Anthony, Carrie and Stanford are in mourning right here on "And Simply Like That," very like followers of the unique "SATC," who've tuned into the brand new present hoping for enjoyable solely to wallow in distress.
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As “And Simply Like That,” the dour “Intercourse and the Metropolis” sequel, comes mercifully to an finish this week, there are already rumors swirling that there might be a second season as a result of the solid and crew wish to “show a degree.” Present star Sarah Jessica Parker lately mentioned “there’s momentum” for one more season.
On behalf of these of us who beloved “Intercourse and the Metropolis” — please don’t. Allow us to cling to the completely satisfied recollections of the sequence we nonetheless have left.
When “Intercourse and the Metropolis” first blasted onto our TVs in 1998, I used to be a young person, and it was on the top of a chastity craze. Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore have been all loudly proclaiming their intention to stay virgins till marriage. However what in case you have been a teen who thought you would possibly get pleasure from intercourse, and possibly didn’t wish to get married at 22? “Intercourse and the Metropolis” gave me, and I believe numerous different younger girls, hope that intercourse might be nice, even in case you didn’t marry your companion. And, extra importantly, it gave individuals hope that, single or married, our thirties might be stuffed with buddies, cool sneakers and numerous enjoyable.
“And Simply Like That” hasn’t failed as a result of, as homosexual comic Lea DeLaria steered, its ageing viewers has “points” with nonbinary individuals. Nor has it failed due to the agism Sarah Jessica Parker has complained about.
It’s failed as a result of it’s no enjoyable in any way.
Our lead Carrie Bradshaw’s (Parker’s) husband, Mr. Large (Chris Noth), has been famously felled by a Peloton, however there isn't a merriment in Carrie’s widowhood. Within the season following, Carrie proceeded to have hip surgical procedure and spilled urine throughout herself in mattress as she recovered. She’s knowledgeable she wants a facelift. She has neighbors who maintain her awake all night time and a brand new condo she hates. When she goes on a date with a person, she will get so drunk she vomits on him. To be honest, he additionally vomits on her.
It’s unclear why the makers of this present thought that an viewers who traditionally beloved the style and glamour of “SATC” would get pleasure from seeing an abundance of disagreeable bodily fluids, however that’s what they gave us.
Miranda has it no higher than Carrie. She’s left her job as a company lawyer, taken up consuming at 10:45 a.m., and by episode 5 has declared that she’s hated her life since “perpetually.” She abruptly leaves her 17-year marriage after dishonest on Steve with Che Diaz, a nonbinary, deeply unfunny comic performed by Sara Ramirez who has been described as “the worst character on TV.” She then waits miserably for Che to name her whereas berating herself for wanting to place labels on the connection.
Charlotte, a stay-at-home mother with two youngsters nonetheless fortunately providing her husband blowjobs, appears to be rewarded by the writers for making probably the most conventional selections. Not less than, she’s spared the abundance of indignities heaped on the opposite characters. Nonetheless, she nonetheless manages to menstruate onto her white pants and has a young person who asks her to tug out her tampon for her.
It usually feels just like the characters are being punished for the writers’ sins in failing to make the unique present sufficiently progressive and various. They’ve now tried to right that by giving each character a buddy of a distinct race. That will be nice if the characters acted like some approximation of regular people round their new buddies as an alternative of like a bunch of lunatics.
When a black buddy of Charlotte’s plans to return for a cocktail party, Charlotte runs round making an attempt to gather different black visitors for the occasion as if they’re characters out of Pokémon. Miranda greets her black professor with a jumble of phrase salad about black hair, after which cringingly asks if she’s being a white savior when she stops that professor from getting mugged.
In “SATC,” Miranda had a long-running relationship with Dr. Robert Leeds, performed by the African-American actor Blair Underwood, so it’s weird to see her behave as if she’s by no means talked to a black particular person earlier than.
All of them are guilt-ridden on a regular basis, although — Miranda just isn't solely a multitude round black individuals, she’s so frightened about seeming lower than sex-positive that she’s letting her son have libidinous love-ins at her home with out grievance (I strongly suspect the writers of this present have by no means met a young person, most of whom don't want their dad and mom to have a lot familiarity with their genitals or intercourse life). Carrie buys an condo she dislikes as a result of she’s frightened she’s made her actual property agent present her too many residences. Carrie, that’s what real-estate brokers do.
Didn’t these girls used to go after what they needed and demand it?
“And Simply Like That” tried desperately (so desperately) to look fashionable and progressive. However in a world the place numerous industries and people thrive off of girls feeling responsible and insufficient, what made “Intercourse and the Metropolis” revolutionary was its willingness to depict girls being unashamedly, even selfishly, joyful.
The one comfort is figuring out that Samantha Jones is effectively out of this mess, off in London. I hope she’s having nice intercourse and having fun with a martini at Claridge’s. And, God, I hope she will get her personal present.
Jennifer Wright is an writer, columnist and journalist. Twitter: @JenAshleyWright
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