It reminded me of an article in ‘The New York Times’ by John Koblin last October how much does it cost HBO start making serials with female leads. The cable network’s early contents at the time (such as the beloved ‘Keep dreaming’ series full of free nudists) were largely targeted at men, apparently because they were believed to be at home among the company’s top executives. It was the man who decided whether the subscription was paid or not..
This idea fell to the ground in 1996 with the premiere of ‘Si las paredes hablasen’, a pro-abortion themed television movie with a female lead, which has become her most successful self-made production to date. And two years later, it continued to decline from June 6, 1998. premiere of a great phenomenon called ‘sex in new york‘. The 25th anniversary is as good an excuse as any excuse to remember and justify an important series not only for HBO, but also for the series or popular culture of the last quarter century.
outside the general
Television creator Darren Star began shaping ‘Sex and the City’ after interviewing Candace Bushnell, the columnist for the ‘New York Observer’ that started it all, for a magazine. He saw it first as a movie, then as “a series that felt like an independent movie made for TV”; Not recommended for children under 18, adult, very outspoken and honest As described in the aforementioned Koblin and Felix Gillette book “It’s not TV: The spectacular rise, revolution and future of HBO”.
What was pretty clear to me was that something like this wouldn’t be successful in generic chains. When she did ‘Feeling’ for Fox, she was forced to be chaste about sex. And when he thought of promoting a gay character in ‘Melrose Place’ (played by Doug Savant), the response from some of the same network’s executives was offensive. While ABC became interested in ‘Sex and the City’, HBO persisted further and seemed like a natural home for the (but not only) cheeky, free, or fluid view of sexuality..
In each episode, freelance columnist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) philosophized about the worldly and spiritually through a question she answered herself with the observation of her and her friends, the most or less sane. A hypersexual goddess with a huge heart named Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), relatively innocent Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Samantha (Kim Cattrall). What began as a practical guide in Manhattan’s dating jungle has grown into something more, thanks to the fine arts of screenwriter Michael Patrick King. focused on love and friendship relationships that last more than one night and even a reflection on sickness and death. All this without losing the courage.
beyond the net of men
As comedy historian Saul Asterlitz recalls in a 24-part history from ‘Sitcom: I love Lucy’ to ‘Community’, ‘telecomedy has always been a welcoming space for women who feature stars like Lucille Ball. [‘Te quiero, Lucy’] and Mary Tyler Moore [‘La chica de la tele’] more comfortable and permanent possibilities than cinema. But in order to tame them properly, surrounded by a network of men: husbands, neighbors, bosses, colleagues“.
Same as Miami counterparts I“Golden Girls,” these New Yorkers may be into boys, but nothing was more important to them than their best friends. The audience had the privilege of watching the conversations between them closely, as if looking through a crack. sexual escapades and intimate matters For example, the difference between Blanche Devereaux (the wonderful Rue McClanahan) and Samantha Jones is that Samantha Jones is allowed to be totally open in her sensory release diaries.
Strictly speaking, women in ‘Sex and the City’ were allowed to misbehave, which was quite unusual in a time when being a woman on television was still equated with being a woman above all else (with exceptions like Candice Bergen’s Murphy Brown). well and wear a wedding ring. But here is where Carrie was cheating on her hot boyfriend Aidan (John Corbett) with the more opaque Mr. Big (Chris Noth) for up to three weeks: a curious hero.
Fifteen years later, Lena Dunham (remember a poster in young Shoshanna’s room) who confessed to being a ‘Sex and the City’ fan would mark even more selfish heroines in ‘Girls’ and help open the debate. Open What’s more interesting than seeing it on screen?, idealized or highly flawed people, like all of us. The success of ‘Friendship’ indicates that the second option is more likely.
Films directed by Michael Patrick King in 2008 and 2010, it must be admitted, less complex people and interesting. In them, one of the series’ problems mysteriously intensified: a somewhat inappropriate cult of luxury. The latest sequel, ‘And just like that…’ didn’t fix this issue either, but at least low racial diversity did. And its second season, which arrives on June 22, will be far superior if it’s true that it will feature a cameo from Samantha Jones.