Sex & The City: Reasons That I’m For It

1.) Female characters move the narrative forward. Unlike most Hollywood products–in which men are the active forces behind the stories and women function to slow down the males’ action–SEX IN THE CITY relies almost solely on women for motivation. For examples of the former, look at the any list of the top 10 films currently playing at the local cineplex. Usually, at least 80% of them center on male characters, which Hollywood seemingly finds more interesting and thus more profitable. Here’s the current rundown:

– GET SMART,
– THE INCREDIBLE HULK,
– KUNG FU PANDA,
– THE LOVE GURU,
– THE HAPPENING,
– INDIANA JONES,
– YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN,
– SEX AND THE CITY
– IRON MAN
– THE STRANGERS

So with the exception of SEX AND THE CITY (and perhaps THE STRANGERS which revolves some dude and Liv Tyler’s character), the rest concern male characters. NOTE: I’m not saying this is always a bad thing; it’s simply an observation.

2.) Speaking of moving the stories forward, the narrative structure of SEX AND THE CITY is remarkably tight. For a 30-minute show that focuses on four individual characters, the storytelling is quite cohesive. Like SEINFELD, which also usually featured four acts (i.e., one for Jerry, one for Elaine, one for George, and one for Kramer), an episode of SEX IN THE CITY bombards the viewer with as much information as it can, seamlessly linked together through Carrie’s ever-questioning voiceovers.

3.) While the typical mother/whore dichotomy is present (through Charlotte and Samantha), Miranda and Carrie constitute relatively more complex characterizations of women: simultaneously independent, neurotic, scared, goal-oriented, feminine, self-conscious, and flawed. Sure, Charlotte and Samantha have some depth as well, but mostly they symbolize traditional femininity (doting wife, mother) and then the direct opposite of that (gloatingly single, hypersexual).

Finally, like most scholars writing about SEX AND THE CITY, I’ve got some issues with the show as well, and the movie in particular. Maybe next blog…

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