‘Sex and the City’ Subtly Addressed the 9/11 Tragedy
Following the events of 9/11, Sex and the City and other New York-based shows had a decision to make. They could either address the tragedy in the storyline or leave the real-world events out of it.
Sex and the City became a fixture in New York City when it began in 1998, shooting on the streets of Manhattan. The show that used the city as a character, made a more subtle choice when it came to 9/11. The HBO series made a slight alteration to production following the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
How ‘Sex and the City’ responded to 9/11
Up until season 4, episode 12, the opening credits of Sex and the City showed the Twin Towers twice. One view of the Manhattan skyline includes the buildings, and then there’s a close-up with Sarah Jessica Parker’s name.
After the 9/11 tragedy, Sex and the City‘s creators decided to change the opening sequence to show the Empire State Building instead. In season 4, episode 13 of season four, Samantha and her love interest at the time, Richard Wright (James Remar), dance on a rooftop that showed the Twin Towers in the background. The show removed them from this scene as well.
In addition to this, the season 4 finale is about changes and new beginnings. At the end of the episode, Carrie states in a voice-over, “seasons change, so do cities.” Then there is a dedication, saying, “dedicated to our city of New York… then, now, and forever.”
Other shows that addressed 9/11
The West Wing: The West Wing creator and showrunner Aaron Sorkin wrote a specific episode about a fictional terrorist attack, which aired three weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
Law & Order: The show had many episodes that revolved around the attacks. One in which a woman’s remains were left at Ground Zero as a way to cover up a murder.
Third Watch: This show about New York City’s first responders aired a nonfiction episode, followed by two episodes showing its main characters helping with the aftermath.
The Sopranos: Like Sex and the City, The Sopranos also had the Twin Towers in the opening credits. They were shown briefly in Tony Soprano’s review mirror. After the 9/11 attacks, the show edited the towers out, and another shot of the Manhattan skyline was used as a replacement.
