Friday, May 30, 2008

Sex and the City: Wanna buy an o?

I'm a little befuddled by the hype surrounding this movie. Sure, I get why the television show became such a huge hit: It touched a nerve among its target demographic in a way that no other show before (or since) had been able to replicate. Problem is I'm not a member of that target demographic, My wife is, yet she's also never warmed to the show. I guess that makes us cultural Luddites. Oh well.

So while I appreciate that lots of fans of the show are looking forward to seeing their heroines continue their exploits on a somewhat larger screen. I simply fail to understand why this one release has generated more hype than a Beatles reunion involving both its living and not-so-living members. I blame Entertainment Tonight and the ever-annoying voice of Mary Hart. We all know that that show is the root of all evil, after all.

So please don't mind if I duck my head below the pop culture radar for a few weeks until the Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda show runs its inevitable course. I'll be off in the corner, taking pictures of blades of grass and trying to keep the dog from eating my leftover Oreo cookies.

Your turn: Where do you stand on the SATC issue? Why do some films achieve mythically popular status?

12 comments:

Beverly said...

I don't have HBO or whatever channel SATC was on, so I never saw it. I realize it is now on another cable station, but I have chosen not to watch it.

I personally don't understand the hype, but I'm an old lady. I don't think that if it had been around when I was younger that it would have on my must see list either.

Then again, I haven't ever kept up with American Idol, or So You Think You Can Dance or any of those shows.

Carina said...

Aside from being female, I am the absolute antithesis of their target audience. The tiny little snippets I've seen on the news or whatever just made me roll my eyes and reach for the flipper.

kenju said...

I loved the TV show, mainly for the clothes and the shock value, and I am looking forward to the movie. But I have to say that all the hype is uncalled for, and it's costing someone an arm and a leg to pay for all the ads and hype - so my thought is that the movie had better be good!!

Anonymous said...

Carmi,
I for one have been a big fan of these intriguing New York ladies.

Admittedly they were a little in your face but i liked their realness (if that's a word). I thought it addressed those difficult areas of life that we all struggle with without trying to anesthetize them. I always appreciated the candid honesty with which the programme addressed issues such as commitment (or at least the fear of it), homosexuality, faith, love, relationships and forgiveness.

having said all that i'm not in a hurry to go watch the film....

ps, i wondered once if god was a luddite....

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

I, too, am part of the target demographic. I watched the show for ten minutes. Once. It was too shallow and snarky for my tastes (despite this week's fiction at my blog); I prefer the smart, cool women characters, I suppose.

Ms Mac said...

I used to be a great fan of Sex & The City, never missed an episode and have the box sets (Ahh, the box sets, what did we give as presents before the box sets?) but I have absolutely no desire to see Carrie and her friends "all grown up". I think they were of a time and revisiting those characters now is not of this time. They are either too soon or too late with this film. For me, anyway. I'm not sure which.

Anonymous said...

I dislike the characters - they're mediocre people from every point of view, yet they think they are glamorous and attractive (they're not even young and pretty!).

Anonymous said...

I never had HBO, but I started watching the show on DVD and got completely hooked. I can't quite explain why I love it so much, and why so many women love it so much. It's just fun, and despite the often raunchy subject matter, the show also has a lot of heart. It revolves around strong female friendships and beautiful NYC. The lives they lead are glamorous and yet they face the same challenges we all face. We may not relate to their dating habits, but we can relate to some other aspects of them.

I saw the movie last night with my girlfriends and I loved it. :)

lissa said...

Carmi, far be it for me to pull the gender card - but maybe this is a chick thing? Girlfriends love to catch up with girlfriends, and for so many of us, the foursome represented the deep friendships that are nurtured in our lives. It's been a long 4 years, and the series was ended on such a high note, with such promise, so many of us couldn't help but want more.

I, too, own the box sets and yet I watch it on TBS religiously (not the same, without the language and the racy bits). It's about the people.

One thing about the series that can't be said for so many other series is how the girls grew, evolved, changed, and became almost polar opposites of their original selves. Samantha settling down for love?? Who'd a thunk it?

There are other series on television I don't follow as closely; this isn't just a weekly sitcom, it's a representation. So the reunion is something that was hyped because the reception was anticipated.

That being said, I've heard so-so things about the film. I'll make up my own mind and report back when I've seen it.

courtney said...

Oh, good. There are other women who couldn't care less about that movie. I thought I was alone.

awareness said...

hey! I am SO with you on this one. Can't stand the show and wouldn't waste my money on the movie either.

the women on it are tarts in heels. they represent the most appalling values (if they are called that).

I'd rather watch HNIC. :)

Snaggle Tooth said...

They are produced n made simply because they have a pre-existing fan base n are sure money, period.

I bet a SiS-II won't get made if this dud's out...