February 22, 2004

Goodbye to Sex

It would be superfluous for me to offer my opinion on the final episode of "Sex and the City" here. In the last week, it has pretty much all been said; the good, the bad, the unflattering. I can say that the series ending is about as traumatic an experience as a television viewer as I can recall enduring. Usually I have lost interest in a "favorite" show at least a season or two before it goes off the air. The only other time I can remember being really saddened by a finale was M*A*S*H back in the 80s, and it was definitely time for that boat to sail.

Being single in a different city, with a completely different kind of life...oh, and not having HBO for the first three seasons or so...I didn't think much about it when it started, other than being a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker in general, and I never imagined identifying with it very strongly. But once they put out the first season on DVD (back when they put a whole season on two discs instead of four, which made it four times as difficult and expensive to rent them at Blockbuster) and I was able to get a sense of what it was all about, I guess I kind of fell in love with it. Not just the show and the way it turned the perception of being single on its ear in the face of the media, but with these four amazing characters. By the way, I highly recommend watching any episodes on DVD that have the writer commentary with it turned on. The insight on why they made the decisions they did for show is very eye-opening.

So, now it's all over but the syndication. Charlotte got her ideal life, Miranda uncovered the unselfish love in her life, Samantha found the love of her life plus rediscovered her post-chemo libido in screaming magnificence, and Carrie got both Big and her beloved City back. I truly do hope that they begin to make movies based on the show because they would do it right and it will be like having old friends pop back into your life for a nice visit; not too short but not too long, either. And that would be just fabulous.