Best for when you are feeling bad about your own love life…
Before I had ever viewed a single episode of Sex and the City, I had a preconceived idea of what it was all about; four middle-aged women strutting around New York City in designer heels, sleeping with men ‘willy nilly’ (pardon the pun), and drinking cosmopolitans like they were going out of fashion. Although there was an element of truth in this concept, I came to appreciate the unpublicised depth to this charismatic series.
As I write this, I have seen the box-set from start to finish around five times (it will probably be six by the end of the year) and it never fails to entertain me. I have spent many a lazy day engrossed in the lives of four unique women who share the same bond; they’re weeding their way through relationships on the quest for love.
There’s Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), the main character and narrator, who speaks via her sex column in the local newspaper and is always ‘wondering’ about various relationship issues. Then there’s Miranda, her cynical lawyer friend who is often the voice of reason during Carrie’s over the top rants. Charlotte is the upper class, idealistic member of the group who wants nothing more than to find true love, get married and have babies. Finally, in major contrast, is Samantha (Kim Cattrall), who is the perpetually promiscuous minx of the group.
Throughout the six series of the show, each girl floats in and out of various relationships. However it’s their relationship with one another that provides the true soul of the show. The girls have an immense loyalty that creates grounding for the show to explore darker issues, such as cancer, death of a loved one and miscarriage.
Yet as you can imagine by the title, it’s not all just doom and gloom and there is some naughtiness involved. This show knows no boundaries. Sex is talked about in an uncensored, uninhibited way with highly comedic value. I challenge anyone to listen to Samantha’s sexual anecdotes without smirking even a little. The show also champions singletons, and encourages us to open up more about things we deem to be ‘taboo’.
So if you can get past the first series of questionable hairdos and the odd ‘talking-to-the-camera’ moment, I guarantee you will laugh, cry and majorly cringe at this refreshingly candid show.
Laura Chisholm
Photo: Property of telegraph.co.uk