Sex and the City

Sex and the City was a TV series centered on a group of 4 women set in the backdrop of New York. The show ran between 1998 and 2004 on HBO. The four main characters are archetypes of various characteristics of women. They include: Charlotte, conservative, sometimes naïve, and set on getting married and attaining a fairy tale relationship; Samantha, a hard-working and career oriented PR exec with a sharp tongue and an unapologetic promiscuous attitude; Miranda, sarcastic, dry, and, at times, a cynical corporate successful lawyer; and finally Carrie, the narrator, and generally free spirited sex columnist. The themes of plot follow questions that Carrie addresses in the beginning of each episode, which correspond with what she is writing for her weekly column, including dealing with independence and the dependence upon men and relationships.

            The show is about women, though it was created, produced, and predominately written by men. The show exudes the importance of the bond of female friendship and the taboo or stigmatized subjects that women talk about. The show gave women’s friendship a new angle; rather than gossip, it is depicted as the real conversations shared amongst friends. Women are sometimes enacted as “catty” or jealous in the media, but the show shined a light on female friendship and their bond, promoting feminism and female friendships.

Sex and the City is different from other TV shows because it acknowledged the shifting viewpoints associated with postmodernism and the oscillation (fluctuation) of values. Postmodernism takes a less optimistic view where constant change becomes the status quo. The women on the show were always frequenting different clubs and restaurants as well as meeting, dating, and sleeping with different men.

Sex and the City is aestheticized, as it is depicted in an idealized and artistic manner: the high-end living, luxury items, and precarious nature of the women’s beliefs. Postmodernism includes the notion of “an acceleration in the pace of living” (200), which is clearly evident in the TV series. This can be seen with the transitioning of men, the rapid pace of the city itself, and the evolving designer trends.

Consumerism, Capitalism, and Marxism are also clearly seen in the series. There is an idealized notion of glamour, which promotes consumerism, as if implying that without the designer labels happiness cannot be fully achieved. “Fabulousness” in the show exists by way of cultural capital. The consumer driven version of “fabulousness” serves the function of assimilation rather than subversion. In other words, cultural markers, for instance designer goods, signify status and wealth, and serve as a necessity to attain a self-sufficient and independent lifestyle. Is the show then suggesting that an individual, or audience member, create a reality through consumption by way of media? The characters are essentially slaves to their own fetishes and commodities, almost implying a sort of slavery to their vices. The women live dominated by their impulses of indulgence rather than purpose. They reside in the “eternal present.”

Commodification is not only seen with the designer labels (shoes, clothing, etc.) in the show, but the commodification of the characters themselves. They represent a type or quality. As Marx has suggested, "commodification is the process associated with capitalism by which objects, qualities, and signs are turned into commodities” (Barker, 13). Examples of commodification include ideas, culture, identity, and even the human body.

Sex and the City was a groundbreaking show. It was also a multi-faceted show that featured various aspects of culture, gender roles, societal norms and boundaries, as well as diverse topics that paved the way for many future shows. It showcased postmodern characters in a modern backdrop. Like it or not, despite its arguable topics or inappropriate inferences, Sex and the City has changed TV forever. Furthermore, due to the success of the TV series, two Sex and the City movies were made. Here is a humorous clip from the second movie (the women are in Abu Dhabi): 

(Our group gave a general introduction to the series, asked the class of their preconceived notions about the women, content, and general overview of the show, then split the class into groups and focus on either Feminism, Capitalism, or Postmodernism as seen in Sex and the City, including the show as a whole, the characters, as well as the topics covered. Lillian and I worked together and presented postmodernism to the Rules of Attraction group, articulating the general meaning of postmodernism and asking the group members to make connections to the Barker text).

Barker, Chris. Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. 3^rd ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Ltd. 2008.