Meet Carrie Bradshaw's greatest critic

Carrie Bradshaw is, arguably, one of the vital distinguishable and mentioned characters to come back out of tv up to now 20 years. The star of the Intercourse and the Metropolis franchise, performed by Sarah Jessica Parker, is extensively famous for her lavish wardrobe, intercourse column, and ill-advised romance(s)…amongst different issues.

By HBO’s six seasons, two subsequent motion pictures, and now a reboot, Carrie has elicited robust reactions from loyal viewers. Critics have written about their rising disillusionment with the character; unpacked her questionable spending habits; and even used her because the poster little one for “essential character syndrome”. Elsewhere, followers defend her in subreddits and newsletters. Carrie is, certainly, an extremely polarizing character.

Nobody is aware of this as a lot as Reva Lucia, the founder and author of Carrie Bradshaw is the Worst. The location’s title precedes itself, however Lucia is greater than a Bradshaw hater. In our dialog, it rapidly turned clear simply how a lot the Los Angeles resident loves and actually is aware of SATC, its characters, and its iterations.

On her web site, which she’s been operating since Feb. 2019, Lucia recaps episodes with a slant: what has Carrie executed now? Every submit, devoted to episodes and arranged by seasons, summarizes stand-out moments within the present, interspersed with GIFs and Lucia’s trademark disdain for a few of Carrie’s extra doubtful selections. Tags on the positioning actually learn: “run to your life aidan” or “what are you even doing”. For sure, Lucia’s writing is hilarious, and her scholar-like information of SATC will resonate with any fan, even those that love Carrie. And those that do not will like it much more; the feedback on every submit make that abundantly clear.

Lucia and I sat down to speak all issues Carrie Bradshaw (she sees her good facet!), the reboot (she’s not offered simply but), and her relationship with the present.

Mashable: First off, what impressed you to start out writing these episode recaps?

Reva Lucia: I used to be simply watching reruns on HBO and I used to be considering to myself, “Wow, Carrie Bradshaw is horrible. Why do not I truly write about it? I ought to begin a weblog.” And I actually did that very same day. I believe I used to be bored; it was like a Sunday afternoon. So it simply occurred actually randomly.

In your early posts, you write that Carrie turns into The Worst after Huge turns into extra prevalent in her life. Are you able to clarify {that a} bit?

Once they first begin courting, it is all about Huge. She ditches her buddies always. There was one episode the place I believe Miranda known as her to get collectively; she’s like, “Effectively, as a result of Huge is busy, I am free.” She’s all the time tying her whole availability into him. That relationship is so lopsided; they don’t seem to be even in the identical boat or on the identical web page. And so she’s always obsessing about him, what what he does, and every part meaning. Her whole world is Huge and she or he initiatives that onto her buddies. The primary few episodes, once they’re all discovering their footing, she appears utterly regular. After which Huge simply unleashes this sort of obsession in her the place she’ll do something for him.

It is form of onerous to look at typically, truthfully. I am not gonna lie, I noticed a few of myself in her. I used to be like, “Oh god, I undoubtedly did that after I was in my mid-20s with sure individuals,” which I believe additionally makes it onerous to look at. Generally after I’m raging on that, I am additionally yelling at my previous self. Like, “Why did you do this? You are such an fool, he isn’t into you.” I believe Huge was undoubtedly the set off of all that self absorption and for [Carrie] being a very self concerned and egocentric individual. Her whole world simply revolved round that relationship.

I believe lots of people can see a little bit of themselves, or previous selves, in Carrie’s unhealthy behaviour.

Oh yeah, for positive.

Why do you assume she’s such a polarizing character?

It is humorous as a result of, after I watched it for the primary time, I used to be in my early to mid-20s. I assumed everybody desires to be a Carrie. She’s so cool and trendy, and has this nice job and lives on this nice condo. However then, as I began to look at it extra, I used to be like, “Wow, she’s actually egocentric.” She turns all her buddies’ issues into her personal issues or all the time switches the dialog to herself. However then on the similar time, she’s all the time all the way down to have a enjoyable time and she or he’s all the time doing issues together with her buddies.

It looks like she brings the opposite three collectively, by way of her, and she or he does have some moments the place she is a very good good friend. There are a handful of episodes the place I’ve to essentially stretch. For instance, when Miranda finds out she’s pregnant with Steve and she or he would not know what to do, Carrie is so supportive by way of the entire episode. I needed to pivot to all of the lies she instructed Aidan in parallel about her personal expertise with being pregnant.

I believe it is simply it is a very entertaining present. It’s totally enjoyable to look at the friendships, however you have got this one central character who’s simply so egocentric and actually unhealthy with cash, which is why I rage-wrote concerning the episode the place she mainly forces Charlotte to purchase her condo for her. She could be a good good friend, however she’s additionally horrible, however you simply cannot not watch it, you realize?

I like that you simply see her good qualities as properly. I used to be about to ask if there are redeeming components of her, for you.

Sure, there undoubtedly are! Just like the aforementioned episode with Miranda, then additionally her being very supportive of Charlotte throughout all of her struggles, like attempting to get pregnant and when she has that devastating miscarriage. She’s additionally very supportive of Samantha when she’s going by way of that breakup with Richard, though she does make a few snide feedback, if you need to say “Let’s dial it again to if you have been with Huge.” However when her buddies are actually, actually down, she is there for them. So she does undoubtedly have good qualities, they’re simply not all the time initially current.

What did you assume when And Simply Like That… was introduced? What are your ideas concerning the reboot?

I used to be skeptical. I wasn’t positive why they wanted to do it. The primary film was a stretch, nevertheless it was good. The second film was absolutely pointless. Then I began recapping [AJLT] for the positioning. I am a bit of greater than midway by way of, nevertheless it’s so unbearably unhealthy. It is actually onerous for me to power myself to write down about it. The second season has since began, and I have not watched any of it as a result of it is simply so horrible.

I do not just like the character assassination of Miranda that they are doing. I perceive she’s in a unique place in her life, and she or he’s free to make her personal choices. However how she simply goes again and simply destroys her historical past with Steve, saying she was by no means completely satisfied, which is clearly not true, and issues like that…I simply assume it was utterly pointless.

And whereas Carrie does present some progress within the present and isn’t as horrible as she was within the unique sequence, all she does is say, “Oh, you are upset, I get it…however my husband died.” Additionally, she may have known as 911. She watched him die. I do know that was an enormous factor on-line when the primary episode dropped. Folks have been like, why did not she name 911? She simply sat there.

Yeah, the primary season was actually onerous to look at. However I believe the second season will get higher…I might be curious to listen to what it’s important to say if you happen to watch.

I am positive I’ll finally, however yeah, the primary season was simply insufferable.

What sort of progress do you assume we see in Carrie in AJLT?

Effectively, [I saw it] when Huge left Natasha 1,000,000 {dollars} in his will and everybody was freaking out. It is like, initially, 1,000,000 {dollars} is a drop within the bucket for him. However when Carrie and Natasha have that run-in on the espresso store, they usually sit down and actually discuss, I believe that I noticed lots of progress in her there. She lastly took accountability for that affair. Additionally, I believe that whereas she was a bit of bit bowled over by a few of Miranda’s new challenges, like her alcoholism, she was undoubtedly there for her.

I did see progress in Carrie. She is extra self conscious. I believe they needed to present that as a result of, at this level, she’s in her mid-50s. You may’t be as vapid as you have been in your 30s.

Do you have got conflicting relationship with the unique sequence? Or do you simply like it?

I like it. I do assume that every one 4 girls are flawed. However for me, it’s undoubtedly a kind of consolation reveals the place I can simply go watch it and I do know what occurs. I would not say I am conflicted. Despite the fact that I’ve devoted lots of time to speaking about how Carrie Bradshaw is horrible, I nonetheless love the present. I believe Sarah Jessica Parker is an incredible actress. I could not think about anybody else as Carrie. The episodes that I skip are few and much between and that is not as a result of I really feel conflicted. It is simply I really feel like they don’t seem to be good episodes.

Are there any characters that you simply notably like? Who’re your favorites?

I’ve all the time liked Steve. I suppose that is one more reason why I used to be so upset [with AJLT], as a result of they only form of did this entire factor the place Steve was a horrible husband and Miranda would not love him anymore. He has all these faults, however I all the time love Steve.

I additionally love a number of the actual relationships you see with out Carrie. There are a pair episodes the place Miranda and Samantha form of have their very own story, or Miranda and Charlotte, or Charlotte and Samantha. These are the relationships I actually love to look at, since you do not see as a lot of them. Out of the 4 girls, I believe that I like Samantha the very best as a result of she’s the least judgmental. She’s essentially the most laidback. The opposite three are freaking out about issues and she or he’ll simply be like, “It isn’t that massive of a deal. It’s going to be high quality.” She’s type of the calming impact, for the 4 of them.

I all the time liked Harry too. I am not an Aidan fan, and clearly Huge is horrible.

Do you have got any ideas on who Carrie ought to have ended up with in SATC?

It could not have been Aidan, there is no means it may have been Aidan. I did not need it to be Aleksandr Petrovsky. She had her string of informal relationships, too. I suppose it needed to have been Huge. I simply really feel prefer it needed to be Huge, there isn’t any different reply. There was an entire Huge versus Aidan dialogue when it was occurring, however to me, there was no alternative. I am unable to think about her ending up with anybody else, to be fairly trustworthy. It simply took him some time to get his act collectively.

I really like the way you write concerning the vogue within the present, typically as a lot because the relationships, because it’s such a central idea.

Yeah, a few of Carrie’s outfits are ridiculous. A few of them are wonderful. Similar with the opposite the opposite three. I believe clearly Carrie’s the one which cares essentially the most about vogue. I’m not a trendy individual. I’ll say that. I do not know something about it, however there are some episodes the place I am like, “Why is she carrying that?” However then once more, there are episodes the place no matter she’s carrying seems wonderful.

Generally the opposite three have their moments — Season 6 Miranda is totally beautiful; what they did together with her hair, equipment, her fits, and every part. I actually loved just like the evolution of their vogue sense, it’s a very massive a part of the present.

What sort of reactions [to your work] do you get out of your readers and folks on-line?

It is principally been very optimistic. Lots of people agree with me. Lots of people are excited. They discover the weblog as a result of in addition they thought that she was the worst. Like, individuals actually Googled, like “Carrie Bradshaw was horrible” or “Carrie Bradshaw is the worst”, they usually get to my web site. I’ve had just a few unfavourable feedback, however overwhelmingly, it has been actually supportive and optimistic, which has been very nice.

Last query: if you happen to may give Carrie a chunk of recommendation, what would it not be?

Oh, my gosh. Do not spend a lot cash on sneakers. Then you definately will not need to bully your good friend into shopping for your condo.

Truthfully the cash stuff might be within the prime three issues that I’ve bitched about, as a result of she simply is so careless with cash. Then when it comes again to chunk her within the ass, she would not take accountability, like ever. So that will be my piece of recommendation: save and spend correctly, and do not depend on different individuals to bail you out. After which, simply do not be so egocentric. Straightforward, proper?

The dialog has been condensed and edited for readability.