Sex And The City’s divisive reboot And Just Like That… has concluded after three seasons – closing the book of Carrie Bradshaw’s life.
When AJLT first hit screens in 2021, fans of the original show – which ran from 1998 to 2004 with 94 episodes across six series – waited with baited breath to revisit Carrie’s story, in the wake of the less than palatable 2008 and 2010 movies.
Yet breath remained baited when the reboot hit screens, only to be met with a wall of criticism for excessive ‘woke‘ storylines and clumsy attempts to introduce more diversity, in apparent reaction to sensitivites over a lack of people of colour in the early series.
Tongues wagged in the lead-up due to the absence of Kim Cattrall, who refused to reprise her role as Samantha Jones – best friend to Sarah Jessica Parker‘s Carrie, Kristin Davis‘ Charlotte York-Goldenblatt and Cynthia Nixon‘s Miranda Hobbes.
Her well-publicised feud with ‘mean girl’ Sarah was the reasoning behind her refusal to return, however the gaping hole of sex positive Samantha was felt when Michael Patrick King decided to fill the gap with a slew of woke characters and stories.
From Miranda’s ‘late life’ lesbianism with nonbinary comic Ché to Charlotte’s kids’ gender battles and various race issues, a look at the ‘most woke moments’:
Sex And The City’s divisive reboot And Just Like That… has concluded after three seasons – closing the book of Carrie Bradshaw’s life – yet the show has been plagued with issues over ‘wokeism’ and failures from bosses to rebrand the previously criticised SATC
When AJLT first hit screens in 2021, fans of the original show waited with baited breath to revisit Carrie’s life, in the wake of the less than palatable 2008 and 2010 movies (Sarah Jessica Parker, pictured as Carrie in 1998)
Cynthia Nixon’s character Miranda Hobbes’ romance with Che Diaz – played by non-binary star Sara Ramirez – came under fire and was deemed to ruin her character
Sex And The City ran from 1998 to 2004 with 94 episodes across six series with two movies (PICTURED: L-R Kristin Davis as Charlotte York, Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes, Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw and Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones)
CHE DIAZ AND MIRANDA’S SEXUAL AWAKENING
Unfairly or not, Che Diaz – played by non-binary star Sara Ramirez, who uses they/them pronouns – was the launchpad of the woke critiques of the series.
Their stand-up comedian character was introduced as the co-host and producer of Carrie’s podcast, who is seen in episode one to have a ‘Woke Moment Button’ in her studio before engaging in a romance with Miranda.
Throughout both Sex And The City and the movies, Miranda had always been a heterosexual, however Che is depicted as the founder of her true sexuality.
Miranda and Steve (played by David Eigenberg) were a long-standing on-off couple on the show yet their marriage ended when Miranda met Che
Che, a newcomer to the spin-off series who introduced themselves as a ‘queer nonbinary Mexican Irish diva,’ struck up the relationship with Miranda after she abandoned her marriage to husband Steve Brady.
Sex made its comeback entirely when Che and Miranda enjoyed a drunked tryst in Carrie’s kitchen while the former lay in bed recovering from surgery.
Fans were left enraged by Che – branding their character ‘insufferably woke’ and accused them of ‘[setting] back non-binary representation 70 years.’
Che was at one point seen to urge a co-star to ask questions like: ‘What can I, as a straight cis-male, personally do to eradicate the harmful patriarchal system of the gender binary and compulsorily heterosexuality?’
Che, a newcomer to the spin-off series who introduced themselves as a ‘queer nonbinary Mexican Irish diva,’ struck up the relationship with Miranda after she abandoned her marriage to husband Steve Brady
They were axed from the show after two seasons, because their character Che was a ‘waste of airtime,’ according to insiders – in a shutdown of claims they were dropped due to their pro-palestine views.
It was claimed that Sara’s head had been ‘on the chopping block since season two’ because their character ‘held no value anymore’ and was ‘annoying.’
Hitting out at Miranda’s sexual awakening, fans flooded Twitter, with users writing: ‘Making Miranda gay is one of the reasons AJLT failed. Fans wanted to see the ladies they loved with the guys they loved. They didn’t want to see all this woke nonsense!…
‘I loathed the first season of #AJLT and stopped watching and canceled the streaming service. Too woke, too ridiculous. And what they did to Miranda was unforgivable. Very happy Kim Catrall stayed away…
‘Fans loved the Steve & Miranda relationship. Making Miranda gay is one of the reasons AJLT failed. Fans wanted to see the ladies they loved with the guys they loved’.
Miranda’s sexual evolution appeared to take steps backwards rather than help progress things
Hitting out at Miranda’s sexual awakening, fans flooded Twitter, with users writing: ‘Making Miranda gay is one of the reasons AJLT failed. Fans wanted to see the ladies they loved with the guys they loved. They didn’t want to see all this woke nonsense!’
Kim Cattrall’s disappearance did not help matters for early fans (Kim, right, in 2000)
CLUMSY ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE DIVERSITY
Sex And The City was plagued with criticism for the lack of diversity on the show – with people of colour either falling victim to tokenism of merely starring as staff.
Problems arose from Samantha’s dalliance with Chivon, a Black music executive, whose ‘big black c**k is detailed’, Miranda’s union with Dr Robert Leeds and Carrie refusing to date a bisexual man due to her lack of belief in the sexual orientation.
So And Just Like That… appeared to be a chance for creators to remedy the pitfall.
Despite this, the diversity on offer became a hodepodge of clumsy attempts, with Elle detailing: ‘The revival was more than a disastrous train wreck. It was ‘wokeness’ and ‘diversity’ messily packaged into three rich white women’s lives.’
After a significant lack of people of colour in the original SATC, Nicole Ari Parker (right) joined the cast as Lisa Todd Wexley while the character of Black Columbia law professor, Dr Nya Wallace, played by Karen Pittman (left) also joined
Additionally, real estate agent Seema Patel – played by Sarita Choudhury – was considered poor replacement for Samantha
The introduction of Black Columbia law professor, Dr Nya Wallace, played by Karen Pittman, as Miranda’s tutor, sees the latter fumble their first meeting with gaffes over Nya’s braided hairdo and later attempts to be a ‘white ally’.
The Guardian described the moment, writing: ‘It’s the heavy-handed overcompensation of a show founded on four white, privileged, heterosexual women; atoning for SATC’s history of racial cluelessness, AJLT confronts issues of race head on, with Miranda on the receiving end of its newly woke sensibilities.’
In the next episode she references Ibram X. Kendi’s 2019 book How to Be an Antiracist, in yet another clumsy attempt at awareness.
Nicole Ari Parker’s character Lisa Todd Wexley is also branded ‘Black Charlotte’, in a nod to her likenesses to her fellow school mom Charlotte, yet the need to reference her skin colour left fans baffled and enraged.
Additionally, real estate agent Seema Patel – played by Sarita Choudhury – was considered a poor replacement for Samantha.
Sarita, who is of English and Indian-Bengali roots, has been dubbed a ‘checklist’ addition to the cast due to showrunners’ desperation to add diversity.
One of Seema’s storylines sees her take Carrie to a Diwali party, prior to which she takes her shopping in what they describe as ‘a sari shop’ – although the shop in question only displays lehengas not saris.
The introduction of Black Columbia law professor, Dr Nya Wallace, played by Karen Pittman, as Miranda’s tutor, sees the latter fumble their first meeting with gaffes ober Nya’s braided hairdo and later attempts to be a ‘white ally’
Miranda’s union with Dr Robert Leeds in series five of SATC was one of the few featuring a person of colour in the predominantly white cast
Nicole Ari Parker’s character Lisa Todd Wexley is also branded ‘Black Charlotte’, in a nod to her likenesses to her fellow school mom Charlotte, yet the need to reference her skin colour left fans baffled and enraged
One of Seema’s storylines sees her take Carrie to a Diwali party, prior to which she takes her sari shopping in what they describe as ‘a sari shop’ – although the shop in question only displays lehengas not saris
CHARLOTTE’S FAMILY’S IDENTITIES
Eternally prudish Charlotte’s storylines centre around her family life – with her daughter Rose’s evolution into non-binary Rock taking hold.
In a further nod to spreading the SATC universe’s wings, Charlotte’s child, played by Alexa Swinton, is seen trying to navigate coming out as non-binary.
Speaking about the storyline later on, Alexa said: ‘I think for parents who have children who are trying to explore their gender identity, it’s so comforting to see someone on screen they can almost relate to…
‘Charlotte is also trying to figure it out. I am proud to be part of this because we need representation on television, and it’s something we don’t have enough of…
‘I’m glad we’re evolving and adding more characters like this every single day with every show that comes on.’
Despite her passion over her own character’s storyline, others have insisted: ‘Che and Rock’s storylines play into the fallacy that all gender non-conforming people are difficult’ – among other criticisms.
On top of Rock’s story, their sister Lily’s polyamorous boyfriend also set tongues wagging due to the alleged ‘unnecessary’ nature of the storyline.
Eternally prudish Charlotte’s storylines centre around her family life – with her daughter Rose’s evolution into non-binary Rock taking hold
Charlotte is pictured with Rock and Lily in series one
