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A Man’s Perspective on ‘Sex and the City’

Note: This article is filled with spoilers. It has in mind the person who saw the sequel. 

I had the chance to see the heavily anticipated screening of ‘Sex and the City 2’ a few days before its release in theaters nationwide. Just so you know, I am a fan of the show since its pilot debut on HBO in the summer of 1998 when the characters used to talk to the camera and men were bashing women. Since then, I’ve been hooked and have followed our four voyagers through the ups and downs of their lives – which is why the two SATC movies have crushed my expectations of what could have been – and am nauseating at a possible third installment.

If you remember, the success of the series was rooted in the most truthful deconstruction of us men to date; from how they REALLY felt about us through love, sex and relationships, to the usage of foul language to describe us. It was truly art imitating life. What about all those Romeo tactics we thought we were getting away with? Those too were microscopically analyzed and ravaged. These truths were so dead on about us guys, that it made me, as well as most men, tune in every week to learn more of us from the most poignant source, the only thing that mattered in the world – women. It was obsessively fascinating, it hit a chord that has had its strings pulled out with these uninventive story lines.

The two films in question lack the ‘sparkle’ that made men call each other at night and ask, “dude, is that what they really say when we put our pants back on?” In the original movie, the writer/director Michael Patrick King didn’t forget the testosterone, but he left out the fantasy and fun from it. It was depressing. The four characters were supposed to bitch, moan and vent about us all while using pithy humour, harsh irony and unrelenting wit. Instead he had the ladies inhabit a world we had never seen them in – reality. It was too real for them and us. Enter the repairing sequel – forget about reality, welcome the outrageous and the absurdity. King went the other extreme now. He left out the testosterone and brought in an extra truck load of estrogen, literally, just ask Samantha. By creating this female drenched story, he left us, the true fans of the original Sex and the City television series, out to dry. Don’t kid yourselves ladies, the show was a hit because us men were tuning in like they had solved the mystery behind penile enlargement or something. If they ever do a part three… oh no… for the love of us fans, I beg the producers, don’t do it! Don’t you dare do it! Why? Well, you left us straight men out of it and dedicated it to all things gay. A mix of both would’ve been fine. But to be explicitly frank, the magical and honest writing just isn’t there anymore and our protagonists are starting to finally show their graceful age. Even though they are fit and muscular, part of the fantasy is where they stay in their 30s’ and early 40’s forever. Take for instance Liza Minnelli. Her performance cover of Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ was admirable for 64, but nevertheless a bit sad. At some point, you have to call it quits and be elegant on your way out. We’ll all remember you for the great times, never the bad ones.  As an example of uninspired writing, take Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw. She is once again confused about her life and she’s what…48, closing in on 50 in the show? By this time, she, or anyone for that matter, should have a resounding sense of what they want and what kind of partner they want. It baffles me that the writers are still, after 12 years, making her seem naiveté (going to dinner with Aiden fully knowing what he had in mind), ungrateful (never being thankful with what she has with BIG, the moments of simplicity just aren’t good enough for her), mentally fragile (her need to constantly go out to forget she is aging, and almost ruining everyone else’s trip because her New Yorker review on her latest book “I Do or Do I?” was a flop). Carrie, you need to get your sh*t together. You have a great life, stop complaining for everything. You really are a walking representation of the old cliché – you don’t know what you have until you lose it.

For those of you that just want the characters to live forever, I suggest a reboot with a new crop of bevy beauties casted with Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan and Isla Fisher. This would make everyone happy and the new younger generation of SATC fans can feel what we all felt when the typed words of ‘Once upon a time…” began this crazy and wonderful ride we call ‘Sex and the City.’

Would love to hear your thoughts. Leave your comments below.