Carrie

[Piter]

Anyone know anything about ep of the necklace Carrie (necklace with her name) where out of 4 them is on some market and then Carrie see the necklese and buy it ? I remember when I watched that scene but now i can't find anywhere?

[Inquisitionist]

Carrie talked about that incident, but I don't recall the scene actually being in the show.

[ChlcGirl]

The ladies went to a flea market once (Sam buys a naked man statue) but we never see her buy the necklace.  She does tell the story to Miranda when she's in Paris.

[mamadrama]

On 9/26/2016 at 9:58 AM, Mu Shu said:

She really is Carrie.  Then again, a friend met her during the filming of Flight of the Navigator and took her out to dinner.   She chose to go to Skyline Chili and was very down to earth.

For me, SJP will always be GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN. "We made a deal when I was 7 1/2 that nightlife was the Muppet Show!"

[Inquisitionist]

Wow, this seems like a stretch, and even SJP said so.

Sarah Jessica Parker pays tribute to Carrie Fisher at Golden Globes

Her GG hair reminded me of The Catch -- not a good look on her then OR now, IMO.

[Bb78]

On 02/06/2014 at 1:07 AM, Bella said:

Love her, hate her, find her perplexing? Talk about her here.

I didn't mind Carrie. I can can relate to her I'm some ways. I thought she was cool. 

[psychoticstate]

I am rereading these threads as I've begun rewatching some of the episodes.  It's interesting that despite Carrie as the supposed "heroine" and main character of the ensemble cast, the majority of posters seem to dislike the character.  Intensely.  

This is back on the first page but there was some debate over Big and Natasha.  I always felt that after the ups and downs with Carrie, Natasha was a welcome relief to Big.  He even told Carrie she was "easy," correct?  I don't think Big or Natasha was necessarily looking for marriage but they were in Paris and I think took a vacation type romance to the next level. Do I think Big was in love with her?  Yeah, I do.  At least at the time he dated and married her. I also think that Natasha was wife material, for lack of a better description, while Carrie was girlfriend material.  Natasha would be stylish, keep an elegant house, could hold adult conversations with Big's coworkers and clients and probably could cook.  When Big engaged in the affair with Carrie, I don't think it's because he was in love with her so much as he realized that he had rushed into the marriage with Natasha and not happy.  Carrie and the affair brought the excitement he thought his marriage with Natasha was missing.

I was very disappointed that Carrie seemed more concerned about how Charlotte might think of her cheating than how Carrie herself felt about what she was doing and what she was doing to Natasha and to Aidan.  Of course Sam wasn't going to judge her but I don't recall Miranda giving her a basic "Carrie, FFS!"  I could be mistaken though.

I like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Aleks was interesting in the beginning but there was never any real chemistry with Carrie.  I guess I felt this way about nearly every man Carrie dated but I wondered what he would see in her.  He's an accomplished, famous man of the world and he wants more than a quickie with her?  And while leaving her at his exhibit in Paris was shitty, Carrie frustrated the hell out of me by suggesting that she had done everything she could possibly do in Paris within the 2 weeks she was there.  Some, twice.  She was supposed to be a writer.  Why not write about Paris?  Why not write about moving from NY to Paris?  It's like she completely abandoned what was supposed to be not only her career but her passion.  Her actions in Paris also went against the strong, independent NY woman she was supposed to be.  I get she was in a foreign city and didn't speak the language.  But she chose to go. Get a DVD or book and learn some French!  Do something besides waiting around for a man to pay you notice.  And if you're not happy, move back to NY on your own, instead of waiting for another man to show up, declare his love and take you back!  Grrrrr.

I think I said this way back on TWOP years ago but I always felt like by the end of the series, Carrie had grown and progressed the least out of the women.  She was really in the same place as the beginning, with the exception of the alleged commitment from Big. I get the show wanted to make fans happy but I think it would have been more realistic, as well as satisfying for the character, to have Carrie return to NY on her own, single but happy.  Maybe then the first movie could have been about Big re-entering her life and go from there.

Wanted to go back quickly on the big debate over Charlotte's engagement ring and Carrie buying her apartment.  I agree wholeheartedly with those who said that neither Miranda nor Samantha should have offered Carrie a loan in front of anyone other than Carrie. That should have been private and between the two of them.  I think it was a mistake for Carrie to tear up Big's check. If he was offering the money, with no strings attached, she should have taken it. Especially since she didn't have many other options and was financially irresponsible.   Furthermore, I hated that the loan from Charlotte was never mentioned again.  In the episode where Smith has his play and Carrie gets her advance from her book sale in France, before she gets the check she's already shopping at Prada.  She even buys Berger a shirt.  No mention is made of paying Charlotte back or making a payment to her.  Would Carrie have been able to pay her off by then?  Doubtful, especially given that around that time was when she went to the baby shower at Tatum O'Neal's and her $480 Blahniks were lifted.   

[Melancholy]

When Carrie first told Miranda about the affair, it was clear that Miranda was struggling to keep her cool and just firmly and intensely tell Carrie to stop instead of shaming her for what already happened. Not a bad strategy but it's too optimistic about Carrie. Carrie needed to be more affirmatively shamed and broken down to get her to change behavior because Carrie can't do it herself. Charlotte's, however sweetly toned shaming, was more effective. Plus, it's clear that Miranda had been holding her tongue a lot because in the next Miranda-Carrie-conservation-about-Big, Miranda exploded in the thrift dress shop for their infamous fight. I also think Charlotte was really in a headspace to empathize with Natasha because Charlotte was embarking on her first marriage. However, Miranda and Samantha didn't care so much about Natasha but instead about Carrie's feelings. I mean, Samantha slept with plenty of married men. Miranda didn't and she was mildly disapproving of it but not to the point, that she'd prioritize a stranger's feelings over her friends even if her friend was the Other Woman. (Although actually, I think Samantha wouldn't cheat on someone she already made a commitment to except that one time with Smith and Richard. That was terrible but it was a self-harming quickie. Samantha was honest about it at the beginning and genuinely felt like shit when it was over and had touching "I'm a horrible person to do this to you" remorse instead of "You have to foooooorrrrgggive me" demands. Samantha wouldn't carry on an affair for months while lying to her committed boyfriend. She'd just honestly break up.) 

It's interesting that Carrie tearfully/angrily justified her choice to move to Paris to Miranda because she's the only one of her friends who hasn't "moved on" to something real. I think Carrie knew that her friends left her in the dust and had a lot more going on in their lives. However, the show stuck the landing on how to deal with that. Because Carrie didn't deal with that by building a life she could be proud of or by living with the smallness of a life without kids, a real romantic relationship, or a job beyond writing a fluff column for a small paper. Instead, Bigness (pun intended) was delivered to her with the book deals out her existing columns and then, by Big doing an 180 and just becoming what she wanted all along. 

I really agree that Carrie should have taken the money from Big. I get why Carrie blanched at taking money from single mother Miranda. Even though Miranda was affluent, it was too big a gift from someone embarking on years and years of unexpected expenses. However, Big, first, and Samantha, second, would have been better options than bullying Charlotte into donating. You'd think it makes more sense to accept money from the people who WANT to give it to you. However, Carrie seems particularly after Charlotte's money because Charlotte didn't volunteer and Carrie wanted the validation that everyone adored her and to test Charlotte. 

Edited July 6, 2017 by Melancholy

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, Melancholy said:

When Carrie first told Miranda about the affair, it was clear that Miranda was struggling to keep her cool and just firmly and intensely tell Carrie to stop instead of shaming her for what already happened. Not a bad strategy but it's too optimistic about Carrie. Carrie needed to be more affirmatively shamed and broken down to get her to change behavior because Carrie can't do it herself. Charlotte's, however sweetly toned shaming, was more effective. Plus, it's clear that Miranda had been holding her tongue a lot because in the next Miranda-Carrie-conservation-about-Big, Miranda exploded in the thrift dress shop for their infamous fight. I also think Charlotte was really in a headspace to empathize with Natasha because Charlotte was embarking on her first marriage. However, Miranda and Samantha didn't care so much about Natasha but instead about Carrie's feelings. I mean, Samantha slept with plenty of married men. Miranda didn't and she was mildly disapproving of it but not to the point, that she'd prioritize a stranger's feelings over her friends even if her friend was the Other Woman. (Although actually, I think Samantha wouldn't cheat on someone she already made a commitment to except that one time with Smith and Richard. That was terrible but it was a self-harming quickie. Samantha was honest about it at the beginning and genuinely felt like shit when it was over and had touching "I'm a horrible person to do this to you" remorse instead of "You have to foooooorrrrgggive me" demands. Samantha wouldn't carry on an affair for months while lying to her committed boyfriend. She'd just honestly break up.) 

It's interesting that Carrie tearfully/angrily justified her choice to move to Paris to Miranda because she's the only one of her friends who hasn't "moved on" to something real. I think Carrie knew that her friends left her in the dust and had a lot more going on in their lives. However, the show stuck the landing on how to deal with that. Because Carrie didn't deal with that by building a life she could be proud of or by living with the smallness of a life without kids, a real romantic relationship, or a job beyond writing a fluff column for a small paper. Instead, Bigness (pun intended) was delivered to her with the book deals out her existing columns and then, by Big doing an 180 and just becoming what she wanted all along. 

I really agree that Carrie should have taken the money from Big. I get why Carrie blanched at taking money from single mother Miranda. Even though Miranda was affluent, it was too big a gift from someone embarking on years and years of unexpected expenses. However, Big, first, and Samantha, second, would have been better options than bullying Charlotte into donating. You'd think it makes more sense to accept money from the people who WANT to give it to you. However, Carrie seems particularly after Charlotte's money because Charlotte didn't volunteer and Carrie wanted the validation that everyone adored her and to test Charlotte. 

It would have made more sense for Carrie to take money from Big or Samantha, or you know she could have gotten herself out of the mess. Carrie went after Charlotte because she didn't volunteer. Its funny that you bring up the reason why Carrie was justifying her move to Paris. Each one of her friends had more going on in their lives and they changed. Samantha learned how to be in a relationship and that she could be in one. Charlotte lived her "dream" life but it didn't work out, she was willing to change herself to marry Harry, Miranda learned to lower her guard and she gained a family.

Carrie never changed. She never out grew her lifestyle of shoes, shopping, and clubs. She had a column and that was it. She never considered doing more articles, writing a book or anything until the book deal landed in her lap and that was only using her existing columns and later writing for Vogue. That came up only because she needed money. She blew all her money on shoes but never once bothered to put any money in savings or for a rainy day.  She was a woman in her thirties. Not in her twenties, She should know to put money in savings. We never see her "learn" from that either. Once Charlotte forks over the money from her engagement ring its never mentioned again. She never learned from any of her relationships. Carrie never once seem to think her behavior when dating Big the first time or second time was inappropriate or might be what pushes him away.  She stalked his mother and ex-wife. She constantly flips out. And never learns to stop doing that. To grow up. She goes to Paris but pouts because Alek is too busy to make her the center of attention. Even though he told her that he would be busy.  She does nothing to keep herself busy or make a new life in Paris. The only thing that has changed for Carrie at the end of the series is she's back together with Big. She hasn't grown at all. 

[Melancholy]

Yes. The ironic thing is that Carrie has something very few people have- her whole job is for Carrie to analyze how she lives her life. That's very rare. Most people go work a job that has nothing to do with their personal life and they're supposed to think about their personal goals or evaluate their behavior on their own time. That was the case with Carrie's friends. 

However, her self-ruminating and "I couldn't help but wonder..." could be interesting and insightful (I give Carrie that- it's not perfect writing but it's interesting and pleasant to listen to) but it didn't help Carrie grow. I do think that even though her column promises a no holds barred sexy chronology, Carrie does edit the take-sways from life so she seems like more of a heroine to her readership. 

[psychoticstate]

8 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Carrie never changed. She never out grew her lifestyle of shoes, shopping, and clubs. She had a column and that was it. She never considered doing more articles, writing a book or anything until the book deal landed in her lap and that was only using her existing columns and later writing for Vogue. That came up only because she needed money. She blew all her money on shoes but never once bothered to put any money in savings or for a rainy day.  She was a woman in her thirties. Not in her twenties, She should know to put money in savings. We never see her "learn" from that either. Once Charlotte forks over the money from her engagement ring its never mentioned again. She never learned from any of her relationships. Carrie never once seem to think her behavior when dating Big the first time or second time was inappropriate or might be what pushes him away.  She stalked his mother and ex-wife. She constantly flips out. And never learns to stop doing that. To grow up. She goes to Paris but pouts because Alek is too busy to make her the center of attention. Even though he told her that he would be busy.  She does nothing to keep herself busy or make a new life in Paris. The only thing that has changed for Carrie at the end of the series is she's back together with Big. She hasn't grown at all. 

Carrie had zero ambition, beyond buying more fabulously overpriced shoes, going out to lunch and having a man on her arm.  At one time I was a journalism major and beyond the falsity that Carrie would have made enough money from her small paper column to not only afford designer shoes but that apartment, most writers would be looking to stretch their creative wings.  Why wouldn't Carrie be thinking of writing a book on her own?  Or a screenplay or script?  Or move to a larger paper?  Others have pointed this out but Carrie never seemed to hobnob with people in the industry.  Yes, writing for the column was her job but it came off as more of a hobby - -so she had a jobby.  

That attention thing was very evident to me in the second movie.  I think she was so upset at Big wanting a tv in the bedroom because it took attention away from her.  I've said this before but what did she do all day??  We never saw her write a single word and although she did have a book being released, most writers finish one book and almost immediately start on another.  It was mentioned that she decorated the apartment (probably with a designer) but that certainly isn't a career. So for her to expect Big to work all day, to pay for the furnishings, her closet, takeout, etc. and then come home and be ready to take her out clubbing, go out to eat, etc. and screech at him over watching some tv, it's the essence of selfishness and assholery.  I never understood why Big felt he had to take the tv back or why he couldn't put his feet up on the sofa in his own house. 

As far as Aleks went, she knew before she left for Paris that he was incredibly work-driven.  Sure, he could be romantic and charming but when he was working, he was an entirely different animal.  She made a mistake.  If it were not for Lexi Featherston falling out Enid's window, I don't believe that Carrie would have moved.  She had basically said that she was enjoying Aleks as her boyfriend while she could or while he was still there.  She made a serious decision after feeling as though there were not many options for women after a certain age.  That's when she realized that while her friends were growing and changing, she wasn't.  Instead of focusing on what SHE wanted and maybe trying to alter the focus of her column or starting a new writing venture, she took the easy way out and chose to let the man she was with take care of her and pay her way.  In that regard, Miranda was absolutely correct.  Carrie made a rash decision and was gone within a couple of weeks, leaving everything behind.  It wasn't smart.  Instead of having Carrie realize that, the show turned Aleks into a jerk, had him "hit" Carrie and Big rush in.  Disappointing. 

 

3 hours ago, Melancholy said:

Yes. The ironic thing is that Carrie has something very few people have- her whole job is for Carrie to analyze how she lives her life. That's very rare. Most people go work a job that has nothing to do with their personal life and they're supposed to think about their personal goals or evaluate their behavior on their own time. That was the case with Carrie's friends. 

However, her self-ruminating and "I couldn't help but wonder..." could be interesting and insightful (I give Carrie that- it's not perfect writing but it's interesting and pleasant to listen to) but it didn't help Carrie grow. I do think that even though her column promises a no holds barred sexy chronology, Carrie does edit the take-sways from life so she seems like more of a heroine to her readership. 

Oh, I agree!  I would have loved a job like that.  Write about your life, no set hours, part of your job being going out to lunch with your friends and going out at night.  Of course Carrie mostly seemed to write about her small circle of friends.  I get it, it's a 30 minute show, etc. but it was kind of interesting in the first season where she would ask random people for their opinions. 

Carrie, I think, was incredibly blind when it came to her own flaws and faults. A prime example is telling Aidan that he had to forgive her.  No, actually, he didn't.  He didn't cheat, she did.  She was the one at fault and yet it almost came off as if Aidan was at fault if he didn't forgive her and take her back.  Natasha could have been a horrible person (which she clearly wasn't) but that still wouldn't have justified what Carrie was doing.  I also thought it was interesting that while Sam, Miranda and Charlotte took it very easy on Carrie when the Big affair came out, they seemed much more blunt and opinionated when Steve cheated on Miranda.  They all encouraged her to make up with Steve and thought it was a mistake for Miranda to leave him.  Did they feel the same way when Aidan forgave Carrie and took her, the cheater, back?  By comparison, look at how angry Charlotte was over Big's leaving the wedding and then returning.  She was far angrier at that than she was at the infidelity. But I digress.

Carrie was incredibly self-centered but not self-aware. For that reason alone, she would never be a friend.  Maybe someone that you chatted with at parties or went to clubs with but absolutely not someone you'd call a close friend.

[Melancholy]

I actually just rewatched the specific scene where Carrie brow-beats Charlotte about the money on YouTube. I forgot that Carrie started out with "Why didn't you offer to loan me the money? YOU KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN IT!!" But then, of course, Carrie takes Charlotte's money when Charlotte offers. What a bullshit artist! It's also infuriating when Charlotte is trying to explain herself with her dad and his friend losing their friendship over money-lending and Carrie interrupts Charlotte just as she's getting the story out with, "WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR FATHER AND HIS FRIEND PAUL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FRIEND ME!!!" Clearly, Charlotte had her own observed-experience about a friendship that soured horribly over money-lending but apparently, Charlotte isn't entitled to her feelings as much she's not entitled to her money or how she copes with a divorce in the privacy of her own home. I remembered Carrie as a horrible in that scene, but I under-remembered exactly how horrific she behaved. 

My head-canon is that Carrie didn't pay Charlotte back. But Charlotte just swallowed the loss because she was rich enough to do so (especially after meeting Harry) and because she didn't want to be bullied out of her only friend group. 

Edited July 8, 2017 by Melancholy

[andromeda331]

4 hours ago, Melancholy said:

I actually just rewatched the specific scene where Carrie brow-beats Charlotte about the money on YouTube. I forgot that Carrie started out with "Why didn't you offer to loan me the money? YOU KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN IT!!" But then, of course, Carrie takes Charlotte's money when Charlotte offers. What a bullshit artist! It's also infuriating when Charlotte is trying to explain herself with her dad and his friend losing their friendship over money-lending and Carrie interrupts Charlotte just as she's getting the story out with, "WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR FATHER AND HIS FRIEND PAUL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FRIEND ME!!!" Clearly, Charlotte had her own observed-experience about a friendship that soured horribly over money-lending but apparently, Charlotte isn't entitled to her feelings as much she's not entitled to her money or how she copes with a divorce in the privacy of her own home. I remembered Carrie as a horrible in that scene, but I under-remembered exactly how horrific she behaved. 

My head-canon is that Carrie didn't pay Charlotte back. But Charlotte just swallowed the loss because she was rich enough to do so (especially after meeting Harry) and because she didn't want to be bullied out of her only friend group. 

Carrie was awful in that scene. Charlotte tries to explain why she didn't and of course Carrie doesn't care. Carrie doesn't care about anyone's reasons except her own. Charlotte had a vaild reason for not loaning her money and its one a lot of people have. They have seen friendships end over money. Honestly, so have I. Yes, they were ones you never thought would end. Best friends since childhood, always there for each other but once money became involved it was over. Are we suppose to be sympathetic to Carrie? She's a grown ass woman in her thirties who blew forty thousand on shoes. It wasn't like she lost her job or needed money until her next paycheck came in or something. Why should Charlotte bail her out? Why should anyone bail her out? It was her own fault.  Why not Carrie bail herself out and maybe learn something from it? But instead of course Charlotte folds and loans her the money. I wouldn't be surprise if Carrie never paid her back either.  I can't really imagine having a scene like that with a friend and remaining friends with them. At least not speaking to her until she apologized.

[bethster2000]

6 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Are we suppose to be sympathetic to Carrie?

I'm incredibly sympathetic to Carrie when she goes to Big about her financial crisis.  I think it is a great scene.  Big sees how scared and humiliated Carrie is, and he is in a position to help her, and he does.  I always think it is absolute bullshit that Carrie didn't take the money from Big.  Of all of those within Carrie's circle, taking the loan from Big makes sense.  I love when CN says, "you're worth a million bucks, Bradshaw."  It was such a kind, caring moment.  Big was truly a friend to her, and she needed to hear that.

[Melancholy]

12 hours ago, bethster2000 said:

I'm incredibly sympathetic to Carrie when she goes to Big about her financial crisis.  I think it is a great scene.  Big sees how scared and humiliated Carrie is, and he is in a position to help her, and he does.  I always think it is absolute bullshit that Carrie didn't take the money from Big.  Of all of those within Carrie's circle, taking the loan from Big makes sense.  I love when CN says, "you're worth a million bucks, Bradshaw."  It was such a kind, caring moment.  Big was truly a friend to her, and she needed to hear that.

That was a great scene. For my part, I was already judging the hell out of Carrie for getting no savings or property out of her cush job because she spent lavishly and irresponsibly on clothes and restaurants and drinks. But, I wouldn't have judged her for taking money from Big after he freely offered it. They didn't have a relationship beyond distant used-to-be's who cared for each other so I thought Miranda's "You can't let the guy have all of the power in the relationship" was silly. Big's so rich that he wouldn't have felt the gift- as opposed to Miranda or Samantha who could afford it but would feel the loss. Looking at it from a cynical perspective, it was almost like there was a resistance to letting Big rescue Carrie here because then Carrie couldn't easily make him the bad guy or the irresistible flame even though he's the bad guy and those were the roles that Carrie desperately needed Big to embody for her own self-esteem. It was important for Carrie believe that she was the kind, generous, caring one in the relationship and she just gave, and gave to Big with nothing in return. For Big to surmount that, he was supposed to marry Carrie in which case she wouldn't have these financial dilemmas. Letting Big bail her out of this one thing and then, they just continue to go about their separate lives would be letting Big off cheap in Carrie's head. 

Edited July 9, 2017 by Melancholy

[psychoticstate]

On 7/8/2017 at 5:57 PM, bethster2000 said:

I'm incredibly sympathetic to Carrie when she goes to Big about her financial crisis.  I think it is a great scene.  Big sees how scared and humiliated Carrie is, and he is in a position to help her, and he does.  I always think it is absolute bullshit that Carrie didn't take the money from Big.  Of all of those within Carrie's circle, taking the loan from Big makes sense.  I love when CN says, "you're worth a million bucks, Bradshaw."  It was such a kind, caring moment.  Big was truly a friend to her, and she needed to hear that.

 

On 7/9/2017 at 6:12 AM, Melancholy said:

That was a great scene. For my part, I was already judging the hell out of Carrie for getting no savings or property out of her cush job because she spent lavishly and irresponsibly on clothes and restaurants and drinks. But, I wouldn't have judged her for taking money from Big after he freely offered it. They didn't have a relationship beyond distant used-to-be's who cared for each other so I thought Miranda's "You can't let the guy have all of the power in the relationship" was silly. Big's so rich that he wouldn't have felt the gift- as opposed to Miranda or Samantha who could afford it but would feel the loss. Looking at it from a cynical perspective, it was almost like there was a resistance to letting Big rescue Carrie here because then Carrie couldn't easily make him the bad guy or the irresistible flame even though he's the bad guy and those were the roles that Carrie desperately needed Big to embody for her own self-esteem. It was important for Carrie believe that she was the kind, generous, caring one in the relationship and she just gave, and gave to Big with nothing in return. For Big to surmount that, he was supposed to marry Carrie in which case she wouldn't have these financial dilemmas. Letting Big bail her out of this one thing and then, they just continue to go about their separate lives would be letting Big off cheap in Carrie's head. 

I agree.  It was a great scene.  

I didn't understand Miranda's concern at that time either.  If they were dating or if Big was going to try and use that gift against Carrie, then sure.  But they weren't dating, they weren't doing anything.  I'm surprised that no one suggested to take the gift and consider it a justified payment of sort for what Carrie went through with Big (because it was never Carrie's fault.) 

Miranda was always suspicious of Big - - she was the one that Big had to convince in the last episodes that he was sincere and should go to Paris to get Carrie - - but her admonishment to Carrie in this episode really makes zero sense.

It seems that the girls all treated Carrie as if she were an irresponsible child.  While I'm sure that Samantha and Miranda made quite a bit more than she did, they obviously put money away into savings.  Carrie clearly did not.  Why didn't one of them say "why weren't you thinking of your future?"  After all, it seems that even if Carrie had not chosen to quit her job and go to Paris, that column had a shelf life.  How many articles about sex could she possibly write?  But since it's Carrie, no one is allowed to seriously criticize her or her choices that lead her to need financial help from them. 

I despise how Carrie talked to and treated Charlotte.  It reminds me of the episode in the sixth season where Charlotte is considering helping out with the blind and Carrie leaves her in Barney's to talk to "the Russian" on the phone and Charlotte eventually finds her trying on shoes.  I would be pissed if I were Charlotte; obviously, Carrie didn't look for her too hard because SHOES.  And she's back to buying her designer shoes, so she didn't learn a thing after the apartment issue. 

Speaking of, in a roundabout way, I also hated how Carrie had "the Russian" on her phone instead of Alek's name.  It was one thing for Samantha to put "Dick" on her phone for Richard because 1) it's Samantha and 2) Richard had already been a douche to her and she was trying to prove she didn't have an emotional connection to him.  But Carrie was trying to feel like Alek was her boyfriend.  It's like her comment about taking a "lovah."  She's trying to be cute and fun and it's annoying and over the top.  Blech.  

[Melancholy]

To just pile on to Carrie in That Episode, it was ridiculous that she assumed Aiden wasn't going to serve her with papers to buy or evict. If Aiden doesn't do that, he'd be keeping Carrie after they broke up. Carrie had a ridiculous shocked, offended affect but Samantha was almost uncharacteristic to say it was "tacky" like Samantha would go about her life differently. As #psychoticstate says above, they treat her like a child. I did appreciate Miranda insisting that Aiden was being reasonable and giving Carrie sufficient time to decide. I disagree that Carrie shouldn't have taken money from Big- but Miranda is consistent in her issues with men taking care of women unless they've devised a way to naturally cohabitate and removed any icky power imbalances. Carrie, on the other hand, is all Id with no consistent worldview so she just expected Aiden to doormat but Carrie considers every Big-choice fraught and filled with drama and carefully considers her role and pose in this Great Love Story. 

And then when Carrie was defending her financial irresponsiblity with "I'll just rent. New York is a city of renters", she should not have been so shocked that Miranda and Samantha own their homes. I mean, has she been paying attention at all to their non-sex conversations about Miranda being angry that she had to check single-woman boxes as she bought or Samantha gentrifying the meat packing district and giving up a rent controlled UES apartment. And yeah, maybe Charlotte was being a little silly to count herself an owner as well before the divorce finalized. However, it's ugly when Carrie deals with being caught out as the only one of her friends to have accumulated no property and her "All New Yorkers..." aphorisms as wrong (even though "All New Yorkers..." aphorisms are her stock in trade) to snap at Charlotte that she got her apartment from Trey. .....ESPECIALLY, since the very conversation opened with Carrie shocked and offended that Aiden wasn't going to just let her live there after she didn't want to marry him. 

Speaking of Carrie's job security, I did kind of like Carrie when she was afraid of losing her job in the post 9/11 economy. "People with REAL jobs are getting laid off. This is not a good economy in which to be...whipped cream."

Edited July 10, 2017 by Melancholy

[BBHN]

That scene of Carrie confronting Charlotte over not offering to lend her money...ugh. I was on Charlotte's side all the way through. Yes, it would have been nice to offer, but Charlotte had no obligation to offer. And yes, Charlotte didn't "earn" the apartment the way Samantha and Miranda did, but she did earn it. Shit, she had Bunny as a MIL, that was enough. I think Carrie was just pissed that Charlotte walked away from her relationship with a home and Carrie didn't.

And Carrie in Paris...at her most lazy, self-centered, and needy. I get that she is a foreign country and doesn't speak the language, but Carrie, you moved to Paris, not Timbuktu. If you're that bored and lonely, then do something about it. Take French classes so you learn the language and possibly meet some new people in those classes. Register with your embassy and see if they can hook you up with any English-speaking expats groups (not necessarily American). Ask the embassy of they have any cultural or social events open to American citizens that you can attend and possibly make new friends at. Anything but sit and whine and expect the world to chase after you. But, this is Carrie, she needs the validation of people chasing after her to tell her how fabulous she is. No wonder she almost had an orgasm when she met those people who were fans of her book; they fed her ego. Carrie talked about how Big was her drug, but honestly, her most potent craving was having her fabulousness validated by those around her. Remember how disappointed and shocked she was in the modeling episode in season 4, when she found out she wasn't lumped in with the models, but with the non-models instead? Good grief.

[DkNNy79]

26 minutes ago, BBHN said:

That scene of Carrie confronting Charlotte over not offering to lend her money...ugh. I was on Charlotte's side all the way through. Yes, it would have been nice to offer, but Charlotte had no obligation to offer. And yes, Charlotte didn't "earn" the apartment the way Samantha and Miranda did, but she did earn it. Shit, she had Bunny as a MIL, that was enough. I think Carrie was just pissed that Charlotte walked away from her relationship with a home and Carrie didn't.

Agree.  Also, it really doesn't matter if Charlotte "earned" that apartment or not.  It was her apartment, to do as she pleased and no one had the right to shame Charlotte about how she obtained that apt.

[Melancholy]

I found Trey sympathetic and Charlotte made huge mistakes in that relationship, stupid and outright craven and selfish. But basically, Charlotte really loved him and worked very hard to have a forever marriage with him. She made life choices in reliance of having his kids and being his helpmeet like quitting her job. Now, Trey never asked Charlotte to do that. Frankly, Charlotte *was* silly to do that until she had a kid and I say Miranda was actually right all along even though Charlotte had the last "I choose my choice!" line before Miranda's back gave out because Charlotte's life was empty from when she quit the gallery to when she got Lily. But Charlotte was acting according to the McDougal ways. And Charlotte made it clear that she wanted to live in that apartment happily ever after with Trey and she was willing to work for it but her physical handicaps, Trey's mental handicaps, and McDougal dysfunctions were too much. I wouldn't say she was entitled to the apartment but I get Trey thinking that he should at least give Charlotte the house even if he wouldn't be there to make it a home. I didn't care for Charlotte's "I earned that apartment" tone but I give her a pass that she was being defensive since she didn't demand the apartment until Trey promised it to her. 

But there were none of those grey areas with Carrie. Yes, she didn't move when she found out the building was going co-op but I don't believe she missed fabulous rental abilities in less than a year because Aiden convinced her to stay. But I believe Charlotte permanently damaged her career by quitting the gallery and damaged her high-flying marriage prospects by having a divorce under her belt. But most importantly, it's not like Carrie wanted to make this a home with Aiden and tried to do so but bad luck and unfortunate circumstances intervened. Carrie just didn't want a long term, committed future with Aiden. Why should she even get a property-consolation prize? Actually, Carrie did enrich herself off Aiden as it is because Aiden invested time and professional labor in expanding and renovating the apartment on the assumption they'd live there together but then, he had to move out but still only charged Carrie his original purchase price. Which Miranda noted when she defended the eviction as reasonable. 

[DkNNy79]

Charlotte's marriage to Trey was a disaster.  She was so obsessed with marriage.  She is one of those women who need a man in their life and see themselves as a failure if they're not married with 2.4 kids and a white picket fence.  I totally agreed with all the other girls and didn't understand why she would willingly gave up her hard earned career to become a mom, when she wasn't a mom yet.  Trey didn't ask her to.  She was just jumping the gun way too fast. 

[Melancholy]

Charlotte made a lot of mistakes. Getting married too fast. Not having sex with Trey before marriage and making sure that part works. Being passive about her desires until she explodes cruelly. (Even though her "AND NOW THE PENIS WANTS TO BE MEASURED!" rant is in my top 3 funniest scenes of this show.) Quitting her job. Not easing up on the baby issue for at least half a year to a year after it was breaking the marriage apart. Broaching adoption only with bull-headed insistence instead of charm and persuasiveness. 

But still, Charlotte made big mistakes in building a home with Trey but she genuinely wanted it and tried for it, at a cost to herself. Carrie never really wanted to commit to Aiden long term and she certainly didn't work to build a home for them. 

[psychoticstate]

Yes, Carrie seemed absolutely miffed that Aidan was going to sell her apartment, whether it be to her or anyone else.  It's like she never considered that Aidan couldn't possibly afford to keep the apartments (because, remember, he purchased her neighbor's apartment as well and were going to combine the two) and then go away, move somewhere else.  And again, the other ladies treated Carrie as if she were a small child who couldn't possibly understand the ways of the world. 

What makes me so angry about this entire thing is that not long before that, she had come crawling back to Aidan, begging him to take her back.  He wasn't right for Carrie but he was obviously a good man.  He worked hard, he cooked and he built stuff.  He was also faithful.  Not so bad!  Carrie decides to tell him she's been cheating as they are walking out the door to go to her friend's wedding, FFS, and after he's built Charlotte and Trey a gift.  God, Carrie had an amazing ability for poor timing.

For Carrie, or anyone else, to say or feel that Charlotte didn't "earn" her apartment is gross.  She may not have bought it but you can't put a dollar amount on the emotional suffering a divorce brings.  For Charlotte, who pinned all her hopes on a happy marriage, it must have been doubly painful. 

I also thought it was terrible for Carrie to shame Charlotte for walking through HER apartment wearing HER ring.  If that's what Charlotte needed to do in order to come to terms with her divorce, so be it.   After all, how long would Carrie tote around that stupid Post-It from Berger?  

That leads me into two points.  I watched the final season in its entirety over the last week.   In the Post It episode, what kind of a special idiot is Carrie when she's busted for smoking pot?  Not only can you see the flashing light of the cop car but you also hear the "whoop whoop" of the siren.  And yet she turns around, while taking a toke?  Seriously?  She deserves to go to jail for that level of stupidity.

And in the Paris episodes, she calls Miranda and tells her that she's been to every museum like twice.  After that, in another scene or in a VO, she says that it had been two weeks since she arrived.  So when she spoke to Miranda, it hadn't even been two weeks yet and we're supposed to believe that not only had she gone to every museum in Paris twice but she had also seen everything there was to see in Paris and the surrounding area in less than two weeks?  Paris should be infuriated by that suggestion. 

Even if Aleks wasn't prepping for the show, what was she going to do all day?  After all, she could do everything worth doing in Paris in less than two weeks.  He was paying her mortgage (did Miranda scream about THAT?) and yet she could go out shopping and spend enough that she quipped that she wouldn't be able to use that particular credit card for a long while.  

Like so many episodes, the Paris ones did not make Carrie look good at all.  She seemed incapable of doing anything unless Aleks was with her and/or showing her attention.  She was a writer and yet left her laptop behind (as Charlotte noticed it on her bed.)  Even if you weren't going to write (which seems bizarre for someone who claims to be a writer), wouldn't you want it at least to email with your friends back home?   And she said that she had no way to contact anyone at her "party," but she knew what restaurant to go to.  Why didn't she call the restaurant, or have Aleks call, and tell them that she would be late?  I get that it's all done to make Carrie seem isolated, unhappy and victim-like but . . . gah!  

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 7/6/2017 at 2:17 PM, psychoticstate said:

Wanted to go back quickly on the big debate over Charlotte's engagement ring and Carrie buying her apartment.  I agree wholeheartedly with those who said that neither Miranda nor Samantha should have offered Carrie a loan in front of anyone other than Carrie. That should have been private and between the two of them.  I think it was a mistake for Carrie to tear up Big's check. If he was offering the money, with no strings attached, she should have taken it. Especially since she didn't have many other options and was financially irresponsible.   Furthermore, I hated that the loan from Charlotte was never mentioned again.  In the episode where Smith has his play and Carrie gets her advance from her book sale in France, before she gets the check she's already shopping at Prada.  She even buys Berger a shirt.  No mention is made of paying Charlotte back or making a payment to her.  Would Carrie have been able to pay her off by then?  Doubtful, especially given that around that time was when she went to the baby shower at Tatum O'Neal's and her $480 Blahniks were lifted.  

You are in my head!!  That whole loaning of money issue was just....ick.  Not because it involved a touchy subject but because Carrie was such an ass!!!  I remember when that episode first aired and I yelled at the TV:  TAKE THE MONEY FROM BIG!!   Carries was SO RUDE to Charlotte - she can wear that ring on her finger, around her neck, tied to a bow on her head....that was HER RING!  Charlotte was a such a good friend....too good a friend.

 

1 hour ago, psychoticstate said:

What makes me so angry about this entire thing is that not long before that, she had come crawling back to Aidan, begging him to take her back.  He wasn't right for Carrie but he was obviously a good man.  He worked hard, he cooked and he built stuff.  He was also faithful.  Not so bad!  Carrie decides to tell him she's been cheating as they are walking out the door to go to her friend's wedding, FFS, and after he's built Charlotte and Trey a gift.  

Yep - on the WAY OUT THE DOOR!!!  I mean, you can't wait a few days?  Bonehead move there Carrie but Carrie was full of bonehead moves.

[Melancholy]

19 hours ago, psychoticstate said:

Like so many episodes, the Paris ones did not make Carrie look good at all.  She seemed incapable of doing anything unless Aleks was with her and/or showing her attention.  She was a writer and yet left her laptop behind (as Charlotte noticed it on her bed.)  Even if you weren't going to write (which seems bizarre for someone who claims to be a writer), wouldn't you want it at least to email with your friends back home?   And she said that she had no way to contact anyone at her "party," but she knew what restaurant to go to.  Why didn't she call the restaurant, or have Aleks call, and tell them that she would be late?  I get that it's all done to make Carrie seem isolated, unhappy and victim-like but . . . gah!  

The Paris eps are so weird. Because on the final yardline of the series, Carrie made a huge life mistake. That's canon. And, imo, its authorial intent. Her friends all knew it was a bad idea. Miranda warned Carrie that she'd be unhappy if she left everything in New York of her individual life (job, friends) for a man. And loandbehold, that's what happened. Carrie rebuts so self-righteously to Miranda that she has to go to Paris to live her life, but it ends up being an empty one. 

Thats really gutsy. But it's like even though Carrie made an authorially intended mistake, the series implies that Carrie didn't know the bad side of Alex and she wasn't warned (even though her friends saw this coming) and that Carrie can't even be blamed for her error in judgment because she already found her "soulmate" in Big so any mistakes that Carrie makes in her love life with other partners post-meeting-Big aren't her fault because she wouldn't be making the mistakes if fucking Mr. Soulmate just committed already. I feel like the latter really encompasses how the narrative treats Carrie. It's interesting to compare with Miranda/Steve- the other endgame romance  where the love interest arrived early in the series. I can see similar values but with Miranda in the Big role. The series doesn't give Miranda a viable alternative to Steve and actually gives her the worst guys until she gets with Robert whose ostensible excellence is used to deliver a "Perfect isn't soulmate. Miranda + Steve 4evah" message. 

Its also bizarre that Carrie had this "I will survive!" Barnburner of a speech when Big tried getting back together with her in NY in the penultimate episode. "Do you have some kind of radar that says Carrie is happy and it's time to shit all over it?!" "You and I, NOTHING!!!" However, we are supposed to believe Big proved himself to Carrie because this multi-millionaire international man of mystery bought an airline ticket to ask for the same thing in Paris two weeks later. 

So. Weird. You know, if they had some The Graduate style ambiguity overlying the happily ever after Carrie/Big ending so the audience was instructed to debate whether they'd truly live happily ever after or just circle around each other in glamorous melodramatic ways, this ending could have been brilliant. 

Edited July 11, 2017 by Melancholy

[psychoticstate]

21 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

You are in my head!!  That whole loaning of money issue was just....ick.  Not because it involved a touchy subject but because Carrie was such an ass!!!  I remember when that episode first aired and I yelled at the TV:  TAKE THE MONEY FROM BIG!!   Carries was SO RUDE to Charlotte - she can wear that ring on her finger, around her neck, tied to a bow on her head....that was HER RING!  Charlotte was a such a good friend....too good a friend.

 

Yep - on the WAY OUT THE DOOR!!!  I mean, you can't wait a few days?  Bonehead move there Carrie but Carrie was full of bonehead moves.

Carrie never considered how her actions and timing might affect others.

This was the first time that she hijacked an event from Charlotte.  This was to a lesser degree but she showed up to the wedding late and was teary because of Aidan.  When Charlotte and Harry got engaged, Carrie totally hijacked Charlotte's news to cry about the Berger Post It. 

Why the other ladies didn't regularly go off at her for her selfishness is beyond me.

 

3 hours ago, Melancholy said:

The Paris eps are so weird. Because on the final yardline of the series, Carrie made a huge life mistake. That's canon. And, imo, its authorial intent. Her friends all knew it was a bad idea. Miranda warned Carrie that she'd be unhappy if she left everything in New York of her individual life (job, friends) for a man. And loandbehold, that's what happened. Carrie rebuts so self-righteously to Miranda that she has to go to Paris to live her life, but it ends up being an empty one. 

Thats really gutsy. But it's like even though Carrie made an authorially intended mistake, the series implies that Carrie didn't know the bad side of Alex and she wasn't warned (even though her friends saw this coming) and that Carrie can't even be blamed for her error in judgment because she already found her "soulmate" in Big so any mistakes that Carrie makes in her love life with other partners post-meeting-Big aren't her fault because she wouldn't be making the mistakes if fucking Mr. Soulmate just committed already. I feel like the latter really encompasses how the narrative treats Carrie. It's interesting to compare with Miranda/Steve- the other endgame romance  where the love interest arrived early in the series. I can see similar values but with Miranda in the Big role. The series doesn't give Miranda a viable alternative to Steve and actually gives her the worst guys until she gets with Robert whose ostensible excellence is used to deliver a "Perfect isn't soulmate. Miranda + Steve 4evah" message. 

Its also bizarre that Carrie had this "I will survive!" Barnburner of a speech when Big tried getting back together with her in NY in the penultimate episode. "Do you have some kind of radar that says Carrie is happy and it's time to shit all over it?!" "You and I, NOTHING!!!" However, we are supposed to believe Big proved himself to Carrie because this multi-millionaire international man of mystery bought an airline ticket to ask for the same thing in Paris two weeks later. 

So. Weird. You know, if they had some The Graduate style ambiguity overlying the happily ever after Carrie/Big ending so the audience was instructed to debate whether they'd truly live happily ever after or just circle around each other in glamorous melodramatic ways, this ending could have been brilliant. 

I think if the writers had Carrie less confrontational and antagonistic when Big made his declaration in New York, it would have made more sense.  When we last saw Big, it was when he had the heart surgery and while Carrie was disappointed over his emotionally opening up and then closing again, she didn't seem bitter about it and they didn't seem to part in a bad way.  She seemed to just accept that's how Big was.  Fast forward to the last two episodes and Carrie is ready to take his head off.  

I think the scene should have been written to have Carrie more sad about the timing of Big's statement; maybe tell him that she might feel the same way but she was seeing someone else and had already made plans to go with him to Paris.  

She does mention Big to Miranda (in the same phone call where she bemoans that she's done everything there is to do in Paris in under two weeks - - THAT should be her new column, frankly) but in the context of her shouting and anger toward him in their last NY meeting, it makes very little sense.  She's thinking about how Paris would be with Big.  Why?  Why would she, when she told him she believes that he shows up to shit all over her happiness?  Maybe it would have been better for her to have a conversation with Charlotte - - the eternal romantic - - and to tell Charlotte that she found herself thinking about Big.  And not just how Paris would be if he were there but thinking about what he said to her the night she left. 

If there had been more subtext to all this, his sweeping her off her feet in Paris would make a heck of a lot more sense.   Heck, for all he and we know, Carrie is simply homesick and realized she's made a huge mistake.  If Berger had shown up, she might very well have run into his arms too, just to go back home and have a man to catch her fall.  Obviously, we know this isn't the case with Carrie and Big but the show could have done a better job in setting it all up.

In fact, maybe Big's surgery should have been after she was already with Aleks.  Big's emotional shutting down could have propelled her to accept Aleks' offer to go to Paris, rather than waiting around for a commitment from Big that may or may not happen.  Maybe Carrie sees things in Paris that are little signs that remind her of Big - - a bunch of red balloons, "Moon River," etc. Let Big make his pronouncement in person, in Paris.  Scratch the NY one, where Carrie goes ballistic.   Then it makes a lot more sense that she'd be thinking of Big while in Paris and would be swept off her feet when he flew to Paris to tell her she's the one. 

Ah well, we can dream.

[Melancholy]

That's a very good point that there should have been romantic hints like Moon River or red balloons, specific to Big. The show gets mileage that Carrie was always obsessed with Big but the actual ending itself is like Carrie was just looking for any guy to rescue her out of her bad choice leaving everything so *Alex* would rescue her from her existential problems. So, she settled on the guy she yelled to forget she exists two weeks before. 

The West Wing aired its seventh season around this time. Similarly, I didn't like how Donna Moss yelled at Josh Lyman for handicapping her career and keeping her in indentured servitude for stuff like knowing how to order his hamburgers- but then, without any resolution of that, they got together because it was the last season and they were the It Will They, Won't They couple. IMO, both shows wanted their put-upon girl to chew out the guy in a way that impresses on the audience that she's strong now and she's let the guy know in no uncertain terms that she won't put up with crap. They didn't want the girl to pull back from or move away from her speech because it dilutes the power. However, The It Couple still had to get together at the end. So they just had the guy commit in a way that feels more real and they ended in love. It's sloppy in both instances. THe West Wing did it better, though, because there was a lot more time between when Donna chewed Josh out and when they got together, Donna actually did become stronger in other ways and could deliver this message that she won't take shit while Carrie was particularly weak at the end of the show, and Donna earning a high status position in the campaign and with the First Lady is a solid albeit limited solution to any "Donna loves Josh but doesn't trust him with her career" because he was no longer in charge of her career. With Carrie, I didn't see anything to truly change Carrie's two-weeks-ago mind that Big swoops in with phony promises and shits all over her life. 

[katha]

I thought it was interesting that the first movie kinda backed out of the fairytale aspect of it a bit, though. Which was one element I liked about it. It was acknowledged that both Carrie and Big had a lot of baggage and their relationship wasn't always the healthiest, which resulted in overdramatic wedding dramz, sure, but it felt vaguely true to the characters. So, when they got together at the end, I personally thought it felt a bit more "earned" than after the sixth season. At least both of them put in a bit of thinking about why that mess happened, how they feel about it all, how they are both responsible etc.

They had these overly handy solutions for her problems in this aspect sometimes, but I liked that the show at least somewhat acknowledged that Carrie was in a profession with little job security (which got worse as time went on) and that she couldn't handle money. And flighty behaviour that might have been cute in her twenties, wasn't cute anymore a few years later with everyone around her settling down. And IMO SJP played the growing anxiety and nervousness of the character well, how adrift she became and how she didn't quite know how to plan for her future. But was aware that she needed to do something.

[DkNNy79]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 7:16 PM, psychoticstate said:

What makes me so angry about this entire thing is that not long before that, she had come crawling back to Aidan, begging him to take her back.  He wasn't right for Carrie but he was obviously a good man.  He worked hard, he cooked and he built stuff.  He was also faithful.  Not so bad!  Carrie decides to tell him she's been cheating as they are walking out the door to go to her friend's wedding, FFS, and after he's built Charlotte and Trey a gift.  God, Carrie had an amazing ability for poor timing.

 

Plus he was cute!  Aidan was my dream man and I just hated the way Carrie treated him.  He always treated Carrie and her friends well even after she cheated on him.  He was stupid to take her back.

[Sun-Bun]

2 hours ago, DkNNy79 said:

Plus he was cute!  Aidan was my dream man and I just hated the way Carrie treated him.  He always treated Carrie and her friends well even after she cheated on him.  He was stupid to take her back.

He wasn't exactly my dream dude, but he was way too sweet and down to earth for her. I especially thought it was so unfair when she got all mad at him for eating that bucket of KFC and just wanting to chill at home. Big deal if he just wanted to spend one night at home binging on chicken, sheesh!!

[Qoass]

Remember when Enid told Carrie that her pool of appropriate men had shrunk and asked Carrie why she was wading in that pool? I felt the same way about 5'3' Carrie dating 6'5" Aiden. Leave him to the tall women!

[Inquisitionist]

2 hours ago, Qoass said:

Remember when Enid told Carrie that her pool of appropriate men had shrunk and asked Carrie why she was wading in that pool? I felt the same way about 5'3' Carrie dating 6'5" Aiden. Leave him to the tall women!

Ha-ha, love this!  I never understood what Aiden felt he was getting from Carrie.  What on earth did they talk about during those x weeks before they had sex?  I don't agree with this author's premise that Aidan was Carrie's "worst boyfriend" but I think she has a point here:

Quote

The dynamic of Aidan and Carrie's relationship was meant to funhouse-reflect Carrie and Big's: Aidan is in the needy role; Carrie is now in the aloof role. But how perfectly willing Aidan is to settle for this over and over is equally as sad as how willing Carrie was to settle for Big's noncommittal bullshit. For some reason, when women do that, it's seen as unfortunate, crazy, and pathetic, but when men do it, they're "sensitive" or "caring" or "sweet." In actuality, nobody — neither men nor women — should repeatedly let someone use their heart as a place to wipe the dirt off their Manolos. Everyone who takes issue with the unequal relationship between Big and Carrie should have the same issue with Aidan and Carrie, just gender-flipped.

[Melancholy]

Eh, I think there's gender blind reasons on how Carrie treated Aiden worse than Big treated Carrie. Big never cheated on Carrie. Big never invited his ex wives to stay at Carrie's apartment. Big said from the start that he couldn't commit easily and he was aloof from the beginning. Carrie was dishonest in how she accepted him moving in because it was a financial necessity even though she didn't want him around and how she accepted his proposal even though she didn't want to marry him. (Although, Big gets close to that point in the first movie but I actually look more kindly on Big blinking for an half hour than Carrie pulling "wearing the wedding ring as necklace" dishonest shit for months even though the results of Big's actions were more humiliating.)

And, I actually think Sarah Jessica Parker benefits because she is all cute and little. John Corbett isn't a very appealing actor to me and he can come off a hulking doofus. I find Aiden more annoying in the needy role. However, I have to say that Aiden never went to this textual no-no place that Carrie would go as the less secure partner. Stalking Big and his mother at church, deliberately punching Big for rolling on her in his sleep, throwing a burger in anger, leaving a party they attended together and putting themselves in the position where drunken cheating was on the menu. Aiden whined and sulked but he had enough discipline that he wasn't violent or stalking or a cheater. 

[DkNNy79]

6 minutes ago, Melancholy said:

Eh, I think there's gender blind reasons on how Carrie treated Aiden worse than Big treated Carrie. Big never cheated on Carrie. Big never invited his ex wives to stay at Carrie's apartment. Big said from the start that he couldn't commit easily and he was aloof from the beginning. Carrie was dishonest in how she accepted him moving in because it was a financial necessity even though she didn't want him around and how she accepted his proposal even though she didn't want to marry him. (Although, Big gets close to that point in the first movie but I actually look more kindly on Big blinking for an half hour than Carrie pulling "wearing the wedding ring as necklace" dishonest shit for months even though the results of Big's actions were more humiliating.)

And, I actually think Sarah Jessica Parker benefits because she is all cute and little. John Corbett isn't a very appealing actor to me and he can come off a hulking doofus. I find Aiden more annoying in the needy role. However, I have to say that Aiden never went to this textual no-no place that Carrie would go as the less secure partner. Stalking Big and his mother at church, deliberately punching Big for rolling on her in his sleep, throwing a burger in anger, leaving a party they attended together and putting themselves in the position where drunken cheating was on the menu. Aiden whined and sulked but he had enough discipline that he wasn't violent or stalking or a cheater. 

While I disagree with you about John Corbett not being an appealing actor, I whole heartedly agree with you about everything else.  I think Aidan was a little too trusting of Carrie the second time around.  If I was Aidan, the wearing your engagement ring as a necklace should've been a big red flag that Carrie was not serious about wanting to marry him.  He should've cut his losses then.

[andromeda331]

12 hours ago, Melancholy said:

Eh, I think there's gender blind reasons on how Carrie treated Aiden worse than Big treated Carrie. Big never cheated on Carrie. Big never invited his ex wives to stay at Carrie's apartment. Big said from the start that he couldn't commit easily and he was aloof from the beginning. Carrie was dishonest in how she accepted him moving in because it was a financial necessity even though she didn't want him around and how she accepted his proposal even though she didn't want to marry him. (Although, Big gets close to that point in the first movie but I actually look more kindly on Big blinking for an half hour than Carrie pulling "wearing the wedding ring as necklace" dishonest shit for months even though the results of Big's actions were more humiliating.)

And, I actually think Sarah Jessica Parker benefits because she is all cute and little. John Corbett isn't a very appealing actor to me and he can come off a hulking doofus. I find Aiden more annoying in the needy role. However, I have to say that Aiden never went to this textual no-no place that Carrie would go as the less secure partner. Stalking Big and his mother at church, deliberately punching Big for rolling on her in his sleep, throwing a burger in anger, leaving a party they attended together and putting themselves in the position where drunken cheating was on the menu. Aiden whined and sulked but he had enough discipline that he wasn't violent or stalking or a cheater. 

How does Carrie keeps ending up in longer term relationships? She stalked and went off on Big all the time. Aidan she cheated on, then embarrassing chased him to get him back in that one episode, complains about Aidan wanting to stay home, invites Big to stay with them, who wants to put up with that? There's enough red flags for Big and Aidan in both relationships to bolt. 

[JAYJAY1979]

What I don't get is why Carrie never went I to fashion...or at least worked as a personal shopper or buyer for a clothing store.  Her love and passion was for fadhion..and not really about writing.

 

She could have worked at a boutique/department store, or even did a sex/relationship column for Vogue on a free lance basis at the same time.

[Qoass]

Well, apparently, being a columnist means spending your evenings at the hottest restaurants and clubs then going home to have sex followed by a morning of smoking cigarettes while gazing out your window. Occasionally, you break your pose to type something. Who would want to leave that to buy clothes for somebody else?

[Melancholy]

Carrie did say in the second movie that she met Miranda working in Bloomingdales in what I imagine was an entry level job. I think Carrie was very happy with her job. She wasn't a public intellectual writer but I think she loved doing her frothy kind of writing. Naval gazing about her and her friends' relationships, having freedom to write about whatever she wants in a free form column, and punning. It was better suited to her than the organization and math and accountability in taste/sales that come with being a buyer. Even at Vogue, she struggled with following directions to market specific items. Carrie wasn't suited for other types of writing like reporting on actual news and I think she'd flounder in today's more competitive world if she came up when Hannah Abbot did. But she was very suited for her job and enjoyed it. 

Carrie really had a charmed life with no pressure to account to a boss. What kind of writer/columnist goes to a first meeting with an editor without a pad and pen ready to take notes on her edits?

Edited September 22, 2017 by Melancholy

[Dandesun]

Carrie was pretty much always my least favorite but since she was the star of the show I put up with her to get Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. Unfortunately, what was 'putting up with' became absolute loathing. I think the turning point was when Carrie was with Aiden at his cabin and kept freaking the fuck out when she saw a squirrel on the window. It was just... no. I couldn't. I was done with her. Then there's the whole bullshit about spending $40K on her shoes. At the time, I was a person who had impulsed bought more than once but never that much on anything much less that many fucking shoes because I still felt the need to pay for my apartment and eat on occasion. I mean, at that point I honestly felt that Carrie was just too stupid to live.

When she started dating Alexsandr and he kept doing those over the top romantic things like dancing with her in front of the opera house and she kept fainting? And then she'd wake up and whine 'I'm an American. We don't do this!' I was just 'fuck you you fucking twat' and I wasn't even invested in her relationship with the Russian. Plus, I knew the show was ending and she would, of course, end up with Big even though it made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Plus, at the highlight of the 'which SATC character are YOU?' craze when various media seemed to think we all wanted to be Carrie... ugh, I would have been horrified by that. I always figured I was a weird combination of Miranda and Charlotte... even though I really wanted to be Samantha.

[msani19]

@DANDESUN you're entire post cracked me up. I have SO many thoughts, but I'll spare everyone my intense, INTENSE, ranting about a TV character! lol. I'll just say Carrie was, is, and will always be the worst!

[andromeda331]

On ‎10‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 8:06 PM, msani19 said:

@DANDESUN you're entire post cracked me up. I have SO many thoughts, but I'll spare everyone my intense, INTENSE, ranting about a TV character! lol. I'll just say Carrie was, is, and will always be the worst!

It is very, very easy to rant when it comes to Carrie. She's the worst.

[NutMeg]

Are you all getting sent to the first post of the thread or is it just me? (Sorry for the OT post: when I know I have one hour for browsing, and then 20 min are lost navigating posts I've already read, I'm not amused...)  

[Inquisitionist]

14 minutes ago, NutMeg said:

Are you all getting sent to the first post of the thread or is it just me? (Sorry for the OT post: when I know I have one hour for browsing, and then 20 min are lost navigating posts I've already read, I'm not amused...)  

That happened to me yesterday.

[msani19]

Me too

[NutMeg]

8 minutes ago, Inquisitionist said:

That happened to me yesterday.

Thank you - now I know that there must have been a reset of sort (annoying beasts, these resets :( instead of a problem on my side). Thanks again for answering, luckily the thread is not hundreds of page deep, so we should be able to find quickly where we were before the glitch.

Good luck to you :)

[PrincessPurrsALot]

When in doubt, please post in Bugs.  Thanks!

[psychoticstate]

I'm at home on bed rest and have been watching old epis of SATC.  I'm not sure which has bugged me more  - Carrie's clothing beginning  in season 3 or her God awful attitude.

Starting with clothing . . . once she got with Aidan, her sense of "style" went completely insane.  The night she started the affair with Big, when she left Aidan sanding her floors, WTF was she wearing?  It looked like a leotard bottom.  Who would wear that in public?  Besides Carrie anyhow . . .  After she met Big for lunch by the river and the two fell in, she returned to her apartment in what looked to be one of his oversized shirts that was belted.  And that's it.  Seriously?  Like Big wouldn't have a pair of shorts or sweatpants she could pinch for the ride home?  

How on earth did Carrie keep getting boyfriends?  She was selfish, pretty unambitious, had commitment issues and horrid fashion sense. 

I noticed earlier during the episode where Aidan wants to introduce Carrie to his parents, she tells him she's not nervous about meeting parents because parents love her, think she's adorable.  Say what?  Seriously, Carrie . . . can your head get any bigger?  

I like SJP but Carrie is so damn unattractive and unlikable through most of it.

[andromeda331]

1 hour ago, psychoticstate said:

I'm at home on bed rest and have been watching old epis of SATC.  I'm not sure which has bugged me more  - Carrie's clothing beginning  in season 3 or her God awful attitude.

Starting with clothing . . . once she got with Aidan, her sense of "style" went completely insane.  The night she started the affair with Big, when she left Aidan sanding her floors, WTF was she wearing?  It looked like a leotard bottom.  Who would wear that in public?  Besides Carrie anyhow . . .  After she met Big for lunch by the river and the two fell in, she returned to her apartment in what looked to be one of his oversized shirts that was belted.  And that's it.  Seriously?  Like Big wouldn't have a pair of shorts or sweatpants she could pinch for the ride home?  

How on earth did Carrie keep getting boyfriends?  She was selfish, pretty unambitious, had commitment issues and horrid fashion sense. 

I noticed earlier during the episode where Aidan wants to introduce Carrie to his parents, she tells him she's not nervous about meeting parents because parents love her, think she's adorable.  Say what?  Seriously, Carrie . . . can your head get any bigger?  

I like SJP but Carrie is so damn unattractive and unlikable through most of it.

I agree she is really awful.  I can't figure out how she keeps getting boyfriends either. Who would want to put up with Carrie?  

[Quof]

Hinged vagina?   Nah, that can't be it. She was pretty repressed for a sex columnist.

[cpcathy]

Watched bits of the first film on HBO (even though, LOL, I own this movie!), and Carrie is just so horrible. She's basically a child in a woman's body. I noted this throughout the series but could never put my finger on it; she's afraid of nature, doesn't cook, couldn't possibly have written a book while in Paris, just wants things pretty and perfect all the time. She's one of the worst female characters ever written.