
Athens