‘The Carrie Diaries’ vs. ‘Sex and the City’

If you ask anyone, I’m probably the biggest fan of Sex and the City. You name an episode, I will know exactly what you’re talking about.

I was so ecstatic when I heard that The Carrie Diaries was going to hit television screens, but to be totally honest, I was not impressed with what I saw. I understand that the writers, producers and directors wanted to put their own creative twist to the original series, but I’m sorry, the creative twist made the original series and this new series seem unrelated to one another. Just because you curl Annasophia Robb’s hair to look like Sarah Jessica Parker’s hair, and give them the same name, does not justify all of the wrong-doings done.

First of all, if you are a Sex and the City maniac like I am, you know all of the facts. In the first episode, they already had one fact wrong. In the original series, it is told to us that Carrie’s dad left her and her mom when Carrie was young, but she still has her mother, although we never saw her on screen. But how could you change such a distinct factor of the original series?

I honestly think that once you are a Sex and the City maniac, there’s no substitution. No one can beat SJP, and no one can beat the original girls, Big, Aden, the apartment, the diner. You can’t replace the original apartment window with a house window, SJP’s curly hair with Annasophia’s curling-ironed curls, and 3 diverse friends with 2 friends that act like Charlotte and Samantha.

I understand the writers wanted to replace Big with Sebastian and the on-off relationship, but sometimes it gets to the point where the show is trying too hard to be just like the original series. You can’t take a few aspects of the original series and change them. You have to go totally the same way with the original series or to a whole new extreme.

But there are also so many anachronisms; I’m not going to lie about that. If the show is actually taking place in the 80s, then why is the fashion so modern? I mean in Monday’s episode, Carrie was wearing a sweater that I bought from J.Crew this season. Everything seems too high fashion for the time period; if you want it to take place in the 80s, make it seem believable.

I’ve been watching The Carrie Diaries every week, trying to make an effort to love the show as much as I love Sex and the City, but I can’t!

I really want these producers to surprise us, because soon enough, I’m just going to get so fed up with the show and stop watching it. I’m really interested what Sarah Jessica Parker has to say about it; she was the original Carrie, the fabulous Carrie, the realistic Carrie. I want to see what she has to say; she’s the one who created the iconic Carrie Bradshaw who we all look up to, including myself.

About Author

Annie Rishty

Annie Rishty is 17 years old, and lives in the exciting city of Paris, France. She aspires to be a freelance writer and write realistic fiction novels that will allow teens to actually enjoy reading. However, she also has the passion to show diseased children the craft of writing and show them a healthy alternative to expressing their feelings; a business which she is forming called Passion Pencils. She is currently in the process of writing a fabulous, yet humorous, book that she plans to publish in the near future. Annie is the biggest fan of Sex and the City, and looks to the character of Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) as an idol. She likes to switch up her hair color every now and then (currently it is a deep purple with a bright red ombre). Annie loves music by Florence and the Machine and Foster the People, but also has an obsession with Lady Gaga. She’s been called a hipster numerous times, but that’s just people talking. She will read and review any book or TV show (as long as its very entertaining), all upon request of TYF viewers. You are beautiful regardless of what people say. Be yourself, not a carbon copy. Find yourself, not someone else. You can contact her at: annie@theyoungfolks.com Also, follow her on Instagram: @annierish and @with_much_color

(2) Readers Comments

jacklin updegraft
March 6, 2013 at 1:45 pm

I think they are going off the books. I read the first one, titled The Carrie Diaries, and she does have maggie and mouse and walt. In the book she has another friend Lila who isn't in the show. I can't remember if it says it in the show or not but in the book she's a senior. Sebastian is the new kid at school and he becomes her first boyfriend… but she doesn't have an internship in New York and there is no Larrisa. And it's mentioned by one of her friends (can't remember who) that she has a cousin in New York and she's really experimental and sexually active! Hmmm who does that sound like?? And then her friends completely screw her over and so she heads for the big apple after graduation with her friend's cousin's number in her pocket. When she gets there someone steals her purse so she has no money and she uses the phone number. And the ending is Sam answering the phone!!! I never got around to the second book but the first one was pretty good! But I have to agree The Carrie Diaries are not/never will be as good as Sex and the City!

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Anita
March 16, 2013 at 12:39 am

Haven't watched "The Carrie Diaries" because I am a big SATC fan and I felt like it would just kind of take away from my often repeated viewings of the original show if I watched the new one. I've read a little about the inconsistencies which also turns me off from the new show. I "might" catch in reruns if it makes it that far this summer or on netflix but it's just not on my list. And I'm not sure but didn't Candace Bushnell write "The Carrie Diaries" after the "Sex & The City" book?

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