S01.E05: Tragically Hip

[Shermie]

Yeah, there are a lot of missteps in this reboot. It would have been so interesting to see favourite characters navigating middle age and the things that often happen. It seems they had a pretty good storyboard to start, but the execution just fell apart.

Carrie being widowed? Sure, it happens in one’s 50s, especially when the husband is a decade+ older. They should have had Big die off-screen about 6-12 months before the show starts. Maybe Carrie reflects at the first anniversary of his death and decides it’s time to start dating again.

Mid-life crisis leading to a long-time marriage breakup? Again, sure. It happens. They should have had Brady be 20, come home from college during Covid lockdown and maybe not leave because it was too easy. Having a girlfriend stay over at that age seems normal; having a 17-year-old with a presumptuous stayover girlfriend is just weird. What do her parents think? Why doesn’t she go home? But the irritating presence of Brady and maybe boredom with Steve could have been the catalyst for Miranda wanting something different. Not Che, but something.

I’d leave Charlotte’s storyline as is, although it’s not common it is an interesting one to explore (if Miranda wasn’t also sex-shifting). Other than Kristen Davis’s unfortunate duck lip, I think Charlotte and Harry are a good team to watch. And I find Lily utterly charming.

Stanford should have been given a better sendoff, even an off-screen death, although I can see having both him and Big die might seem a bit much. But that’s part of middle age too, confronting mortality and the loss of loved ones. I like Anthony as the 4th wheel of the group; he’s sassy and funny.

[WendyCR72]

9 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

For my money, the best scene in the entire series is the laundry room scene in the episode "One" in season 6 when Miranda  and Steve decide to get back together. She and David acted the hell out of that little moment.

I adored that entire scene. And now, this piece of dogshit revival has ruined every Steve/Miranda moment for me, and I'm bitter as hell about it.

[Shermie]

Quote

The difference between men ogling women and women ogling men is onesituation has the potential for violence (or death) the other...not so much.

What? Ogling doesn’t lead to violence either way. Ogling is just looking, and men and women do it. You can’t call a guy a pig for looking at a pretty woman passing by and handwave women doing the same thing at a good-looking guy (keeping the analogy gender-traditional). Sexual violence is a whole other thing.

[PRgal]

27 minutes ago, Shermie said:

What? Ogling doesn’t lead to violence either way. Ogling is just looking, and men and women do it. You can’t call a guy a pig for looking at a pretty woman passing by and handwave women doing the same thing at a good-looking guy (keeping the analogy gender-traditional). Sexual violence is a whole other thing.

This.  Though if it's making the other person uncomfortable, then it's not very nice.  But if the other person doesn't notice or care?  Not the same thing.  

[RealHousewife]

2 hours ago, TV is my friend said:

Did Cynthia Nixon know that she wasn't straight when she was a pretty young age?  And what about Meredith Baxter?

No idea, nor am I saying it's impossible if that's how you took my post. I didn't mean to come across offensive. I just don't find the storyline believable for a number of reasons. I also believe there's a spectrum with sexuality. 

2 hours ago, Adgirl said:

The difference between men ogling women and women ogling men is one situation has the potential for violence (or death) the other...not so much. 

I agree that ogling isn't okay no matter who's doing it, but I see the argument that there's more of a threat when it's a woman being ogled. I would never treat a man a way I didn't want to be treated. However, as a slight chick with very little upper body strength, there's only so much I could do even if I were a creeper. Even short men are much stronger than me.

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I think it's normal to find people attractive whether they're on the job or not.  So far, she hasn't done anything disrespectful.

The SHOW was pretty disrespectful to the guy who was covered by insurance - I get that.  That felt like old 80s 90s humour.  

Yeah, if Carrie really crossed a line, I must have missed it. We definitely got the impression she was happy to have a hot physical therapist, but I don't remember her flirting with him or saying anything inappropriate. It was more "That's my physical therapist? Nice! It will help make the physical therapy less dreadful."

I always feel bad for actors who have to play the unattractive character. That has to hurt. 

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, RealHousewife said:

No idea, nor am I saying it's impossible if that's how you took my post. I didn't mean to come across offensive. I just don't find the storyline believable for a number of reasons. I also believe there's a spectrum with sexuality. 

I agree that ogling isn't okay no matter who's doing it, but I see the argument that there's more of a threat when it's a woman being ogled. I would never treat a man a way I didn't want to be treated. However, as a slight chick with very little upper body strength, there's only so much I could do even if I were a creeper. Even short men are much stronger than me.

Yeah, if Carrie really crossed a line, I must have missed it. We definitely got the impression she was happy to have a hot physical therapist, but I don't remember her flirting with him or saying anything inappropriate. It was more "That's my physical therapist? Nice! It will help make the physical therapy less dreadful."

I always feel bad for actors who have to play the unattractive character. That has to hurt. 

On the show or in general?  I'm not sure if I'd feel badly for Evan Handler. 

[Keywestclubkid]

The “hot” therapist was just a super cliche stereotypical joke that this show should never have used ESPECIALLY with this incarnation. You preach about pronouns and equality (which are all good things that should be discussed) you make sure to feature her boss’s boss being handicapped etc etc (and it did seem like boxes are being checked off with each episode come on now it doesn’t feel natural to the story at all just another see see check) then pull this tired old troupe out and it just kinda spits in the face of everything that came before. Why even add that? What does him being attractive add to the bill that would make him cost more? So it’s funny because it’s a female objecting a man? This is still a thing in 2021? It’s just dumb 

Edited January 1, 2022 by Keywestclubkid

[RealHousewife]

2 hours ago, Shermie said:

What? Ogling doesn’t lead to violence either way. Ogling is just looking, and men and women do it. You can’t call a guy a pig for looking at a pretty woman passing by and handwave women doing the same thing at a good-looking guy (keeping the analogy gender-traditional). Sexual violence is a whole other thing.

No, not necessarily. But I think a lot of us have experienced/seen that stuff that's in between the harmless ogle and harassment. 

I don't think men are pigs for noticing attractive women. We all notice beautiful people. (I just don't gawk at them.) I'm flattered if a man thinks I'm pretty. It's the guys who are super touchy, stare or make crude comments that I don't appreciate. The other no-nos go without saying. I agree that sexual violence is different, but it is still more uncomfortable being a woman with that in between stuff. There was one man I worked with who started out just stopping me to tell me how pretty he found me. Then he started to get touchy feely (not groping). One time I had enough and just walked off. We weren't coworkers or friends, and I did feel like a piece of meat and that he could be dangerous. I never reported him, but he was eventually fired due to a lot of complaints. I was apparently not wrong to be creeped out by him even though he didn't seriously assault me.

30 minutes ago, PRgal said:

On the show or in general?  I'm not sure if I'd feel badly for Evan Handler. 

Haha, he has made some kind of money playing Harry, hasn't he?!

8 minutes ago, Keywestclubkid said:

The “hot” therapist was just a super cliche stereotypical joke that this show should never have used ESPECIALLY with this incarnation of the show. You preach about pronouns and equality and such then pull this tired old troupe out and it just kinda spits in the face of everything that came before. Why even add that? What does him being attractive add to the bill that would make him cost more? It’s just dumb 

I respect your opinion, but honestly, considering all the crazy shit we've see on SATC, Carrie enjoying the fact her PT is hot is no big deal at all to me. Sex has always been a big part of the show, and I expect some lust here and there even outside of sex scenes. Samantha literally saw many men as pieces of meat. I would have felt much more uncomfortable around her as a man during many instances than Carrie being like a school girl around hot therapist.  I did wonder how the insurance worked. I always thought if two doctors worked at the same place, the insurance would be the same.

[gorgy]

I can't quit even if I want to at this point.

• I don't mind the character Anthony taking a seat with the girls at lunch, but this was Mario Cantone smiling from ear to ear because he's excited to be one the four and it's like could you at least act like you're a professional.
• not enough Seema. spinoff Seema and the City
• too much Che. I'm pretty sure I'd like her 50% more if they didn't make her character a comedian. She sucks at standup AND every time the show has Miranda yucking it up it's even more annoying. And there's nothing I can add to the Miranda/Che kitchen debacle that hasn't already been said. She has diverticulitis, so now she gets to be overbearing. sure, okay, whatevs.
• I guess since 3 months have passed, Miranda's lecture course ended, so that's the end of Dr. Wallace??? Overall, not a great episode for the newbies.
• Rock is the type of stupid name you'd expect from a 12 year old. I also get why Rock would be more comfortable letting the world know before they're own parents (especially if Charlotte was one of your parents).
• the Samantha tease with the original theme music made me just miss the original show dynamic all the more. The texting was light and breezy and fun. What a concept
• I'm just getting mentally prepared for the sage advice from Brady's teenage girlfriend to Miranda about marriage and relationships that I'm sure will not come off condescending and patronizing.
• Anything else happen? probably. Anything else worth discussing? not really

[evansmom10]

On 12/29/2021 at 10:50 AM, RedHawk said:

I'm 59 and only one person I know -- from high school friends to family to co-workers to random Facebook pals of my general age -- has needed hip surgery in his 50s. I don't know anyone my current age who's needed it. One friend in her 40s needed hip replacement but it was due to a congenital defect, and unfortunately it went badly. Two of my many cousins around my same age or older have recently had both knees replaced. The father of one (a college athlete) needed both knees done in his mid 70s, and another cousin had knees replaced in his late 70s. I don't buy that hip surgery or even knee surgery is common in one's 50s.

They better make some comment about this being due to Carrie's high heel habit and not her "advanced" [eyeroll] age. Why on earth are they making her go through hip surgery if not to underline that she's aging? Because SJP wants to wear flats? I think not! Oh well, we'll see. 

Actually, and yes this is anecdotal, but, my orthopedist (I have wonky knees) has said they are doing hip and knee replacements earlier in life these days due to the ability at the younger age to bounce back, and the improvements in the technology (but, maybe he's just wanting me to, lol) I researched it, it's a mixed bag. 

[JeanJean]

It's kind of a Kristen Davis post.

I feel like her face is starting to "settle" and looking more like her -- or I'm just getting used to the plastic surgery. I hope she doesn't have any more.

I also feel like she's doing a caricature of Charlotte most of the time. Charlotte used to be more grounded at times than she ever is now. Maybe some of it is writing, and some is acting choices.

After the peeing-the-bed incident, I wanted Carrie to remind Miranda of how mad Miranda got when Carrie sent Aidan to help when Miranda threw her neck out. And I'm kind of dreading seeing another Miranda & Steve deal-with-adultery arc; already saw that in a movie.

I did feel like it was getting a little better in Episode 5.

 

Happy New Year!

Edited January 1, 2022 by JeanJean

[Lethallyfab]

I’m going to be nitpicky and point out that Che mentioned that they had a serious gastrointestinal issue that required months of specialist treatment and then no less than a minute later, they’re like “of course I like my food [and, by implication, my women] spicy, I can’t have anything MILD!”  

Okay, first, settle down, you non-binary edgelord - which, they SO are the epitome of an edgelord - and, also, maybe your doctor advised you that you *should* have something mild?

I hate the storyline but I think the way this could have been done better would be for the natural extension and follow-up to Miranda’s discussion with her professor would be if Miranda told Carrie she felt trapped by being defined as a mother, including by Steve seeing her as mostly that role these days - and, heck, sometimes while they were first dating - and Che made Miranda feel like an actual person again.  Instead, it felt more like that incredible orgasm made me forget I was married and I’ve never felt like that ever, so I’m done with dudes.  Sis, you were the first of the group to buy the infamous Rabbit, so, as OG Carrie would put it in voiceover, just because an orgasm is mind-blowing doesn’t mean you have to lose your damn mind.

[Tattooeddancer]

43 minutes ago, Lethallyfab said:

I’m going to be nitpicky and point out that Che mentioned that they had a serious gastrointestinal issue that required months of specialist treatment and then no less than a minute later, they’re like “of course I like my food [and, by implication, my women] spicy, I can’t have anything MILD!”  

Okay, first, settle down, you non-binary edgelord - which, they SO are the epitome of an edgelord - and, also, maybe your doctor advised you that you *should* have something mild?

I hate the storyline but I think the way this could have been done better would be for the natural extension and follow-up to Miranda’s discussion with her professor would be if Miranda told Carrie she felt trapped by being defined as a mother, including by Steve seeing her as mostly that role these days - and, heck, sometimes while they were first dating - and Che made Miranda feel like an actual person again.  Instead, it felt more like that incredible orgasm made me forget I was married and I’ve never felt like that ever, so I’m done with dudes.  Sis, you were the first of the group to buy the infamous Rabbit, so, as OG Carrie would put it in voiceover, just because an orgasm is mind-blowing doesn’t mean you have to lose your damn mind.

My mom is in her 60s and has diverticulitis-the same thing Che claims to have-and she still eats spicy food all the time. I guess being from Texas doesn't help lol.

Seriously though Che is a brat.

[SailorGirl]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:20 PM, luna1122 said:

I didn't hate this episode but that's kind of faint praise. 

I'm about the same age as these women and was recently diagnosed with spinal stenosis, so the hip/back pain and hobbling around and having a hard time with stairs hit way too close to home. I haven't dealt with the whole idea of surgery yet but it's probably inevitable, eventually. I keep putting off finding an orthopedist; I hate going to doctors. What I need is a Seema, who has a cousin she can get me in to see immediately, and basically make me go. 

The scenes of Carrie needing help to the bathroom and carried upstairs and babysat 24/7  were, like, my nightmare, and half the reason I can't deal with the whole surgery thing. The idea of my honey and my BFF having to take care of me like that is horrifying to me. Add pee saturated sheets to the ordeal and...yeah, horrifying. 

And I'm shallow, but the last thing I want when I'm  at my weakest and most vulnerable is a hot physical therapist, male or female. It shouldn't matter, obviously, but that'd make me feel even worse. Gimme the cuddly looking guy who takes my insurance. 

For what its worth, I'm 54 and had spinal stenosis surgery (microdiscetomy/lumbar laminectomy) about 8-10 years ago (so, 40-ish, resulting from extreme sports for the foregoing 10 or so years) --for me, the surgery was a non-issue and nowhere NEAR as dramatic, painful, or impairing as what Carrie was shown going through for her hip -- other than being driven to and home from the hospital, I was on my own and had no problems. I couldn't work out for six weeks and had to phase back into sports, but otherwise, it was the best decision I ever made -- I don't recall even having to go to PT -- I just had to make sure I walked every day, a little longer each day.

Prior to the surgery, I was at a point where I was in pain if I was sitting on the couch or being super physically active, and I was carrying around probably $30K street value in painkillers. Post-recovery, I haven't had a problem since -- just occasional stiffness that I would probably experience regardless of surgery. 

If you have to have a fusion, that's a whole other story. But if its a microdiscetomy/laminectomy, so long as you have a good surgeon, you should be rock star afterward.

I know we all handle medical stuff differently, but speaking as someone who's gone through it, my experience was a positive one. 

Edited January 1, 2022 by SailorGirl

[LiterateDog]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:55 PM, Yeah No said:

The more episodes we get, the more insulting and offensive it is to us and pandering to that hidden group or person.  And yet the show seems to even be insulting the woke characters like Che.  I wanted to like Che but now they have made them a real asshole too.

See, YEAH NO, that's the thing. I don't believe the tiny yet vocal minority to whom they're trying to appeal will believe any of this is OTT or insulting. They're eating this shitshow up and snapping their fingers in woke ecstasy.

Comedians, real ones that people actually think are funny, have stated over and over again that wokism is the death of comedy. We're seeing that come to life on this show. It's the death of quality entertainment, frankly. If this is where things keep going, be prepared to not like most of what we're offered. To this crew the only thing you should care about is how "on message" what you're doing is. That's why Che's "comedy" is supposedly presented as such. To these people and their ilk, that IS comedy.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Your post just helped me crystalize some of my thoughts. :)

[NotMySekrit2Tell]

3 hours ago, gorgy said:

• too much Che. I'm pretty sure I'd like her 50% more if they didn't make her character a comedian. She sucks at standup AND every time the show has Miranda yucking it up it's even more annoying.

Seriously. I think Cynthia Nixon is one of the greatest actresses alive. On the stage in Rabbit Hole, she was like "Tell your grandchildren about this" good (Nicole Kidman was fine in the movie version, but not close). But even she can't make me believe Miranda finds Che's bland, on-the-nose material so gut-bustingly hilarious.

The only way I can fanwank it that Miranda is so sexually tingly over this person that she gets giddy just at the sound of their voice.

Also, "edgelord" is a perfect Che description, @Lethallyfab. 

[LiterateDog]

To people saying the fact that Che is non-binary means that Miranda isn't following Cynthia Nixon's journey down the lesbian brick road, I don't agree with you at all. Che's truth may be that they are non-binary, but as seen on the show, they present the image to the world of a butch lesbian. That isn't insulting. It's just, to me, a fact. Miranda's fascination is with a butch lesbian, just as Cynthia Nixon's wife is definitely not on the lipstick part of the lesbian spectrum. And that brings us to the point that has so many people upset about this. They're destroying a beloved character so CN can transform said character into her "new" self. Sorry, lady, it's called acting. Her character doesn't have to be her.

Her insistence on doing this, and doing it the way that it has been done, has been a big fuck you to the fans and many of us are giving it right back to her. I wish she wasn't in "The Gilded Age", because good lord I will be hate-watching any scene with her in it. :P

[Amethyst]

I actually found the sex scene more disturbing than anything else.  The image of Che clamping their hand over Miranda's mouth while Miranda was moaning and gyrating was just creepy.

What really bothered me was what happened after.  Miranda cheerfully listening to Che's stupid podcast while making a drink just made me disgusted with her.   So tasteless.  At least Carrie had the decency to feel guilty when she cheated with Aiden.  Miranda was devastated when Steve cheated on her, but she's OK with cheating on him?  Who the hell is this person?  

The writing for this show has been poor, but this takes the cake.  I understand Miranda being bored with her life and her shit-head son.  But she's willing to throw away her marriage with someone she just met because "she's never felt like that in her life?"  What kind of half-assed writing is this?  That's some cheesy line that a guy they're dating would say!  The old Miranda would scoff at that. 

The fact that Miranda is saying that she genuinely hates her marriage and life is truly sad.  Carrie pointed out that it hasn't always been that way (and she's right) so I don't know if Miranda is exaggerating because she's so unhappy or if it's really true.  At any rate, Che isn't the answer.  Miranda is enamored with Che, but I think Che looks at this like a casual hook up and nothing else.  If Miranda really invests herself emotionally with Che and it doesn't work out, I don't know how she can come back from that.

I know Carrie messed up years ago, but she still had it worse this time.  I can't imagine how jarring it must be to wake up from a drug induced nap with your whole house smelling of weed, while seeing your caretaker having sex with your boss.  And peeing in a bottle had to be pretty degrading.  She was right to go off on Miranda.  I noticed how neither of them mentioned Steve's name in the discussion.

NGL, Charlotte and Harry's situation isn't that interesting to me, but it is the most honest.  I can imagine a lot of parents feeling that confusion, not sure which way is right.  Harry isn't wrong, Rock is 12 and still a child.  IMO, most adolescents and teens feel 100% conviction about whatever it is they're doing until they lose interest.  But we don't know that's the case here, and the teachers are right that school needs to be a safe space, and like some comments here pointed out, some children are literally in danger from their families if they were to come out.  So I see both sides.  But at least Charlotte and Harry are trying.  

Carrie...really nothing to say about her.  I wouldn't mind her flirting with her PT if her husband hadn't just died weeks ago. 

Seeing Samantha's texts only made me miss her more.  But Kim really dodged a bullet with this.  Even if she did come back, the writing is utter garbage.  Samantha deserves better.  And with the way they wrote her out, why would she want to return?

This show is a mess.  It's not even a fun mess, just a mess.

[EllenB]

51 minutes ago, SailorGirl said:

For what its worth, I'm 54 and had spinal stenosis surgery (microdiscetomy/lumbar laminectomy) about 8-10 years ago (so, 40-ish, resulting from extreme sports for the foregoing 10 or so years) --for me, the surgery was a non-issue and nowhere NEAR as dramatic, painful, or impairing as what Carrie was shown going through for her hip -- other than being driven to and home from the hospital, I was on my own and had no problems. I couldn't work out for six weeks and had to phase back into sports, but otherwise, it was the best decision I ever made -- I don't recall even having to go to PT -- I just had to make sure I walked every day, a little longer each day.

Prior to the surgery, I was at a point where I was in pain if I was sitting on the couch or being super physically active, and I was carrying around probably $30K street value in painkillers. Post-recovery, I haven't had a problem since -- just occasional stiffness that I would probably experience regardless of surgery. 

If you have to have a fusion, that's a whole other story. But if its a microdiscetomy/laminectomy, so long as you have a good surgeon, you should be rock star afterward.

I know we all handle medical stuff differently, but speaking as someone who's gone through it, my experience was a positive one. 

I had back surgery in my 40s and hip replacement in my 50s. The back had me almost unable to walk and I was in excruciating pain. As soon as I woke up after surgery, I yelled "I don't hurt!" and all I had to do was get my leg strength back. With the hip, it hurt but not to the same extent prior to surgery. After, there is a very specific rehab regimen to adhere to for about six weeks as the new part becomes one with your body, and some of that is exhausting. But it doesn't mean staying in bed and being carried or dragged anywhere.

[Ms Blue Jay]

@Amethystwhat a great post .  You have really articulated some things well about this episode.  Thanks.

[Yeah No]

12 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I presume Carrie did have an aide or nurse for her at some points during the day given Charlotte, Miranda and Anthony did not appear to be spending the night and have other responsibilities during the day they would need to attend to.

I would have thought that maybe her insurance would at least provide for a few weeks of visiting nurse visits since she lives alone.

12 hours ago, luna1122 said:

I'm confused about Carrie’s apartment. In the movies, it got quite a makover: turquoise walls, a new gallery wall of art above Carrie’s bed, some new furniture. 

But now the walls are mostly ecru again, the shelves are back above the bed, sge even has the old bench at the end of the bed, tho it was recovered in a diff fabric in the films. And it was very decorated, lots of art and pillows, but now its sparse. I get nobody has actually been living there for years, but it was sometimes used by Carrie and friends. Why go to the trouble of de-volving the place with boring beige paint and removing all the actual decor? 

Also, from the preview: it looks like she's still looking for a new apartment? Will she actually ever sell the brownstone? 

Yeah, I didn't get the way Carrie's old apartment looks now either.  You're right, it looks like it was deliberately devolved from the way it looked in the movies, but why would that ever happen organically?  Was she subletting it for a while or air-bnbing it?  I actually know a couple of women in NYC who did just that with their old apartments after getting married.  I too wonder if Carrie is going to sell the brownstone apartment now.  One friend finally got married in 2021 and is now living in Tennessee but is STILL hanging onto her old apartment and stays there on visits back home.

11 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

What happened with Darren Star?  He worked on SATC the original series and the movies.  Did he and MPK have a falling out?  I know he does Younger and Emily in Paris now but why couldn't he help with this?

I wonder too, especially since "Younger" ended a few months ago.  He probably just didn't want to be involved with it.  Maybe he and MPK didn't see eye to eye on how to handle it.  He may have backed out like Kim C. did over the direction of the series.

11 hours ago, Hana Chan said:

Retconning a character's history to justify a new storyline is just evidence of shitty writing. Or catering to CN who wanted to basically transform her character into herself. 

If Cynthia Nixon's life is anything like what we have seen from Miranda on this series so far, she should be ashamed of herself.  Justifying cheating by saying you never loved your husband?  That's weak.  And getting off with someone loudly while your friend is in bed needing your help?  Not to mention how hideous a person that "someone" is turning out to be.  If this is the story Cynthia Nixon thinks she wants to tell about her own life, it's not a very flattering one.  It could have been handled in a much better way than this.  I'm not on board with it if it means decimating the character and engaging in cheating on her husband, who they have made to look pathetic as if to make us "understand" and empathize with her for it.  Yeah, just NO!  And for Cynthia to be on board with this less than flattering portrayal of herself when fans might see it as her re-enacting her own life is beyond me.

[EvergreenLove]

10 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

The fact that Miranda is saying that she genuinely hates her marriage and life is truly sad.  Carrie pointed out that it hasn't always been that way (and she's right) so I don't know if Miranda is exaggerating because she's so unhappy or if it's really true.  At any rate, Che isn't the answer.  Miranda is enamored with Che, but I think Che looks at this like a casual hook up and nothing else.  If Miranda really invests herself emotionally with Che and it doesn't work out, I don't know how she can come back from that.

I think you are spot-on.  I don't see a Che and Miranda storyline going forward, but I definitely see Miranda having to grapple with this probable fact.

[WendyCR72]

I know I said I no longer wanted to watch SATC, but I watched two key Miranda/Steve scenes just to see if maybe I idealized the pairing. And no, as far as I am concerned, they did love each other. And Michael Patrick King (and sadly, likely Cynthia Nixon!) can get out with the garbage about marrying for the baby and Miranda never loving Steve. I read that the first clip got Cynthia Nixon an Emmy:

 

And Miranda looked positively giddy in the proposal scene:

 

I know some liked them together (me) and others did not, but at the very least, I think we can agree that this whole deal with Miranda hating her marriage and not loving Steve is based on a BS premise, and insulting the viewers and shitting on the original show is dooming this revival.

Makes me think they should have stopped with the first movie, if not just letting Season 6 be the swan song. Because so much seems ruined now.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, LiterateDog said:

See, YEAH NO, that's the thing. I don't believe the tiny yet vocal minority to whom they're trying to appeal will believe any of this is OTT or insulting. They're eating this shitshow up and snapping their fingers in woke ecstasy.

Comedians, real ones that people actually think are funny, have stated over and over again that wokism is the death of comedy. We're seeing that come to life on this show. It's the death of quality entertainment, frankly. If this is where things keep going, be prepared to not like most of what we're offered. To this crew the only thing you should care about is how "on message" what you're doing is. That's why Che's "comedy" is supposedly presented as such. To these people and their ilk, that IS comedy.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Your post just helped me crystalize some of my thoughts. :)

[EvergreenLove]

I've always loved Miranda and Steve as a couple, and I'm also able to understand that Miranda is not the same character that she was in the first series.  She seems so miserable to be unrecognizable, and I'm a bit more forgiving in that aspect.  I don't think this is top-notch acting or storytelling by any stretch, but I'm also not expecting her to do things that would be within the scope of her former self (such as talking with Steve about her unhappiness or putting her foot down with Brady and his girlfriend).  She's just not there right now.

[Morrissey]

Interesting how Carrie only started to reconsider Charlotte's comments once Miranda's drinking problem affected HER. Having a friend whose happy hour starts before noon and lasts until last woman standing? Meh. Your friend being too busy to help you to the bathroom because she's having orgasms in your kitchen which makes you have to pee in a Snapple bottle? "YOU'RE AN ALCOHOLIC AND YOU NEED TO TAKE OF IT NOW!!!1!!"

And turning the character of Miranda upside down is annoying and done in such a terribly clumsy way. I think I'd have less of a problem with it if her sexual and emotional explorations weren't directly echoing Cynthia Nixon's private life. It's lazy writing at its best (or worst).  

 

The show is a trainwreck. (and I can't look away)

[Amethyst]

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

@Amethystwhat a great post .  You have really articulated some things well about this episode.  Thanks.

Thank you so much!  Made my whole night.  😊

Griping aside, it's disappointing because there is potential.  The gist of the show, anyway.  But the writing is all over the place, the characters aren't likable, and so on.  And butchering storylines is a sure way to lose viewers. 

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

On 12/30/2021 at 7:24 AM, Baltimore Betty said:

...she needs a headboard, I hate when beds do not have a headboard it looks so first apartment situation to me, she is grown up, get a head board.

Why wouldn't insurance pay for one particular PT person but would pay for the less attractive one?

My second wife doesn't like headboards so our bed doesn't have one (I don't really care either way). OTOH, I'd literally never slept in a private home bed without one until we met. Modern climate control systems have made the original purpose of a headboard (so you can position the head of your bed in front of an open window without the breeze hitting your face) obsolete, so it's purely an aesthetic choice.

As for the PT situation: it could be that specific therapists in that practice are tied to specific doctors, some of which Carrie's insurance won't pay for.

 

On 12/30/2021 at 4:05 AM, ruby24 said:

Okay, so..Miranda just IS Cynthia Nixon now. Great. Everything we ever knew about her was a lie then? She never loved Steve?

That texting thing with Samantha has me thinking they're really banking on getting Kim Cattrall back eventually, if the show keeps going.

Maybe she did love Steve but doesn't now, or maybe her entire life situation has her feeling trapped. Or maybe Cynthia Nixon's price of admission back to the series was doing a LGBTQ storyline around her character. With Kim Cattrall already gone, they couldn't really afford to lose another major character without substantially altering the show's dynamic.

None of us knows what's going on behind the scenes. Perhaps HBO is negotiating with Cattrall on the down low to bring her back next year? Cattrall's been VERY quiet about this new show and its use of Samantha. I keep waiting for her to put out a Victoria Principal "They can legally do whatever they want with the character, but I choose not to participate" statement, but she hasn't. Maybe, just maybe, we haven't seen the last of Samantha in the flesh.

 

On 12/30/2021 at 8:08 AM, TooMuchRealityTV said:

Also, gonna add to the chorus, Che is awful. In the real world, this would be a bigger deal than the show is making it. They would be reported to HR. Carrie isn't a peon who really needs the money. She's a wealthy widow, who was likely cast in the podcast for her name recognition. She doesn't need this job. There would be no reason to not report them.

Report her for having consensual sex with a friend of Carrie's in Carrie's apartment when outside working hours? I'm not sure the podcast company would care.

 

On 12/30/2021 at 10:36 AM, RedHawk said:

SJP must think she looks great with that scraggly mess hanging down or slicked back yet both looks are a horror.

SJP looked 20 years older with her hair slicked back like that. You'd think Carrie would be a little more on the ball.

 

On 12/30/2021 at 10:51 AM, 4evaQuez said:

I honestly thought this was the meanest part of the show. It was just so unnecessarily cruel. For a show that wants to be more inclusive and "woke" for a hot pop cultural term. Why are they needlessly attacking a man for simply doing his job? The entire joke seems to be that this man is unattractive. There seems to be some implication that being attractive is a premium.

The original show was always like this, though. Remember when they reacted with equal parts horror and mockery because they saw a tourist commit the horrible, awful, unforgivable sin of wearing a hair scrunchy in some uber-trendy bar? Carrie and Co. have always been elitist snobs.

 

On 12/30/2021 at 10:59 AM, Aulty said:

and the inevitable return of Aidan.

MPK has said a big reason for killing off Big was so Carrie wouldn't have that relationship to continually fall back on. Her ending up with Aidan would be a logical conclusion.

Edited January 1, 2022 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Sir RaiderDuck OMS said:

My second wife doesn't like headboards so our bed doesn't have one (I don't really care either way). OTOH, I'd literally never slept in a private home bed without one until we met. Modern climate control systems have made the original purpose of a headboard (so you can position your bed in front of and away from an open window without the breeze hitting your face) obsolete, so it's purely an aesthetic choice.

Not universally.  I have baseboard heating which means my bed can't sit flush against the wall and there's over an inch of airspace between the mattress and the wall.  My pillows would fall into that crack all the time if not for a headboard. Plus I tend to prop the pillows up on the headboard to sleep more upright. Unless my husband and I got an adjustable bed (which we are thinking about doing) and propped it up enough so that wouldn't happen we need a headboard.  Not that I would ever not want one on aesthetic grounds.

1 hour ago, Sir RaiderDuck OMS said:

The original show was always like this, though. Remember when they reacted with equal parts horror and mockery because they saw a tourist commit the horrible, awful, unforgivable sin of wearing a hair scrunchy in some uber-trendy bar? Carrie and Co. have always been elitist snobs.

Yeah, but that's a different type of offense.  I think putting someone down for something they can't change about their appearance or what they were born with is much worse than putting someone down for not being trendy.  I'm trying to think of another situation from the previous series that fits your analogy but I'm not coming up with anything at the moment.

1 hour ago, Sir RaiderDuck OMS said:

MPK has said a big reason for killing off Big was so Carrie wouldn't have that relationship to continually fall back on. Her ending up with Aiden would be a logical conclusion.

It would, but wouldn't that feel like too "pat" a solution?  I suppose it would make the Aiden fans happy, though.  I'm not sure the show wouldn't find a way to completely offend them too like everyone else.

[Baltimore Betty]

I was thinking about when Carrie and Miranda went to check in at the hospital, Carrie gets a beeper, they take seats in the waiting area and Miranda decides to get a cup of coffee and leaves the building to get one, how did she know the beeper wouldn't go off after she left and Carrie would be gone when she got back?  My other thought was Miranda was going to get a quick drink.  Also, why would Miranda offer Carrie coffee, had she never known anyone to have surgery before, the no food or drink prior to surgery is news to her?

It was nice of Anthony to transport Carrie home in one of his trucks but would I want to ride in a jump seat, facing backwards in a windowless van, I'd opt for a town car or a professional ambulance service that could safely get me upstairs, hip surgery would have to be moved or carried in a specific way, right?  My friend was given a walker after his hip replacement not crutches like Carrie, a walker would be more stable.

[mansonlamps]

On 12/30/2021 at 8:07 AM, txhorns79 said:

Me too.  She's the friend you want who can just snap her fingers and any problem you have is magically resolved.

I'm not too impressed with people who steamroll over others to get their way.  Carrie's situation wasn't an emergency and who knows whose appointment got moved to accommodate the doctors pushy cousin?

On 12/30/2021 at 8:24 AM, Baltimore Betty said:

Che really liked Carrie talking about her lady business on the podcast, why the need to talk like a 12 year old, why not talk about issues that affect her community, Charlotte could learn a lot from her, Che is wasting her platform.

 

Che and her buddy looked like salacious junior high school students listening to Carrie badly babble on about her diaphragm.  Still wondering who the audience for this podcast is supposed to be. 

On 12/31/2021 at 9:30 AM, Trillian said:

I was thinking the same.  I was once referred to an absolutely gorgeous, hot, young gastroenterologist. He was a great doctor, but, yeah, I would’ve preferred talking about my, um, digestive problems with someone a little less swoon inducing. 

I had surgery and my referred Doctor was known as Dr. Handsome.  I didn't hate it lol.

As far as Rock/Rose, does anyone truly believe that,  if a child is in "danger" at home for their gender identification, they are better off letting their parents find out the way Charlotte did?   I would think the consequences for the kids would be a lot harsher when your parents find out you've changed your name and gender identity, the whole school and the other kids parents know about it and they find out as an afterthought.   That has to be a real slap in the face to a parent and I think Harry played that well in the episode. 

 

 

[ifionlyknew]

14 minutes ago, mansonlamps said:

 

I had surgery and my referred Doctor was known as Dr. Handsome.  I didn't hate it lol.

 

 

 

I had one of those.  I only saw him for a minute before they put me under but he was hot. The nurses were talking about him before he came in and I thought how hot could he be.  They weren't exaggerating.   Lol

And I just have to say I've been enjoying the discussion on this board so much more than actually watching the show. If by some chance there is a second season they need to have us consult.

Edited January 1, 2022 by ifionlyknew

[Shermie]

Quote

Che and her buddy looked like salacious junior high school students listening to Carrie badly babble on about her diaphragm.  

Yes, let’s talk about Che’s podcast partner. What. The. Ever-loving. Hell?  He’s grunting and snorting and carrying on like a 12-year-old boy who found his father’s secret Playboy stash. Good gawd. The diaphragm story is a good story, actually. It’s funny and icky and has the message that good friends will do anything for you. But the reaction of the podcasters was ridiculous.

I feel for Charlotte and Harry, and for anyone whose kid changes their name. Parents usually give a lot of thought to their child’s name. Maybe Rose was named after someone, or it’s meaningful in a different way. To just dump it aside like it’s disposable can hurt. Especially without any discussion.

[Yeah No]

25 minutes ago, ifionlyknew said:

I had one of those.  I only saw him for a minute before they put me under but he was hot. The nurses were talking about him before he came in and I thought how hot could he be.  They weren't exaggerating.   Lol

LOL my anesthesiologist was like that.  He was the last person I saw before I went under and the first person I saw when I woke up.  I thought I was dreaming when he stood over me with a big grin saying, "Welcome back, we've been waiting for you!"  I thought if I died this must be heaven, LOL

27 minutes ago, ifionlyknew said:

And I just have to say I've been enjoying the discussion on this board so much more than actually watching the show. If by some chance there is a second season they need to have us consult.

Same here.  I've been on this board for years and so far this has been hands down THE best thread, with the most well thought out, well written posts EVER.  Someone should clue TPTB from the show in on it.

[PepSinger]

5 hours ago, Sir RaiderDuck OMS said:

On 12/30/2021 at 8:24 AM, Baltimore Betty said:

...she needs a headboard, I hate when beds do not have a headboard it looks so first apartment situation to me, she is grown up, get a head board.

Why wouldn't insurance pay for one particular PT person but would pay for the less attractive one?

My second wife doesn't like headboards so our bed doesn't have one (I don't really care either way). OTOH, I'd literally never slept in a private home bed without one until we met. Modern climate control systems have made the original purpose of a headboard (so you can position the head of your bed in front of an open window without the breeze hitting your face) obsolete, so it's purely an aesthetic choice.

Yep. To be honest, I've never understood the point of headboards. I'm a grown up, and my mother is a grown up. Neither one of us have a headboard.

Also to answer the question about why insurance would cover one PT and not the other, that's totally plausible to me. I worked with health insurance for a while after college. The facility Carrie is going to for PT is in-network. However, certain providers at that facility may not be in-network with the insurance company, which is why the "unattractive" guy is in-network & the "attractive" guy isn't. Plus, the attractive guy probably figures he'll make better money because he's...well...attractive. He doesn't need to be in-network with an insurance company.

[Cementhead]

1 hour ago, ifionlyknew said:

And I just have to say I've been enjoying the discussion on this board so much more than actually watching the show. If by some chance there is a second season they need to have us consult.

 

41 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Same here.  I've been on this board for years and so far this has been hands down THE best thread, with the most well thought out, well written posts EVER.  Someone should clue TPTB from the show in on it.

Me, three!  I have barely said a word on these threads because I have nothing to add to the many thoughtful and meaningful posts you all are writing.  I can't express my disappointment and frustration with this show any better than you are all doing so articulately. 

The amount of activity this place has created just shows how much of a missed opportunity these guys had with this show.  Because instead of us collectively commiserating over what a giant shit show this turned out to be, we could have been rejoicing in revisiting these beloved characters one last time.

[TooMuchRealityTV]

6 hours ago, Sir RaiderDuck OMS said:

Report her for having consensual sex with a friend of Carrie's in Carrie's apartment when outside working hours? I'm not sure the podcast company would care.

 

I disagree. They came over uninvited and dropped off a mic and booze while Carrie was recovering and drugged. The mic could be interpreted as dropping something off for work. In which case they should have remained professional. Carrie woke up to her boss fingerbanging someone in her kitchen, which is just unprofessional as hell. I would imagine most companies would expect some semblance of professionalism if you are doing something that could be interpreted as related to work.

[Conotocarious]

Chiming in to say I don’t have a headboard. My bed is in a bay window and I don’t want to block the windows.

[Baltimore Betty]

2 hours ago, Shermie said:

I feel for Charlotte and Harry, and for anyone whose kid changes their name. Parents usually give a lot of thought to their child’s name. Maybe Rose was named after someone, or it’s meaningful in a different way. To just dump it aside like it’s disposable can hurt. Especially without any discussion.

Rose was named for Harry's Bubbie which means grandmother in Yiddish, it meant something to him and to find out that Rose wants to be called Rock it has to hurt a little.

In what school especially a private school would the administration not communicate with Charlotte and Harry about Rock? They seem to be a micro managing type of school and I would have thought that if there is a change in identity there would have been a conversation between parents and teachers and if there wasn't the administration would have called the parents to ask if they were on board with the changes. 

Even if the parents were on board with the child changing their name and pro noun it would be discussed with the school psychologist just to make sure nobody is having an issue or if there are questions on either side, right?

 

[RedHawk]

5 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

I was thinking about when Carrie and Miranda went to check in at the hospital, Carrie gets a beeper, they take seats in the waiting area and Miranda decides to get a cup of coffee and leaves the building to get one, how did she know the beeper wouldn't go off after she left and Carrie would be gone when she got back?  My other thought was Miranda was going to get a quick drink.  Also, why would Miranda offer Carrie coffee, had she never known anyone to have surgery before, the no food or drink prior to surgery is news to her?

It was nice of Anthony to transport Carrie home in one of his trucks but would I want to ride in a jump seat, facing backwards in a windowless van, I'd opt for a town car or a professional ambulance service that could safely get me upstairs, hip surgery would have to be moved or carried in a specific way, right?  My friend was given a walker after his hip replacement not crutches like Carrie, a walker would be more stable.

I totally expected to see Miranda tipping a little of one of those Tito's bottles into her coffee. I'm pretty sure she isn't suddenly sober. 

And yeah, SATC Miranda wasn't so stupid that she wouldn't know Carrie can't drink coffee immediately before surgery. But I guess AJLT Miranda is that stupid. I guess we could say that she was being polite and offered out of habit, but really, so much of the surgery story was unrealistic and annoying, which is what I'm saying about too much of this series. 

And the podcast has got to go! Who in that world is actually listening to it -- Brady and his girlfriend? Oh, and now Miranda, so maybe they can bond over that. It's like the worst of '80s-'90s shock-jock radio brought into 2021. UGH. Too funny that anyone thought Samantha would hear about the diaphragm story -- no one in Samantha's fabulous London circle (as I imagine it) is listening to that stupid podcast or is at all aware of it. And no one she still knows in NYC would bother listening either! 

[Hanahope]

Carrie's hip surgery was certainly different from mine.  like others, i was not allowed to leave the hospital until i could get out of bed, use the toilet, walk up and down stairs.  so why she has to have someone help/carry her everywhere is certainly not realistic.  but i guess they had to exchange realism for story line convenience.  

same with the Miranda/Che story, just doesn't sound realistic that Che would be acting like this, let alone Miranda.

only Charlotte's seemed realistic, dealing with a child who is questioning her identity, and yes, many kids don't feel comfortable telling their own parents, but can let the school know their wishes for how to be addressed.  

 

[CeeBeeGee]

27 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I know I said I no longer wanted to watch SATC, but I watched two key Miranda/Steve scenes just to see if maybe I idealized the pairing. And no, as far as I am concerned, they did love each other. And Michael Patrick King (and sadly, likely Cynthia Nixon!) can get out with the garbage about marrying for the baby and Miranda never loving Steve. I read that the first clip got Cynthia Nixon an Emmy:

 

Magda's knowing look as she closed the laundry room door was everything. She was no fool, and never was.

 

[RealHousewife]

Just now, CeeBeeGee said:

Magda's knowing look as she closed the laundry room door was everything. She was no fool, and never was.

 

YES! Aw, I miss Magda.

[txhorns79]

13 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

 

I know some liked them together (me) and others did not, but at the very least, I think we can agree that this whole deal with Miranda hating her marriage and not loving Steve is based on a BS premise, and insulting the viewers and shitting on the original show is dooming this revival.

I tended to think Miranda was embarrassed at being caught, was drunk and trying to come up with best justification for what had happened.  I think she loves Steve, but perhaps they are now in a place where romantic love is gone and they are in some kind of platonic holding pattern that has left Miranda deeply unhappy and flailing. 

[ifionlyknew]

43 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I tended to think Miranda was embarrassed at being caught, was drunk and trying to come up with best justification for what had happened.  I think she loves Steve, but perhaps they are now in a place where romantic love is gone and they are in some kind of platonic holding pattern that has left Miranda deeply unhappy and flailing. 

I would believe that but I don't think the writers are writing it that way.  I think they (and also Cynthia Nixon) expect the audience to think Miranda is finally finding her true self or some shit.  I wouldn't have a problem with that story if it was with the right character and that character isn't Miranda.  As I said on another post the writers are writing stories they want to tell and are using the characters they have available to them.  

[ravencroft]

In reference to the whole situation with Rock (Granted I dont have kids at all and its been 20 years since I graduated HS), but can the school legally keep that kind of information away from the parents like that? I get that in a lot of cases its not safe for the kids to be themselves at home, but is that even legal?

Also it feels as if, in their hurry to address a lot of the compliants about the original series, they ended up removing things that many fans loved. I dont expect the leads to be the exact same as they were all those years ago, Gods knows Ive changed, but these characters, I dont recognize, let alone like. 

[txhorns79]

11 minutes ago, ravencroft said:

In reference to the whole situation with Rock (Granted I dont have kids at all and its been 20 years since I graduated HS), but can the school legally keep that kind of information away from the parents like that? I get that in a lot of cases its not safe for the kids to be themselves at home, but is that even legal?

Yes.  It is legal for a school to withhold information from a student's parents if the school has reason to believe that information could put a student's well being in danger. 

[tennisgurl]

 

Most of the new characters are pretty likable, except for Che, who the show is trying so hard to make us think is cool but is really just unfunny and in this episode came off as quite creepy, having sex in her co-workers kitchen with her clearly drunk friend, if they were a hetero cis man everyone would have called them out as a massive creep. Even worse, they aren't particularly funny, no matter how much the show has to try and tell us they are (show don't tell damn it) and they're podcast sounds horrible. I am so sure that no one on this show has listened to a podcast in their lives, they clearly have no idea what a podcast is or how they work. What really gets me is that we are giving so much screen time to new characters who clearly exist so that the show can awkwardly try to show how much more progressive they are now that the actual supporting cast has been shunted to the side. Steve hardly exists, we have no idea how he and Miranda's marriage has fallen apart so terribly or how he's doing besides his hearing issues, Harry is mostly just around to echo Charlotte's issues, Big's dead, poor Stanford was written out in a terribly insulting way, and worst of all, I really wanted to know more about how the kids all turned out, but we hardly see them besides one or two things they obsessively focus on. All we know about Brady is that he has a ton of icky teenage sex with his parents in the next room and is in general a brat, we know that Lily is girlie and likes piano, and that Rose/Rock is questioning her gender identity. I hardly know about any of their actual personalities or relationships with their family, just these basic plot points. Brady exists to show how miserable Miranda is, Lily hardly exists at all, and Rose/Rock exists so that the show can give us a ton of lectures about sexuality and gender identity, none of them are real characters, which is really sad.

Edited January 2, 2022 by tennisgurl

[ifionlyknew]

9 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

I feel like so many of these reboot shows feel the need to "address" the billions of think pieces and articles and criticisms and nitpicking that has happened in the years since it aired, and so often it comes across as insincere or awkward. Its like the writers decided to deal with people complaining about aspects of this series that haven't aged well or the lack of diversity by trying to answer those complaints in as awkward a way as possible, pausing the show to give us long lectures about various social issues and adding in all of these new characters who clearly exist just to address these criticisms of the lack of diversity, instead of just adding in a more diverse supporting cast without the endless virtue signaling. They have to yell "see! we're cool! we're woke! we get it!" despite the fact that they very clearly do not get it. 

 

Perhaps this already exists but I would love to read a think piece about SATC that addresses the things that haven't aged well and how those things would be written differently today.

Maybe the writers think they are doing that with Miranda and Steve but their relationship isn't something that hasn't aged well.

 

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, ifionlyknew said:

I would believe that but I don't think the writers are writing it that way.  I think they (and also Cynthia Nixon) expect the audience to think Miranda is finally finding her true self or some shit.  I wouldn't have a problem with that story if it was with the right character and that character isn't Miranda.  As I said on another post the writers are writing stories they want to tell and are using the characters they have available to them.  

Do we have any spoilers of what's happening in later episodes?  Would love to know what they're doing to Miranda!