More Sex, More City, and More Shoes

I began watching Sex and the City circa the end of Season 3, during its two episodes where it was taking a break from two of its mainstays: the city of New York, and Mr. Big – where Carrie and the gang are kicking it in L.A. They weren’t necessarily the most representative episodes of this show, but I was hooked anyway. Initially, I thought that this was going be a shallow and trashy show in the tradition of Melrose Place, which Darren Star also created/produced. (Not that I have anything against trashy shows.) I was wrong. This is actually an extremely witty, well-written show that, despite its over-the-top elements, is actually both funny and touching.

Season 4, like the end of Season 3, is largely free of Carrie’s angst-filled relationship with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), and therefore lacks the emotional punch of the previous seasons where Carrie had a dramatic Big break-up at least once each season. But nevertheless, there is no shortage of drama.

Charlotte:

Charlotte met cute and married Trey McDougal (Kyle McLachlan) within about four episodes during Season 3. Although they separated over his problems with impotence, Charlotte and Trey learn to work things out during Season 4 – only to break up again over their inability to have a baby.

Although the time line of this show is unclear to me, it would seem that Charlotte and Trey were married less than a year before they divorced. Charlotte’s reaction to her supposed inability to get pregnant is a bit unrealistic: she immediately begins taking hormone shots and looking into in-vitro, in addition to learning Chinese to prepare for adopting an orphan from Asia. And it all feels a bit hasty. Considering that they just barely conquered Trey’s impotence problem, why not relax and give herself a few months to get pregnant?

Not to mention that despite his problems in bed, Trey is a sweet and patient husband, and is otherwise a pretty nice guy who brings Agent Cooper’s stoicism to his embarrassing sexual problems, which run the gamut from impotence, premature ejaculation, and illicit sex in public places. It’s true that because this show is really about the lives of single women, Charlotte & Trey’s marriage has run its course, story-wise. But in real life context, it all feels too slapdash.

Miranda:

Miranda has always been stuck with the more humiliating relationships throughout the show – she has been the embodiment of all the awkward and self-conscious moments that can happen while dating, and this season is no different. There is that date who called the normally insecure Miranda “sexy,” which throws off her so much that she becomes too full of herself, causing him to dump her. And then there is that date who uses the toilet in front of her, which causes her to debate how much intimacy is too much.

But Miranda goes through some major emotional changes during Season 4: the death of her mother, and the birth of her baby, both of which storylines are handled with a lot of grace, and some great acting. Miranda’s mother’s death is perhaps one of the best episodes ever, neatly incorporating Samantha’s usually iron-thick exterior which gives away to actual emotion when it really matters. Miranda’s debate whether to have or not have the baby, and barren Charlotte’s reaction to it all, is also one of the sweetest episodes about the friendship between the four women.

Samantha:

Samantha is the man-eater who has all the adventurous sex on the show. During the previous seasons, Samantha seemed to have an on-screen orgasm nearly every episode, in every position imaginable. And aside from a brief but memorable relationship with James, she truly seemed to be uninterested in a monogamous relationship. But surprisingly, Samantha has two actual relationships during Season 4: one with a woman, an artist named Maria, and another with Richard.

Samantha’s relationship with Maria feels a bit like a gimmick: yet another new way to showcase Samantha-sex. But her relationship with Richard, who, despite her resistance, develops into something more substantial. Seeing Samantha risking getting hurt for love shatters everything that Samantha was until now: a woman who really wanted nothing more from men than casual sex. While it’s somewhat affirming to see that what everyone needs love, it somehow feels a bit disappointing as well. We were led to believe that Samantha could never have a broken heart.

Carrie:

Despite the lack of another epic love affair with Big, Carrie has plenty of her own drama in Season 4. She gets back together with Aidan, whose heart she broke in Season 3, by cheating on him with Mr. Big. But seeing Aidan again, she chases him and pushes her way into his life.

Aidan and Carrie’s relationship goes through several odd stages: one in which he passive-aggressively punishes her for cheating on him in the past, and another in which they deal with each other’s differences: after all, Aidan is a country-lovin’ furniture maker, and Carrie is a shoe-obsessed city girl.

And Aidan, as nice as he is, has some cringe-worthy habits of his own: such as asking for a kiss by saying “Give me some sugar.” Ewww. And on Saturday nights, he likes to veg out in his tighty-whiteys clutching a bucket of fried chicken. Hrm. As the relationship progresses, you can’t help thinking: yeah, this probably isn’t going to work out.

Carrie’s relationship with Aidan also gives her the opportunity to behave in some unbelievably selfish ways. First, she accepts his moving in with her after her apartment goes co-op and he offers to buy it for her. And then, although she vomits at the sight of an ugly engagement ring, when he presents her with a good one, she accepts his proposal, leading him on even further. And after they break-up and Carrie is forced to come up with the money to buy back her apartment, she first goes to Mr. Big for money (!), and then berates her friend Charlotte for not offering her a loan (!!) Now that is pretty low, what is wrong with this girl?

So, surprisingly, Carrie’s behavior in Season 4 makes her even less sympathetic than when she committed adultery in Season 3. It is one of the rare moments during a “chick” show where the message is: “Women can be such bitches!” instead of “Men can be such bastards!” So, at least that’s different.

Not that you ever despise Carrie. You can’t help indulging her like her friends do, like you would indulge your own friend. And she is, after all, the star of this show. At the end of the Season, as with the previous three, all bitchery is forgiven, and you’re left wishing Carrie happiness, anyway: Mr. Big, autumn in New York, and lots of designer shoes.