SATC: what is it that Big found hard to handle about Carrie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trey is old money wealthy. His family is wealthy, probably from multiple generations of wealth. He went to top schools and got a nice paying job as a doctor.

Big is new money wealthy. He didn't come from wealth (or only modestly wealthy), but went to school and got a very high paying job in NYC.

It's pretty apparent that they were differentiating between old and new money with these two characters.

Where did the show reveal that Big was new money? The episode where he went to the Episcopalian church with his mother made him seem very old money. He always seemed to be connected, too...and the 24/7 driver. Also, his name was John James Preston. I think both he and Trey were old money, and that is why Big wound up with Natasha. He just wasn't as stuffy as Trey. We don't learn as much about his background bc he was supposed to remain a mystery.

I agree--I never got the impression that Big was new money/striver class. His mother lives in Manhattan, too, and she's Episcopalian and very well-dressed--this was signalling on the part of the writers.

He didn't want to marry Carrie because I didn't think he could bring her home to mom. That whole Big's mom episode was him being embarrassed by her.

+2. The show didn't write him as "new money. " The episode with his mother at church indicated that he was supposed to be from old money, or at least that his mother had money. Agree that he was prep school/ivy. Carrie didn't fit into that scene, but Natasha did. The fact that he had a driver became part of his character and factored into several scenes with Carrie.

He also called her, "Mother." Here is the clip!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qek8czZNxGs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

Several Samantha moments: When she went home with the notorious player who was rumored to have a trapeze in his bedroom, and he really did.

When she was dating an older, wealthy man and tired to convince herself that his body didn't matter and then she saw his skinny drooping ass when he walked to the bathroom

The entire storyline when she had breast cancer. Made her very human, and I liked her after that.

[Anonymous]

This has been a fun thread! I think Big found Carrie amusing, entertaining, witty, and, last but not least, good in bed. He didn't like the idea of commitment, but Natasha was the "appropriate" choice for him and would have had Mother's stamp of approval. In the end, Natasha was too "beige" for him. He was not ready to settle down with Natasha in that lifestyle, despite being in his 40's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

Ha! I think he felt guilty about his "issues".

[Anonymous]

Have you watched SJPs new series Divorce? I loved SATC and really like it.

[Anonymous]

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

Heck yeah! I'm surprised the apartment was not in a trust or some similar set up. That apartment was worth millions and it had just been redecorated. It would have been different had they been together forever and the family knew and loved her and it just didn't work out after they said I do, but they knew each other for about 5 minutes before they got married which lasted for a few minutes more. I did wonder in addition to the apartment, how much actual cash she got in her divorce considering how short it lasted and there were no children and she didn't have to work afterwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

Ha! I think he felt guilty about his "issues".

Exactly. He realized he didn't hold up his end of the marital bargain. He knew she wanted a full sexual partner and children. This was the best he could give her to "make her whole."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

Ha! I think he felt guilty about his "issues".

Exactly. He realized he didn't hold up his end of the marital bargain. He knew she wanted a full sexual partner and children. This was the best he could give her to "make her whole."

Yep. He was just a decent guy. I always liked Trey. Char must've made millions out of this short marriage!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

The entire storyline when she had breast cancer. Made her very human, and I liked her after that.

I think my favorite episode is the one where Miranda and Steve get married and Samantha shares her diagnosis. Also the one where they go to Philly for Miranda's mom's funeral. I still cry when the bra sales lady hugs her in the dressing room and then Steve and Aiden are at the funeral! So good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trey is old money wealthy. His family is wealthy, probably from multiple generations of wealth. He went to top schools and got a nice paying job as a doctor.

Big is new money wealthy. He didn't come from wealth (or only modestly wealthy), but went to school and got a very high paying job in NYC.

It's pretty apparent that they were differentiating between old and new money with these two characters.

Where did the show reveal that Big was new money? The episode where he went to the Episcopalian church with his mother made him seem very old money. He always seemed to be connected, too...and the 24/7 driver. Also, his name was John James Preston. I think both he and Trey were old money, and that is why Big wound up with Natasha. He just wasn't as stuffy as Trey. We don't learn as much about his background bc he was supposed to remain a mystery.

I agree--I never got the impression that Big was new money/striver class. His mother lives in Manhattan, too, and she's Episcopalian and very well-dressed--this was signalling on the part of the writers.

He didn't want to marry Carrie because I didn't think he could bring her home to mom. That whole Big's mom episode was him being embarrassed by her.

+2. The show didn't write him as "new money. " The episode with his mother at church indicated that he was supposed to be from old money, or at least that his mother had money. Agree that he was prep school/ivy. Carrie didn't fit into that scene, but Natasha did. The fact that he had a driver became part of his character and factored into several scenes with Carrie.

He also called her, "Mother." Here is the clip!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qek8czZNxGs

I'm the PP who said Big is not old money. You're right. This clip and the behavior of his mother shows that they are old money. It just doesn't fit the rest of his portrayal in the rest of the series. We only know that he is mysterious and an ill mannered fabulously wealthy investment banker with a knack for theatrics and in your face displays of wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

Ha! I think he felt guilty about his "issues".

Exactly. He realized he didn't hold up his end of the marital bargain. He knew she wanted a full sexual partner and children. This was the best he could give her to "make her whole."

Yep. He was just a decent guy. I always liked Trey. Char must've made millions out of this short marriage!

"Oh I paid for that apartment"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

See, I think that story line was great and seemed accurate. It was so sad when Trey told Charlotte he didn't want any children. I mean, that's devastating and he's such a good man to give her the apartment. I think in real life it would have gone down a similar way. "Trey gave me that apartment"-"it wasn't his to give", and then the telegram "Charlotte was a wonderful wife. Give her everything she wants. seriously mother. Stop".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trey is old money wealthy. His family is wealthy, probably from multiple generations of wealth. He went to top schools and got a nice paying job as a doctor.

Big is new money wealthy. He didn't come from wealth (or only modestly wealthy), but went to school and got a very high paying job in NYC.

It's pretty apparent that they were differentiating between old and new money with these two characters.

Trey and Char are both old money as reflected in their priorities and mannerisms.

Carrie is a LMC trashy gold digger who wouldn't know class if it hit her in the face. Her obsession with name brand items; lack of financial sense; lewd behavior; socialing in dirty clubs and lust for rich men signify her poor tacky taste. She thinks spending money you do not have on name brand goods you do not need is the epitome of elegance and Mr Big, a gauche NYC Wall Street striver is the be all of class and dignity.

I think Big married Natasha because he, like Carrie, is a social climber who needed to marry into class in order to fit in and attain social legitimacy.He's a smart guy, he knows the kind of women rich men marry. It is his social climbing ways that made him run away from a commitment to carry for almost a decdsfe. As much as he enjoyed their trsyts and her company, for a long time her status as the sex columisny splashed across the side of the bus was a serious deal breaker for him.

He and Carrie are alike; they are both outsiders who came to NYC in search for glamour and riches. They have these fantasies of "old New York" based on movies and music and each try to act like how they think elegant New Yorkers should act like. Annoying Strivers. He only settled for Carrie when he realized his time was running out and that he had aged out of the competitive marriage market he had tentatively dipped his toes in earlier. They are sort of made for each other.

I don't think of Carrie as LMC or brand-obsessed. Fashion obsessed, yes. She was well read, a writer, and completed the NYT crossword puzzles... Also don't think Big was a NYC outsider. The show kept him a mystery, but we know he went to an Episcopalian church with his mother in a fancy neighborhood, so I think we know he came from money. Also, there was one episode where he runs into old friends (I think when he fails to introduce Carrie), and they talk about backpacking or skiing across Europe when younger. I picture him as a NYC prep school or boarding school type and Princeton grad.

She did none of those things until the movie. In the series, she didn't read books, poetry, or know much about politics. She was a dingbat with a penchant for writing flippant articles about her life and being single. Even in one of the episodes with the Russian, he tries to read poetry to her, and she goes on and on about how Vogue is her poetry. Good grief, it's a magazine full of ads for Vuitton and Blahnik.

Totally loathesome and undereducated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread. What else about SATC can we talk about? Not the movies.

l

Trey is getting a bad rap in this thread for being stiff and boring but so was Charlotte. They were equally matched IMO.

Speaking of those 2, something that always bugged me was him giving her the apartment in the divorce. That was prime real estate and had been in his family for generations - and he gives her the house, where she moves her new husband in and has a family there.

Trey and Charlotte couldn't have been married more than 15 months and that includes a separation. I'm usually not team MIL, but Bunny really should have pulled out the big guns, maybe had Trey declared insane - whatever it took to put a stop to that nonsense.

See, I think that story line was great and seemed accurate. It was so sad when Trey told Charlotte he didn't want any children. I mean, that's devastating and he's such a good man to give her the apartment. I think in real life it would have gone down a similar way. "Trey gave me that apartment"-"it wasn't his to give", and then the telegram "Charlotte was a wonderful wife. Give her everything she wants. seriously mother. Stop".

I thought it seemed really stupid. A telegram? REally? Was it 1936? She might have been a good wife, but that didn't mean she deserved a mulit-million dollar piece of property that had been in his family for years.

A few years of alimony, sure. Or a payout. But COME ON.