‘Sex and the City’: Only 1 Scene in the Entire Series Was Reshot
Sex and the City premiered in 1998 and quickly changed the landscape of HBO’s programming. The show was provocative and rather unique. Not only did it depict four women speaking candidly about sex and dating in Manhattan, but it managed to incorporate Manhattan as the show’s unofficial, fifth main character. A series that shot on location so often would theoretically run into problems along the way, but apparently, Sex and the City didn’t encounter many. The series only had to reshoot a single scene during its epic, six-season run.
Carrie and Aidan’s fight scene was completely reshot
Over the course of 94 episodes, the cast of Sex and the City dealt with some serious drama. Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker’s bitter feud, for example, has been discussed for years. HBO was also sued over the show more than once, and the production team had to figure out a way to work in Parker’s real-life pregnancy. When it came to shooting scenes, though, everything was smooth sailing.
Normally, It wouldn’t be surprising to find out that a complicated series, that shot on location, reshot several of its key scenes each season. That wasn’t the case for Sex and the City. Apparently, only one scene had to be reshot during the show’s entire run. That scene took place in season 4, shortly after Aidan Shaw moved in with Carrie. The episode, “The Good Fight”, also happens to include one of the show’s funniest moments.
One of Carrie’s funniest lines happened in the middle of a fight scene
Miranda Hobbes was known for being funny in a sarcastic way, but Carrie Bradshaw was better known for her introspective monologues. That doesn’t mean she didn’t have funny lines occasionally. Perhaps the funniest thing to slip out of her mouth came in the middle that one scene that needed to be reshot. After Aidan moved into Carrie’s apartment, they decided they needed to make room for his things inside the apartment. Distressed at the idea of giving away her clothes to make room for Aidan, Carrie approached the process of cleaning out her closet with serious trepidation. Aidan’s dog, Pete, however, had other plans. He got his paws on a pair of Carrie’s shoes and destroyed them. The ruined heels led to an epic meltdown.
As the fight picked up steam, Aidan said he was going out. Carrie, not one to be outdone, pulled him back, and insisted she was the one who was going to leave. Before escaping the crowded apartment, she delivered one final dig. She said, “You can stay here with your boxes of s*** and your shoe-eating dog, and knock yourself out, putting on the Rogaine and the Speed Stick!” The scene is among fans’ favorite moments, not only for its sheer hilarity but for just how relatable it turned out to be. The scene, however, wasn’t always so relatable and had to be reshot.
A wardrobe issue caused the reshoot
There was nothing inherently wrong with the scene between Carrie and Aidan. The dialogue was never changed, nor was the basis of the argument. The cause of the reshoot, according to The Wrap, was strictly a wardrobe issue. Carrie was known for wearing some truly wild outfits, but reportedly, the first wardrobe decision was a little too much, even for the free-spirited Carrie.
According to Michael Patrick King, Carrie showed up to the scene wearing a hat and a shirt with the word “Chastity” emblazoned across the front. A lace collar was meant to tie the whole thing together. After the scene was shot, the production team took a look at it and decided Carrie’s outfit was a bit too distracting. A quick wardrobe swap and they were back in business. Instead of a floppy hat and a lace-covered collar, Parker returned for the second shooting in a turquoise tube top and a brown skirt. She had a bandana tied around her arm to jazz the outfit up a bit. The production team was happy with the wardrobe change, and the scene was included in the show. The original shirt that King described never appeared in the series.
