Everyone has their favorite tv character that reminds them of themselves or the self they wish they could be. I am a huge fan of Sex and the City and while most people would consider me a Charlotte, I am Carrie all the way. Now if you haven't seen SATC, I am not here to judge, only to say that you haven't made the effort to watch good tv. Six seasons and two movies later, there's still an enormous following of fans and hopes for a third film. I can say from years of endless tv watching and commitments to tv shows, there comes a time when your favorite character does something stupid and you wonder if you can truly come back from that moment.
It happened with Scandal, The Mindy Project, and even with SATC. Season three has Carrie dating the adorable but too Paul Bunyan, Aiden Shaw. This is the first good guy Carrie has really dated in the show, but like most women she can't shake the excitement that certain men can bring to the table. This is presented by the ever present and ever gorgeous, Mr. Big. The problem starts with the fact that Big, who's married to this horrendous WASP Natasha, is continuously contacting Carrie because he misses her. Big had a really great thing goes with Carrie but their relationship was always so dysfunctional -- they were like drug addicts with each other. The end of their relationship was a good thing, even though I can't help but love Big.
Anyways, Carrie does not want to screw things up with Aiden and with good reason. They work amazing together, but it is safe and Carrie doesn't seem to do safe very well.
Within the middle of the season, Big finds Carrie at the hotel she is staying at and tries to talk to her but she storms out and he follows her into the elevator despite her persistent pleas to leave her alone. Once in the elevator, Big forces himself onto Carrie and every time she says no and pushes him away. But still, he constitutes until she gives in.
This is my problem: Big essentially sexually assaults Carrie. She never considers this to be a problem but finally giving in isn't consent.
How far is too far? Does Carrie value Big so much that she is willing to compromise her self worth? He is a married man while she is in a relationship but this does not seem to deter them because they begin to have an affair.
Big is her addiction and for once, it would be nice to see a female character who isn't portrayed as mentally unstable when it comes to men.
Do men really make women so crazy that they will rid themselves of any rational thought or self respect? Have we all lost the meaning of what it means to value ourselves?
Maybe I'm too cynical or too academic, but either way I find it to be problematic. Nevertheless, I still watch these shows no matter how problematic these characters seems to be. We all have our vices.
