Monday morning started out like any other. I woke up, rolled over, unplugged my phone from its charger, opened Twitter and began scrolling to see what madness 2021 had conjured up now.
The first item I saw brought tears to my eyes. As a Sex and the City (SATC) superfan since the tender age of 5- for further info on this please consult my Mum who will attest to a baby faced MP sneaking down the stairs as soon as the iconic theme music began playing- you'd expect my tears to stem from happiness. However, instead of being excited about the revival, I was deeply disappointed.
Let me break it down for you. Could you do a Friends reboot without Jennifer Aniston? A Seinfeld reboot without Jerry? A Gilmore girls reboot without Lauren Graham? The answer to all of the above is a resounding NO.
And just like that... four became three.
Source: google images
In what world can a SATC reboot work without Kim Cattrall? The very essence of this show is love. The love we have for our city, our friends, ourselves and our significant others. A reboot without Kim's Samantha seems in direct contradiction to what SATC preaches.
For SATC fans the world over, today should be a day of celebration. Except this morning, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, looking at my SATC limited edition memorabilia- which takes pride of place on my bedroom wall- feeling empty inside.
Samantha puts the sex into Sex and the City. Her progressive thinking about her femininity and sexuality allowed the show to explore themes that were previously considered taboo. Without someone as unapologetic as Samantha, the reboot will kind of seem sexless.
Now that's not to say that Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte don't explore their sexuality in their own way. Of course they do, but it's always in the context of relationships. It's Samantha that really pushes the boundaries and starts conversations outside of the show.
Kim Cattrall to the HBO Max team when they approached her about a reboot: TOSS
Source: google images
I've written at length here, here and here about SATC, so Kim being absent from this reboot isn't a surprise, however, it hurts nonetheless. It feels like losing a friend and an integral part of the magic that SATC has brought for so many years.
This feud, which will of course go down in history, means that the SATC reboot that will grace our screens in the coming years will be unlike anything we've ever seen. And in order to satisfy one of the most faithful audiences ever, the character of Samantha must be killed off.
A recast further insults Kim and the viewers. A recast implies that Kim Cattrall is replaceable and therefore undeserving of her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and wins. A recast implies that viewers could watch someone else step into those impossibly high heels and call her Sam. A hot tip? We cannot and will not. Even if Alexandra Kyle's cat is doing amazing sweetie.
The girls in happier times
Source: google images
For me, the only way a reboot can work if is the show opens in a COVID-less world on Samantha's funeral. This way, a close friend passing away will force each lady to re-examine the paths that they're currently on. Samantha can't just fade into the abyss because ending the friendship with an onscreen fallout will undermine everything SATC stood for.
This feud between SJP and Kim took some magic away from a show that preached friendship. This feud has significantly dampened the excitement that a revival of this magnitude should bring. This feud cannot be allowed to take away from the show too.
I will come around eventually. After all, any day where your favourite show gets more episodes is a good day. I just hope that the HBO Max creative team can do this reboot justice, for the sake of the fans and SATC's legacy. Because, I couldn't help but wonder, is one misstep all it takes to tarnish a reputation that has been years in the making?
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