Latest news with #AJLT
The Age
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
All US television is Trumpy now, even when it's not
In the original SATC era we wanted to join the wealthy and aspirational foursome for a drink, but now the zeitgeist has turned. The television shows that feel most relevant to the moment, and which are the most engaging, are all about the suffering and the immorality of the super-rich. It feels more comfortable, now, to reassure ourselves that while billionaires and tech-bro oligarchs appear to be running the world, they're living lives of miserable inauthenticity. It started with Succession, a brilliant and darkly funny exposition of the ways in which inherited wealth can corrupt family relationships. The creator of Succession, Jesse Armstrong, has just released a movie, Mountainhead, about a foursome of tech billionaires who hole up in a mountain mansion in Utah as the world seems to be ending. More recently we have Your Friends & Neighbours, starring Mad Men's Jon Hamm, a square-jawed hero of all-American good looks but with just enough despair in his face to hint at inner spiritual desolation. Hamm plays Coop, a one-percenter hedge fund manager enraged by his divorce (his wife left him for his good friend), who loses his job after a low-level sexual indiscretion at work. In order to maintain his lifestyle (which includes $4500 skin treatments for his daughter and $30,000 tables at charity galas), he resorts to stealing from his friends and neighbours. These people, who live in a fictional, highly manicured wealth conclave outside New York City, are so obscenely rich that they have $200,000 watches and rolls of cash lying around in drawers. Hamm does what he has to do – he becomes a cat burglar with a cynical philosophy. Loading Coop is just a man trying to get by, and if that doesn't involve selling his Maserati, or getting a new (albeit less well paid) job, then it is a testament to the show's good writing that we are still with him, even when we question his attachment to a lifestyle he purports to disdain. Another new American show, Sirens, stars Julianne Moore as the beautiful philanthropist wife of a billionaire hedge-fund manager, who is summering in her uber-mansion (it has a turret) on an unnamed east-coast big-money island similar to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. She has a creepy, co-dependent relationship with her young personal assistant, who comes from poverty and dysfunction but who is loved in a way her wealthy boss never will be. Of course, these shows have a buck each way – they seek to satirise the super-rich and expose the underlying emptiness of their lives, while allowing us the vicarious experience of living in their luxury for an hour or so. The Hollywood Reporter calls it 'affluence porn'. We get access to the calfskin-lined interior of the private jet. We get to enjoy the week-long wedding festivities in Tuscany and gawp at the marvellous outfits, all while judging the protagonists for their materialism. In AJLT the materialism is not there to be judged; it is an integral part of the fun. Perhaps AJLT feels off because the writing is bad, and the plot lines so tired that dogs must be enlisted to prop up the action. Or maybe it is because in the second Trump administration the US political environment has become so oppressive and so inescapable that no story feels true unless it references it, however obliquely.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
All US television is Trumpy now, even when it's not
In the original SATC era we wanted to join the wealthy and aspirational foursome for a drink, but now the zeitgeist has turned. The television shows that feel most relevant to the moment, and which are the most engaging, are all about the suffering and the immorality of the super-rich. It feels more comfortable, now, to reassure ourselves that while billionaires and tech-bro oligarchs appear to be running the world, they're living lives of miserable inauthenticity. It started with Succession, a brilliant and darkly funny exposition of the ways in which inherited wealth can corrupt family relationships. The creator of Succession, Jesse Armstrong, has just released a movie, Mountainhead, about a foursome of tech billionaires who hole up in a mountain mansion in Utah as the world seems to be ending. More recently we have Your Friends & Neighbours, starring Mad Men's Jon Hamm, a square-jawed hero of all-American good looks but with just enough despair in his face to hint at inner spiritual desolation. Hamm plays Coop, a one-percenter hedge fund manager enraged by his divorce (his wife left him for his good friend), who loses his job after a low-level sexual indiscretion at work. In order to maintain his lifestyle (which includes $4500 skin treatments for his daughter and $30,000 tables at charity galas), he resorts to stealing from his friends and neighbours. These people, who live in a fictional, highly manicured wealth conclave outside New York City, are so obscenely rich that they have $200,000 watches and rolls of cash lying around in drawers. Hamm does what he has to do – he becomes a cat burglar with a cynical philosophy. Loading Coop is just a man trying to get by, and if that doesn't involve selling his Maserati, or getting a new (albeit less well paid) job, then it is a testament to the show's good writing that we are still with him, even when we question his attachment to a lifestyle he purports to disdain. Another new American show, Sirens, stars Julianne Moore as the beautiful philanthropist wife of a billionaire hedge-fund manager, who is summering in her uber-mansion (it has a turret) on an unnamed east-coast big-money island similar to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. She has a creepy, co-dependent relationship with her young personal assistant, who comes from poverty and dysfunction but who is loved in a way her wealthy boss never will be. Of course, these shows have a buck each way – they seek to satirise the super-rich and expose the underlying emptiness of their lives, while allowing us the vicarious experience of living in their luxury for an hour or so. The Hollywood Reporter calls it 'affluence porn'. We get access to the calfskin-lined interior of the private jet. We get to enjoy the week-long wedding festivities in Tuscany and gawp at the marvellous outfits, all while judging the protagonists for their materialism. In AJLT the materialism is not there to be judged; it is an integral part of the fun. Perhaps AJLT feels off because the writing is bad, and the plot lines so tired that dogs must be enlisted to prop up the action. Or maybe it is because in the second Trump administration the US political environment has become so oppressive and so inescapable that no story feels true unless it references it, however obliquely.
Elle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Yes, You Can Shop Carrie's Insanely Large Hat From 'And Just Like That'
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Sex and the City's fashionable legacy is alive and well in And Just Like That..., whether it's in the form of more frilly, frothy gowns or eccentric accessories (like that pigeon purse). While Patricia Field is no longer with the series, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Seema, and Lisa are in good hands with costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago. If you're looking for some out-of-the-box outfit inspiration this spring and summer, look no further than the standout looks from AJLT season 3. See some of our favorites below, and check back each week for new additions. What does Carrie Bradshaw wear in her apartment? Oh, just a casual sheer Simone Rocha dress and coat. The famous columnist starts out season 3, episode 1 in this ethereal look, and similar pieces are still available to shop. We need to talk about the hat. During a stroll with Seema, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) steps out in what many have described as a Strawberry Shortcake-like headpiece. 'I saw the hat and wanted it on my head,' Parker told US Weekly. 'We pretty much just put stuff on my head and photograph it, and hope that Michael Patrick [King, the showrunner] is hospitable to the idea.' The piece is by Maryam Keyhani, paired with a vintage Ossie Clark dress and Dr. Scholl's sandals. Nicole Ari Parker's Lisa might be a new addition to the world of SATC, but she can certainly keep up with the main trio, especially when it comes to style. For her husband's campaign event, she dressed up in a colorful La DoubleJ dress and yellow feathered heeled sandals for an extra pop of color. You can find a similar style here. This post will be updated.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
As a Gen Zer, I Was Seated for Carrie Bradshaw's Return—and Then I Watched
Love her or loathe her, Carrie Bradshaw knows how to make an entrance. Sarah Jessica Parker stutters back onto our screens for the latest series of And Just Like That... sporting a princess-like, nude sheer Simone Rocha dress, roses stuffed into her pockets, paired with a matching jacket, as she signs off a blank postcard to Aidan. Surprisingly, for a writer, she omits all words—just a heart scribbled at the bottom. Why? Because they have agreed to five years (yes, years!) of no-contact as Aidan resides in Virginia to raise his troubled son, who got into a drink-driving incident. This is very on-brand for the healthiest couple of all time, who reunited in season 2 of AJLT after a lifetime of emotional turbulence due to Carrie's infidelity and a called-off engagement in the original show Sex And The City. For them, "no contact" means exchanging blank post-cards, with a smattering of awkward phone sex. Who said romance was dead? Viewers of Sex And The City have routinely called out Carrie's shortcomings as a flawed protagonist, turning her into a meme on social media, along the lines of: "Every time I do something embarrassing for a man, I just tell myself Carrie Bradshaw would have done worse and carry on," which @werehavingfun shared on TikTok, referencing the infamous "get it while it's hot scene" when she showed up in a beret and brought pizza to impress Big. There is even a subreddit dedicated to her cringiest lines. As Sex And The City has resurfaced in cultural relevance thanks to its availability on HBO's streaming platform, a new wave of Gen Z viewers has discovered the hit '90s show—and they've had thoughts. Many have been quick to call out the series' outdated plotlines, from transphobic jokes to problematic tropes that haven't aged well. One moment that's gone down in history for peak self-obsession is when Carrie compared her dating troubles to the conflict in Northern Ireland. I first became acquainted with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte while self-isolating at my parents' house in 2022 after testing positive for COVID. What began as respite from my solitude quickly turned into full-blown obsession. I was struck by the show's raw and honest depiction of modern dating and female friendship. Despite first airing before I was born, and set in a city and culture a world away from my own, it felt wildly relatable. I've even joked with friends that if I ever have daughters, SATC will be required viewing—my equivalent to a prescribed religious text. My sister, also a Gen Z and an avid rewatcher, never fails to be incensed by Carrie's behavior, from guilt-tripping her friend into offering financial help to chasing the wife of the man she's having an affair with out of their apartment and down a flight of stairs. My sister will yell at the screen: "She is such an idiot!" And sure, Carrie made a lot of questionable choices, but that's part of the appeal. Her flaws are what made her compelling—and column-worthy. PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Sarah Jessica Parker attends the "And Just Like That…" Season Three Photocall at Hotel Napoleon on May 29, 2025 in Paris, France. PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Sarah Jessica Parker attends the "And Just Like That…" Season Three Photocall at Hotel Napoleon on May 29, 2025 in Paris, France. Marc Piasecki / Contributor/WireImage But with the dawn of the new series, the drama she's known—and loved (by me, anyway) — for is missing. We spent seasons watching her entangled in Mr. Big's stronghold, witnessing the explosions of her self-destructive patterns as she chased and chased and chased a man who was never good for her. Cut to now: she's still chasing unavailable men, but it feels less relatable than ever. I'm part of a generation of women trying to shift our focus away from men entirely. There's a global 4B movement encouraging women to go celibate in protest against shrinking rights and persistent misogyny. And while Gen Zers may be leading the discourse, it appears this frame of mind transcends generations—In the U.S., by 2023, more women than ever were single: 52 percent, according to Wells Fargo Economics. Carrie has always been a symbol of liberation in some ways: she defied social norms, never wanted children, wrote a sex-positive column, and starred in a franchise that encouraged women across generations to speak candidly about once-taboo topics. One might think that Carrie would have been allowed to evolve with us, but instead, her universe seems stuck in the past. While the original show was at least self-aware about its protagonists' obsession with men (in Miranda's words, "How does it happen that four smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends?") in 2025 he only person who is calling her out for her naivety is Anthony, who she ends up fighting with for calling out her choice. What AJLT does get right is redefining what life can look like for women in their 50s in a way that feels aspirational. Miranda is deep in her queer awakening, Carrie is exploring phone sex (even if it's extremely uncomfortable to watch), and Seema is embracing dating later in life. But personally, I'd much rather watch Carrie embark on a solo journey of glamorous, cosmopolitan-fuelled self-discovery. I will continue to watch as the season pans out, I just hope for Carrie to learn from her younger counterparts and shift her focus away from finding fulfilment in romantic love. It would be terribly predictable for her plotline to be reduced to waiting for Aidan. Here's to hoping Charlotte's Gen Z children will end up schooling her on the joys of being alone—straight from their TikTok algorithm.
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
The 10 Most Fabulous Samantha Episodes of Sex and the City
While Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw was ostensibly the main character of Sex and the City, there are many viewers who would argue that sex-positive PR maven Samantha Jones, played with unforgettable verve by Kim Cattrall, was the heart of the show. So when it was revealed that Cattrall, who had an alleged fallout with Parker, would not be reprising her role in the SATC reboot series, And Just Like That..., Samantha fans were understandably disappointed. A brief Samantha cameo in the Season 2 finale gave some closure to her storyline, but it was also a reminder of what could have been if the two SATC stars had been able to resolve their reported real-life differences. Season 3 of AJLT might be missing Samantha, but luckily, there's always the option of rewatching the original series. Here, the 10 best Samantha episodes of Sex and the City 's fabulous six seasons. 10. "An American Girl in Paris (Part Une)" (Season 6, Episode 19) When Samantha is asked to speak at a breast cancer benefit, she originally plans to give a pretty canned speech about how any woman can be the "face of breast cancer." But after a chemo-induced hot flash leaves her sweating profusely and bombing on stage, Samantha rips off her wig and speaks from the heart about the real struggles of cancer. Her off-the-cuff and expletive-laden outburst inspires a standing ovation and dozens of women in the room to also remove their wigs. 9. "All or Nothing" (Season 3, Episode 10) When Carrie reveals she's having an affair with a recently married Mr. Big, Samantha shows up for her as her authentically non-judgmental self, insisting shame simply isn't her style. Although she spends much of the rest of the episode lamenting her single status after coming down with the flu, by the end, she's over her fever-induced delirium and back on the horse of celebrating having it all—which in Samantha's book, doesn't include marriage. 8. "Easy Come, Easy Go" (Season 3, Episode 9) While Carrie is busy falling back down the rabbit hole of Big, Samantha is dealing with her own dating pitfall: sleeping with a man who, as she loudly announces at brunch, has "the funkiest tasting spunk." After initially making an attempt to get him on a healthier diet, Samantha hits him with the stone cold truth about the situation at hand, eliciting some textbook misogyny in response. Her solution? If he tries some himself, she'll stop complaining. All's fair, as they say. 7. "Luck Be an Old Lady" (Season 5, Episode 3) This is not Samantha's typical unabashedly confident fare. After reconciling with hotel magnate Richard Wright despite his previous infidelity, Samantha spends what's supposed to be a celebratory weekend in Atlantic City panicking over the idea of him jumping at any opportunity for a repeat cheating performance. But by the time she finds herself sprinting up 11 flights of stairs in a pearl thong to try to catch him in the act, it's become all too clear their relationship is severely dulling her shine. In response to Richard (who's innocent, at least this time around) trying to assuage her fears by proclaiming his love for her, Samantha shuts him down with a rebuttal that exemplifies her liberated mindset: "I love you too, Richard. But I love me more." 6. "The Baby Shower" (Season 1, Episode 10) When the ladies are invited to "that hell on earth that only your closest friends can inflict on you"—a.k.a. a baby shower—Samantha comes to Charlotte's defense no questions asked with a definitive declaration of "You bitch!" upon learning that the mother-to-be stole Charlotte's planned baby name (of which she had long been well aware). Later, Samantha throws herself an "I don't have a baby" shower just to let everyone know how fabulous she is. It's an early and iconic indicator of Samantha's penchant for unapologetically living on her own terms. 5. "The Ick Factor" (Season 6, Episode 14) Samantha has always loved her body. As she puts it, "My legs are fantastic, I have killer abs, my ass is perfection." But when she decides to get a boob job after seeing a series of photos of herself in a tabloid magazine, things don't go as planned. After the doctor finds a cancerous lump, Samantha takes a cab 100 blocks out of her way to pick Carrie up on the way to Miranda's wedding so she can deliver the news in a way that won't distract from Miranda's big day. Naturally, the truth does eventually come out at the reception, but Samantha still puts on a brave face for her friends. And the whole thing even makes her reconsider her decision to surgically alter her body. "I know I'm gonna be fine, I know that," she explains. "It's just, I don't want to lose my breasts. They're fabulous." 4. "Just Say Yes" (Season 4, Episode 12) After Carrie discovers Aidan is planning to propose—and immediately throws up upon seeing the ring (a pear-shaped diamond with a gold band, god forbid)—Samantha asserts her unsentimental two cents of, "Wrong ring, wrong guy." But despite her less-than-enthused thoughts on the institution of marriage, Samantha proves her friendships are more important to her than any personal hangups when she reveals she helped Aidan pick out a new ring that would actually entice Carrie to say yes. As she puts it in her oh-so-Samantha way, "If you're going to ruin our lives, I'd at least like to look at a nice piece of jewelry." 3. "Critical Condition" (Season 5, Episode 6) While she initially isn't very sympathetic to Miranda experiencing the challenges of new motherhood, once Carrie alerts her to the fact that she's been coming off a bit callous, Samantha shows up for Miranda in the best way she knows how—by spending the afternoon babysitting while Miranda takes over her highly coveted hair appointment with John Mandee at the John Mandee Salon. She also devises a very Samantha method for fixing baby Brady's oscillating chair, the only thing that keeps him from crying, when it suddenly stops working right after Miranda walks out the door. She may refer to Brady as an "asshole" a few times, but this is still some of Samantha's most thoughtful work. 2. "Anchors Away" (Season 5, Episode 1) In the wake of reluctantly opening her heart to Richard only to find out he was sleeping around on her, Samantha proceeds to plaster his neighborhood with fliers of his face accompanied by the labels "CHEATER!" and "LIAR!!!" When confronted by a cop for defacing public property, Samantha lets her in on Richard's explicit transgression and instantly earns a metaphorical get-out-of-jail-free card from her new police officer ally. Although she ultimately does end up briefly getting back together with Richard, this all goes to show just how much Samantha isn't one to be trifled with—especially considering a confrontation with Richard earlier in the episode had already put him on the receiving end of not only a drink in the face but one of Sam's most memorable one-liners, "Dirty martini, dirty bastard." 1. "Cover Girl" (Season 5, Episode 4) Season 5 of Sex and the City features a legendary run of episodes for Samantha. But, in our humble opinion, there's no denying "Cover Girl" takes the cake for her best of not only the season, but perhaps the entire series. After Samantha offers her pricey PR services to Carrie for the low cost of two martinis and a lunch, Carrie shows up at Samantha's office to find her providing a certain other service for the World Wide Express delivery guy. When Samantha tries to make light of Carrie catching her in the act, Carrie (who we might also remind you is a sex columnist) can't manage to contain her distaste for what she saw. Despite the fact that Carrie has always turned to Samantha in times of need for non-judgmental support, this escalates into a fight between the two in which Samantha valiantly defends her casual approach to sex with one of her most searing retorts: 'I will not be judged by you or society. I will wear whatever and blow whomever I want as long as I can breathe and kneel!"
