I was just watching the SJP episode of Call Her Daddy yesterday and it's so tough to hear her talk about how all she wants for AJLT is for "the work to be good" and I'm just like .... girl ...
Maybe she should watch it then. :) I love her, but I’m baffled that these people who very much know how to make great television seem to have such blind spots.
Wait, I read and loved your book back in 2018! That said, I totally agree- this is such a dark turn for such a monumental, powerful, and historic show. They clearly have no POV or tension points and it's abysmally written... I genuinely can't believe how bad it is.
It’s honestly one of the great mysteries of my life. (But I’m so glad you liked my book!) I guess it’s just the worst version of why reboots can go so wrong.
This week’s episode made me want to throw in the towel and stop watching. I’ve been watching S1 & 2 of SATC and Carrie used to be so fun, her life (outside of her relationship with Big) was very fun, she had so many friends. 60 yo Carrie is so sad, just trapped in that bad “relationship” with Aiden in that sad and empty house. Good to hear she at least moves on and dates someone else.
Yes! I really miss her vibrant career. Like I know she’s writing … whatever this is … but it’s like she’s the shadow of her former self with too much money and time, and that would be interesting if they addressed it, but they don’t!
That one episode in season 1 of SATC where they all go to Connecticut for the baby shower and have the bitchest things to say about all of the married rich women, and look at them now equally as bored and rich as the women they were looking down on smh. What did most of them end up accomplishing besides meeting the same regular milestones these other women did?
I’m still watching, but my husband gave up on it (he hates Carrie). How can these 50-somethings not be more self-aware after all this time? How can a show with this kind of budget not have better writing, plotting and characters? I’m all for the ridiculous fashion (fuck yeah!), but stop trying to make them exist in a vacuum where they haven’t lived for 20 years after the original series.
Awesome article, and you wrote THE BOOK, wow, honoured to read you here, Jennifer.
Thank you! <3 And yes, I do not understand how they seem to have literally not been alive between series. As in, they have gained no wisdom AND they never refer to any of it. (It really bugs me that Big never comes up anymore either …)
Carrie doesn’t seem to grieve or go through periods of sadness- a dear friend of mine lost his partner 5 years ago and he still struggles. Why isn’t Carrie? Also, wouldn’t Big’s death prompt her to mend things with Samantha? Life is short, etc. is a lesson that hits home around this age. Also, where are the aging parents?? Every 50-something I know is dealing with this!
TOTALLY. But we never met the parents in the first place (a weird decision that I think was meant to underscore the fairy tale/chosen family of the original), so now we can't suddenly go there. This is why reboots mostly just shouldn't happen!! This show just does not resemble the lives of any 50-somethings I know.
I had the same question about their parents! My mom is dealing with elder care and none of these women seem to have relationships with their parents. It’s bizarre
"Was this a knowing jab at And Just Like That’s own audience?" I fear the writers are not that self-aware. I cannot understand how writers who seem to be reasonably intelligent and talented people churn out such terrible dialogue and come up with such tepid storylines. Every interesting thread that begs to be pulled on this show is ignored, and it's mind-boggling. (It's kind of a miracle that everything they're doing so far this season with Miranda is working. The Wexleys are reliably great, but I think that's because we didn't know them in SATC so there's no baggage there. They're just gorgeous people having rich-people problems, which is fun to watch.)
Like you, I'm with this show to the bitter end, because SATC was the first show I ever binged on DVD when I started working at the video store in college, and I love Miranda and Charlotte; I tolerate Carrie. (I am one of the very few who always hated Samantha and has never been sad she's gone.)
Yeah, I tend to agree, that there is a lot of evidence of lack of self-awareness here. It’s so confusing because, as you say, we know these are people who should know how to make television. I almost think so many of us are entranced not only because of our affection for the show/characters, but also keep watching because we’re just convinced it’s going to all come together at some point.
I was just watching the SJP episode of Call Her Daddy yesterday and it's so tough to hear her talk about how all she wants for AJLT is for "the work to be good" and I'm just like .... girl ...
Maybe she should watch it then. :) I love her, but I’m baffled that these people who very much know how to make great television seem to have such blind spots.
Wait, I read and loved your book back in 2018! That said, I totally agree- this is such a dark turn for such a monumental, powerful, and historic show. They clearly have no POV or tension points and it's abysmally written... I genuinely can't believe how bad it is.
It’s honestly one of the great mysteries of my life. (But I’m so glad you liked my book!) I guess it’s just the worst version of why reboots can go so wrong.
This week’s episode made me want to throw in the towel and stop watching. I’ve been watching S1 & 2 of SATC and Carrie used to be so fun, her life (outside of her relationship with Big) was very fun, she had so many friends. 60 yo Carrie is so sad, just trapped in that bad “relationship” with Aiden in that sad and empty house. Good to hear she at least moves on and dates someone else.
Yes! I really miss her vibrant career. Like I know she’s writing … whatever this is … but it’s like she’s the shadow of her former self with too much money and time, and that would be interesting if they addressed it, but they don’t!
That one episode in season 1 of SATC where they all go to Connecticut for the baby shower and have the bitchest things to say about all of the married rich women, and look at them now equally as bored and rich as the women they were looking down on smh. What did most of them end up accomplishing besides meeting the same regular milestones these other women did?
such a good point. Always loved that episode, it felt so true to my experience as a child-free New Yorker. :)
This book that she’s writing makes me think her days as a fiction writer are numbered lol. What she’s narrated so far is awful.
I’m still watching, but my husband gave up on it (he hates Carrie). How can these 50-somethings not be more self-aware after all this time? How can a show with this kind of budget not have better writing, plotting and characters? I’m all for the ridiculous fashion (fuck yeah!), but stop trying to make them exist in a vacuum where they haven’t lived for 20 years after the original series.
Awesome article, and you wrote THE BOOK, wow, honoured to read you here, Jennifer.
Thank you! <3 And yes, I do not understand how they seem to have literally not been alive between series. As in, they have gained no wisdom AND they never refer to any of it. (It really bugs me that Big never comes up anymore either …)
Carrie doesn’t seem to grieve or go through periods of sadness- a dear friend of mine lost his partner 5 years ago and he still struggles. Why isn’t Carrie? Also, wouldn’t Big’s death prompt her to mend things with Samantha? Life is short, etc. is a lesson that hits home around this age. Also, where are the aging parents?? Every 50-something I know is dealing with this!
Sorry, touched a nerve there, clearly.😁
TOTALLY. But we never met the parents in the first place (a weird decision that I think was meant to underscore the fairy tale/chosen family of the original), so now we can't suddenly go there. This is why reboots mostly just shouldn't happen!! This show just does not resemble the lives of any 50-somethings I know.
I had the same question about their parents! My mom is dealing with elder care and none of these women seem to have relationships with their parents. It’s bizarre
Right?? I mean, it's escapist fiction, but still - the aging parents are a thing for most of us Gen Xers! Nice to meet you, Swabreen!
At least we saw Harry’s dad at that weird lunch or dinner they had lol.
Nice to meet you Sheila!
"Was this a knowing jab at And Just Like That’s own audience?" I fear the writers are not that self-aware. I cannot understand how writers who seem to be reasonably intelligent and talented people churn out such terrible dialogue and come up with such tepid storylines. Every interesting thread that begs to be pulled on this show is ignored, and it's mind-boggling. (It's kind of a miracle that everything they're doing so far this season with Miranda is working. The Wexleys are reliably great, but I think that's because we didn't know them in SATC so there's no baggage there. They're just gorgeous people having rich-people problems, which is fun to watch.)
Like you, I'm with this show to the bitter end, because SATC was the first show I ever binged on DVD when I started working at the video store in college, and I love Miranda and Charlotte; I tolerate Carrie. (I am one of the very few who always hated Samantha and has never been sad she's gone.)
Yeah, I tend to agree, that there is a lot of evidence of lack of self-awareness here. It’s so confusing because, as you say, we know these are people who should know how to make television. I almost think so many of us are entranced not only because of our affection for the show/characters, but also keep watching because we’re just convinced it’s going to all come together at some point.