Sex and the City

I first caught SATC in the late nineties, and thought it was great. At the time the show really captured a certain nineties sensibility - it was cynical, tongue-in-cheek, adult. Though not your average SATC fan - heterosexual, thirty-something male working in IT - I became obsessed, and was sure to see each new episode the first time it aired. However, over time I became disillusioned with the series.

First, I eventually read the book. Despite the author's reluctance to say anything, the show never was much like the book, and has - over the years - strayed far far away. The book is, like most of Candace Bushnell's work, insightful and witty, with its humor derived from a certain urbane severity; it shares more with the works of Carrie Fischer and Tama Janowitz than any of the stuff now labeled Chick Lit.

Bushnell's characters may fall in love, even marry. They may have Manolos and Birkin bags, but this is all background noise of sorts. Bushnell is an under-rated pop-anthropologist, depicting the tribes that inhabit the big city. We may no longer be hunting our food, or struggling to keep the fire going, but it is still all about survival. Bushnell is great at depicting the primal hunger that, while it once made man fight to the death over territory or a fresh kill, now makes women deck themselves out in top gear and hunt down that Banker or Fortune 500 Executive, or fight tooth-and-nail to break through the glass ceiling.

Second, somewhere midlife, SATC, the show, got lost. All that incidental stuff - the shoes and bags, and places-to-be-seen - moved from the background to the foreground. The show became one long glossy luxury goods advertisement, the kind found in Vanity Fair. The movie underlines this - while there are great story lines, etc, the theatrical release is one obscene orgy of consumerism and decadence.

Too bad. The last years of SATC is an insult to both the book and the early years of the show. It is certainly an insult to the public, but - considering SATC was most popular in its later years - maybe the insult is much deserved.

Now, admittedly, this show may appeal to a slightly more female audience, but I think men may appreciate ..well, the sex...(uncensored versions can be a bit graphic with nudity) and the comedic aspect of the show. The writing is truly phenomenal, with some of the funniest lines I've ever heard.

For me, this show is so great because it hits just about every dating/relationship issue I've ever had right on the head. If I'm going through a difficult breakup, I watch an episode, and realize that I'm not alone.

The show is hilarious in its sometimes shockingly straightforward discussions on dating and sex. It also touchingly portrays the friendship between four loyal friends: Carrie- the main character, a writer for a dating column who can never seem to find the right guy; Miranda- the self-assured lawyer; sexually liberated Samantha, and the hopeless romantic, Charlotte. You will come to love these women like your own best friends. No one series has ever made me laugh and cry so much.

The serie is undoubtedly a classic series with a compelling storyline. When I first watched it around the age of 23, I was captivated by its charm and found it thoroughly enjoyable. The show offered a unique blend of humor, romance, and friendship that was hard to resist.

However, revisiting the series at 38 has given me a different perspective, particularly regarding the character of Carrie Bradshaw. What once seemed like quirky and endearing behavior now comes across as selfish and irritating. Carrie's self-centered actions and disregard for the feelings of others have become more glaring, diminishing some of the magic the show once held for me.

Despite this, "Sex and the City" remains a cultural touchstone, and its influence on television and fashion is undeniable. It's a testament to the series' quality that it can provoke such strong reactions and reflections over time.

Well, to be honest, I never thought I would be writing a review on Sex and the City as a teenage guy. I do not see myself as someone who is into the New York scene of style, glamour, or fashion but the show helps me understand where men and women go wrong in relationships.

Like I said, I am a teenager, so I am entirely new to relationships, but I feel so confused at times by what women are thinking and why they do certain things. Miranda, Charlotte, Samantha, and Carrie openly discuss their relationships with men and I find it helpful to look into the female psyche. There are a lot of cautionary tales about men during the show about what not to do during a relationship. The way men are portrayed is not much different from reality because men hide secrets, have strange desires in bed, have commitment problems, bad hygiene, etc.

The interesting thing I notice from all four of the main leads is the tendency to overthink a man's exact words. A small piece of advice for any woman that I have, is that men (including me) are dumb and are very simplistic when we mean something. In my experience, it is very rare when a man has the ability to be very manipulative towards others, especially women.

Lastly, the show is very educational for me. I do not necessarily agree with plot lines at times, but the show is reality in a way it feels others cannot achieve. I suggest that everyone watch the show, for me, it has been very helpful.

I am a 23 year old single woman living in Manhattan and I love and relate to this show. All though I am younger and poorer than these women, and I don't get nearly as many men as they do (not to mention the fact that I'm Black!), I think this show has alot of insightful and funny things to say about being a woman in New York.

And to address the sex issue...I am so tired of the Madonna/Whore complex everyone in the country seems to be up to their eyeballs in. Get over it! Women like sex, they have sex, and they have sex with men they don't like. So what? And so what if they continue to look for Mr. Right even when they're with Mr. Right Now. What person man or woman hasn't consistently done something, seemingly at cross-purposes with their intended goal in the name of love, lust, or companionship? Stop with the tired double standards (that includes HBO's ban on full frontal male nudity on the show!)

Let's address the real issue: We all wish we were getting it as much as Samantha--even it's from just ONE person!!!