5 Reasons a ‘Sex and the City’ Reboot Would Be a Total Disaster
Sex and the City ended in 2004, which doesn’t sound that long ago. But anyone who remembers the series know that times have changed dramatically since the series finale. Reruns remind fans of quite a few problematic themes and cringe-worthy scenes that would never make it onto television based on today’s standards.
But there’s enough love and nostalgia for Sex and the City that rumors of a reboot persist. The franchise includes two feature length films along with plans for a third that never got off the ground. Now, HBO announced a limited series revival that will air on their streaming network, though details are scarce.
However, there are more than a few reasons why a new Sex and the City simply won’t work. Is it worth doing?
The ‘Sex and the City’ reboot won’t have all the characters
At its core, Sex and the City followed four best friends navigating the single life in New York City. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) depended on each other for support and friendship through all of life’s challenges.
But at least one of them wouldn’t be present in the reboot, which would change the whole dynamic of the show. Cattrall has already vowed she was done with SATC. Her refusal to participate is the reason why the third movie never got made, allegedly. So a reboot would need to explain Samantha’s absence and would be lacking because of it.
The content isn’t groundbreaking anymore
When Sex and the City premiered, there were no other shows with strong female characters talking frankly about sex. But now? That genre is oversaturated on every network. Carrie and her friends paved the way for plenty of copycats. However, revisiting the same topics doesn’t feel revolutionary — it feels predictable and stale.
With more than two decades since the show debuted in 1998, times are different now. Do we really need another show about women, dating, and sex when it’s all been done before?
‘Sex and the City’ consumerism isn’t as popular in modern times
Obviously, Sex and the City handled sex and dating topics. But another main theme was fashion. The audience envied Carrie’s closet most of all, but all four women were obscenely rich and spent it on clothes, bags, and Manolo Blahniks. That sort of vapid consumerism was common in the early 2000s. But now? Certain demographics are getting fed up with all the wastefulness.
The show wouldn’t be the same without high-end fashion. Who could picture Carrie hunting the clearance racks of H&M? But in a world where many women have embraced minimalism and frugality over consumerism, there may be no place where Carrie’s lavish lifestyle fits in.
The ‘Sex and the City’ movies were not successful
While creators never tried a reboot before, the two Sex and the City movies serve as a cautionary tale for how badly things can go for the series. The first one only received criticism for being unnecessary and out of touch.
However, the second film was downright offensive, culminating at the moment Carrie showed her exposed leg while wearing a burqa to hail a cab while the girls were visiting Abu Dhabi.
If the movies are any indication of how the reboot could go, it’s best to just avoid doing it altogether.
Most television reboots don’t work
It’s natural to want to see classic shows rebooted and revived. However, the majority of them don’t live up to the original series. Gilmore Girls, Full House, Melrose Place, Arrested Development, 90210, Roseanne… the list goes on.
There’s no reason to believe that Sex and the City would be any different. Maybe it’s best to leave the memories of this perfect 2000s series intact rather than ruining it with yet another unnecessary reboot.
