Honestly that's most tourists in Paris lol. If you take a shot every time you see a Breton shirt, beret or pleated skirt, you'd have alcohol poisoning before crossing one street.
Do you know what the problem is?ā¦.. he is not Big.
that all the other Men in her life could be doing everything right but if itās not him, it doesnāt hold the same weight.
ETA. This was not meant as a diss on Carrie sometimes people in your life are just irreplaceable.
Even if you hate the couple, we must all admit that she never loved any man the way she loved him.
Right?? Reminds me of the first movie where the big reveal of Bigās emails wasā¦ excerpts about love that other people wrote. If that makes you swoon, then you definitely have rose-colored glasses on haha
No, first she laughed uncontrollably, thinking it was a joke, laughed at how he wasnāt a good singer, and seemed embarrassedā¦ THEN she lit up after realizing he was really singing, not joking.
It was magic to her when he gave her a toothbrush head. It was magic to her when he called her his girlfriend after about a year of dating. Any other guy could romance her and it wouldnāt come close to her getting the bare minimum from Big. But tbh, her and Big were a better fit than her or Aidan or Petrovsky.
I think it would be magic to any woman! Big was kind of a man of mystery. You would think that he was all numbers, closing the deal and big shot and only that! You saw a bit of softness and sensitivity. Even though he at first left her at the altar and then changed his mind, after all of that he tried to woo her back by rewriting the love letters of past writers. Granted he probably had his secretary type for him, itās still an interesting way to win her back. He knew she was a writer and won Carrie back with words! Itās the same with some men nowadays! If I met a guy who read poetry to me, played a song on an instrument or took me to the opera I would think he is magic as well, especially if it something you have never experienced before.
Yup youāre so right. If Big had done any of those things, even if heād been just as absent because of work in Paris, she wouldāve suddenly been more understanding.
Yep and I love how astutely you put that she just constantly compares every man in her life to big sheās even says that on the phone, but sheās talking to Miranda
This!
Carrie was just trying Petrovsky on for size, he was never going to fit. Nothing he did or how he was would come without some sort of ābad smellā. Big was New York, he was cynical and he fit the mould in the way this beautifully romantic lover from overseas could not.
I feel like she did try, but if it doesnāt fit it doesnāt fit.
QUICK EDIT (SORRY): I as well mean no disrespect to the discussion because all valid points. I just mean to say, it was always going to be Big in Carrieās eyes. Sometimes we have to allow this to happen, if you get that then you will always watch the show accepting the fact she was never supposed to move to Paris with that guy. It was always Big š¤·š¼āāļø
No matter how exotic and exciting, Petrovsky and Paris would never feel right to her because they were not her two great loves: Big and New York City.Ā
I loved all of Petrovskyās romantic gestures and found Carrieās behavior ridiculous. She really wasnāt a cultured person. She lived in NYC but spent her time drinking, dining out, & shopping which only seemed sophisticated because of how she dressed and also the fact that many ppl think NYC itself is sophisticated.
I do think that Petrovsky was flaky on showing up for Carrie & that he wasnāt good at balancing work with his relationship. But in some ways, Carrie was signing up to be a trophy girlfriend & he was treating her like one.
They used to show her as cultured ā she stated that she loved the ballet and we see her going there twice. They show her reading in bed several times. She goes to museums in NYC too. Itās not about her being uncultured, itās about her being jaded and trying to play a part of a princess that wants to live happily ever after, hoping that itās right for her. But itās not because Alex isnāt her prince.
I donāt think she was uncultured, I think she was jaded and didnāt believe in romance. This is similar to Miranda calling his grand gestures hoo-ha. Very jaded and cynical and projected that on to Carrie especially. Iām glad it didnāt rub off too much on Charlotte.
A lot about Carrie has aged badly. This is an example where I think her Very American opposition to Petrovskyās attitudes and inability to enjoy Paris was supposed to come off as more endearing in 2004, soon after 9/11 and at a time when the US was angry at France for opposing the war in Iraq. In this time, it was hip for Americans to hate on France.
I kinda understood where she was coming from; I moved abroad when I was 22 to a country where I didnāt really speak the language, and no matter how excited you are to be there, it gets isolating and lonely very quickly.
however, she gave up almost immediately because she was living in a fantasy. she decided to go to Paris with the idea that sheād be romantically exploring with her boyfriend and it would be *so different* than previous relationships. from her fight with Miranda over it, it also seemed like she felt resentment towards her friends for their successful relationships, so she needed this one to work.
I donāt think Petrovsky was a great fit, but I think thatās because Carrie was fitting herself to him. again, she needed it to work because she was terrified of being alone while her friends moved on with their lives, and she convinced herself that her fantasy life in Paris would solve everything. dealing with the reality of a language barrier, isolation, and cultural differences shattered that almost immediately.
I wonder what she would have done if Big didnāt swoop in to save her? Would she have admitted defeat and returned to NY single? Or would she have tried to force the relationship with Aleks?
Iām 50/50 on what I think sheād do. on one hand, she was fully trying to book another room so she was ready to take a step back; however, I think in the light of day sheād have struggle to commit to her choice. especially having to admit defeat to her friends. having Big arrive at the perfect moment made it easy for her to leave.
2000% agree, Carrie is just a wannabe art-lover and not a real one. You can't even visit the whole Louvre in a few days and that is just 1 museum of the many. The episodes in Paris are also a great indicator of how she can't spend quality time alone, she always waits around for her busy boyfriend. Petrovsky was extremeley preoccupied, sure, but he's an artist, this is somehow understandable. Carrie could have used the time apart to focus on her art, like writing new columns or a new book, or learn french, etc.
You can't always wait around for your boyfriend to come and entertain you. Even the most average white collar professionals need alone time to focus on their work or hobbies. A woman should be able to do this too.
I will actually defend Petrovsky and how he behaves in Paris bc she absolutely knows he disappears into his work and has a huge launch coming up, she just expects to be wined and dined and entertained and he trusts that sheāll entertain herself. Itās just a bad combo. I actually think someone like Samantha wouldāve hit the ground running in that scenario
Yeah she didnāt even bring her laptop- a fish out of water story wouldāve been so satisfying for her to write while getting settled surely.Ā
Iām not guna blame her for not feeling comfortable on her own, I know a lot of people who would struggle, but I donāt think itās a failing of Petrovskys to not be holding her handĀ
I get secondhand embarrassment when she faints and tells him itās too much, sheās American.
She passes up the ballet, which she loves, in an expensive couture piece he hand picked for her, and they go to McDonalds. They could have gone afterwards.
This has nothing to do with Petrovsky, but it KILLS me when she calls Miranda and says sheās bored and that sheās already been to every museum twice. Sheād been there a WEEK and sheād allegedly dreamt of going to Paris her entire life. There is so much to see and do, not all of it is museum stuff if youāre not so inclined. It just comes off to me as the āugly Americanā - on this trip in an amazing city and just bitching and moaning, not appreciating any of it. Yes, a part of her unease was that she was there with the wrong person. But come on. Carrie is so uncultured
It made me cringe when he said he was busy with work so Carrie literally brought her friends to his apartment and then acted all hurt when he didn't drop everything to hang out with them and give them a tour of the apartment .. girl he TOLD YOU HE WAS BUSY! I didn't even think he acted that rude
I did get pretentious vibes from him though
The writing for the Paris ending was horrible, insincere, unrealistic, NOT true to character, and the writers must have had some personal vendetta against the city of Paris.
Gosh, Iām annoyed all over again because at the time I so wanted to move to Paris or London and I was pissed when Rachel gave up Paris for freaking ROSS and then Carrie gave up the minute she wasnāt at the epicentre of all attentionā¦ thank God for Emily in Paris. At least she is trying.
Many people who go to Paris just love the idea of Paris and not actually Paris lol. They end up disappointed. In fact, there is an actual term in Japanese for 'Paris Syndrome" which occurs when one faces physical symptoms from the disappointment experienced after finally visiting Paris. Can't make this up
Big and Petrovsky handled moving SO differently. Big didnāt even give her as much as a conversation about moving to Paris when Petrovsky was like āmove with me, Iāll pay for your apartment and you can live off of me there, you donāt even need a job.ā Like he was down for her coming and made it possible! Obviously he wasnāt attentive when she got there and thatās a whole other convo, but imagine if Big did half of these things for her.
Yes, she gave up easily, less than 2 weeks and she was already pining for home, she wasn't alone but she chose not to continue with her French classes that where going easily well for someone like her, i.e. low attention span. She could have gone back to the book store, apologize and set another meeting but no, that was another sign for her. She resigned instead of asking for a leave without payment, no, she just went full steam ahead and come what may.
Aleksandr was obviously focused on him, and his work. I mean, I moved last year to Europe, all by myself, I just had a very good friend in another city but we couldn't meet that often, I began in a room, my husband came much later when I set ourselves up, we did the paperwork and I started meeting people, she just gave up, and ON F... PARIS.
I was there 7 days and trust me, I couldn's see even half of my list given the distances, I don't for a second believe she went to every museum twice, I don't buy that American crap, she MAYBE went to Versailles, huge emphasis on maybe, Louvre, Orsay and that is it, she loves shopping, going to Aux Quatre Saisons, L'Samaritaine, etc. Same here, the amount of book stores, libraries, couture, she gave up EASILY.
And honestly, that ending... my 19 self liked it but my 39 self, upon the only full rewatch I did on SATC, would have love her to tell him that she had enough on that lobby, that she needn't rescuing, to acknowledge to Big she made a mistake by going there, that once more she bought her own crap and she is going to go back, put the pieces of her life back together and being the only one who ends up alone since Carrie believes in a true love that does not exist, she should keep searching, and end up with GOODBYE LOVERS or something witty.
But no, I don't buy the happily ever after ending for those two are too toxic to be able to work, ever.
I agree about a lot of her behavior being frustrating, but when it comes to the romance being "too much" I kind of get it, and I think it was an indicator that despite coming to Paris she still wasn't fully into him.
Think of when someone is pursuing you that you're not that into. Their actions might make you cringe or feel embarrassed, and it definitely can feel like too much. If the same actions are taken by you or someone you're more attracted to, it suddenly doesn't feel as over-the-top.
As for her unwillingness to explore Paris on her own I have no idea or excuse.
Yes! How are people not seeing this lol. I've been in her shoes and you just feel so guilty and unappreciative but you can't help go with the motions because "it feels like a bit much but isn't it a good thing?"
Also we know from the entire Big / Aiden storylines that she likes her men to be slightly out of reach and so overt romantic attention can feel too smothering for someone like that.
I do think that Petrovskiy and Carrie were a good fit. She was like a breath of fresh air to him and helped him be less tough. And he could have helped her to become more cultured. They were different people but sort of complimented each other and even if it was not going to last forever, they could have benefited from the relationship.
Miranda acting like Paris is some kind of hell that Carrie needs to be saved from and like she owns her is ridiculous. āBring our girl backā. No, sheās not your girl. Sometimes life takes our friends to another level that is challenging but going to back to their comfort zone is damaging to them. And we know that it was. Carrie is 50-something now and she is still being such a kid.
I think Miranda only said that because Carrie called Miranda crying from the pay phone and essentially communicated that she's miserable and misses Big..
I thought it was sweet of Miranda. āOur girlā she is. Carrie acts like a girl. Sheās not independent, unlike Sam. She always needs to be rescued, helped, supported, reassured. Sheās always spiraling off something lol. Miranda knew Carrie was unhappy and doing something that didnāt suit her. She was all alone. Which is a shame, but it sure is hard to make real friends when youāre in a different city or country.
I know we all hated how she missed the French book party for her, that was shitty.
At the end of the day, she was a creature of habit and belonged in nyc
Yes. Miranda correctly assessed that Carrie wasnāt happy in Paris and would like Big to come sweep her off her feet. I canāt really fault Miranda for accurately (but melodramatically) answering Bigās question about whether he should go to Paris. What should she do instead? Pretend like Carrie is happy and doesnāt want to see Big because suffering builds character? That being said, this show acts like being in the lap of luxury in Paris is a struggle because Petrovsky isnāt fawning over Carrie non-stop and thatās very silly.
She could have just called Carrie and told her that Big said this or that and let her make her decision. Just because you find yourself fantasizing about having an avoidant ex back into your life, all available and head over heels for you, doesnāt mean that you really want or need that to happen. Itās an ego response, itās your mind trying to fix a situation that still hurts you.
Challenges do not equal to suffering, itās your choice if you are going to be the victim of the whole situation and indulge in self-pity and negativity or to try and turn things around. I donāt blame her for feeling like an alien in a different planet and struggling to start over even if sheās living in luxury, but she didnāt start a blog, she didnāt sign up for French lessons, etc. So after two weeks there were no museums, no restaurants, no shops, no little corners to explore? Really.
But well, this is Carrie that weāre talking about. Of course she was going to get back with Big. Miranda was not a big factor on that, but she was just annoying.
I donāt actually think thatās what Miranda is seeing, I think sheās seeing how flighty Carrie is and how little sheās prepared for the move. She doesnāt even bring her laptop, sheās clearly seeing it as some grand gesture to Petrovsky that sheās not thought throughĀ
Let her deal. She has to find a way of being herself in Paris instead of just being Petrovskiyās side piece, making her own friends, learning the language and customs and having a career there once sheās done feeling like a tourist. She doesnāt need Chip and Dale rescue rangers to come fetch her. If she needs another laptop, she can buy one in France. I donāt know about outlets and electricity in the US versus France but maybe getting a computer there is a better idea.
I studied abroad and everyone made a point of not going back home to visit after at least two years. You need to go through a phase of adaptation and language learning and if you go back, you may even lose language skill and forget a lot of what you have learned.
I agree with you, and said as much in another comment that Carrie isnāt good on her own, but what I mean is I donāt think this is Miranda seeing paris as a hellhole but just seeing the drama ahead and just trying to nip it in the budĀ
I donāt think itās fair to judge Miranda so harshly for how she responded to the move to Paris. She knew Carrie was going to Paris just to be Petrovskyās shadow and she was giving up her own life and independence to do it. Miranda loves Carrie so of course sheās going to want Carrie to see the cons of going to Paris because she is usually the dose of reality and cynicism in the group, so itās in line with her personality.
She just wanted to shield her from making a potentially bad decision, and as her friend she would let her know how she felt. Iām sure if Carrie wanted to move to Paris for herself even if she was going with Petrovsky, she would have been more supportive.
Carrie is not a kid. She can make her own decisions and be her own person. Even if she got there for all the wrong reasons, itās her life to live. I can say to a friend that maybe they need to reconsider this and that because I care. But I cannot infantilize them and act like I know better what is it that they should be doing because I think that is controlling behavior. Miranda had very little respect for people and their choices and she was always right and had the superior judgement in her own mind.
Miranda was the one point out to Carrie that if Berger and Carrie needed a Hollywood moment to get through the morning, then it probably wasnāt working out.
Just for the record, what Iām saying does not apply to violence in my humble opinion. If Carrie had called Miranda saying that Petrovsky was being violent or that she was somewhat in danger, call the embassy, help get the girl a plane ticket. Otherwise, I donāt really think you can āshieldā an adult for the life lessons and experiences that theyāre choosing. You just give your advice but you cannot shame or manipulate them into doing what you think itās best for them.
Carrie can make her own decisions and she did. But often times she did not have the best judgment and that is a flaw in Carrie, so her having a friend who will show her other perspectives and give her advice was very fitting. At the end of the day Miranda was not trying to be controlling. She just felt strongly about her leaving for Paris. Carrie still did what she wanted anyway and Miranda did not hold it against her. So whatās wrong with that?
And why doesn't she have a cellphone? The first Paris episode went to air in 2004, which was approximately 7 years after everyone in Western Europe got GSM mobile phones. There's a scene where she's using a payphone on the street to make a transatlantic phone call ā what?! In another scene, she can't contact people to cancel some plans, because she doesn't have a phone number and apparently neither do the people she planned to meet. It's very anachronistic. It's like it was written by someone who had not actually seen Paris recently.
I personally don't think Carrie gets an arc that shows very much growth or learning from her mistakes and I think that is why she seems to be so disliked when people rewatch today or watch for the first time. And I think the Petrovsky relationship kind of shows that. Like...yeah...he kinda sucks (a lot). But Carrie gives up her entire life for a man she barely knows and moves to Paris with this ridiculous, romantic idea of what Paris will be like. In reality, she seems to have spent zero time considering the reality of the scenario. Then she gets there and after like two weeks is talking about how she's been to all the museums and blah blah blah. You could spend years in Paris and not go to all the museums. Then she finally meets people who like her book and she stands them up for Petrovsky. Girly pop NEVER LEARNS and does not advocate for herself very well. And then she just gets back together with Big, which is what we've all wanted yeah, but it took her 6 years to really pull herself away from him and then she goes right back. It's a show so I can suspend belief and pretend he changed and finally realized he loved her. But realistically, in the real world, that wouldn't work out that way.
he buys her that beautiful gown to go to the opera or something and she messes up the evening by fake fainting and telling him to "take it down a notch" and they end up at Mcd. thats tacky.
I get itās a plot point to have some conflict but I find Mirandaās frought over concern for Carrie in the last season so cringe. Sheās not some fragile little girl being taken advantage of.
"she's been to "every museum like twice" when there's no way she could have done that in just a few days"
LISTEN !!!! that annoyed me SO MUCH !! i grew up and lived all my life in Paris and even I didn't visit every museum lool.
there are so much stuff to do in paris lol she really was clingy.
I read somewhere that some viewers complained about Carrie dating Big being older and the writers thought ok letās go with someone really older. Thinking that Big was about 7 years ish difference was too old for Carrie. Then they inserted Petrovsky and show her in a relationship with a real older man, at least 12 years.
I love this post. Iāve always felt that Petrovsky was not most peopleās cup of tea, but, 10000% real about who he was: Cultured, non-traditional, self-absorbed, work-obsessed (possibly to a fault), and extremely sure of what he wants. He was transparent about not wanting kids, wanting to stay in Paris indefinitely, wanting to structure his life a certain way around a certain mindset. Carrie didnāt have to go along with any of it. But, she did, and got treated like a princess every step of the way, and that still wasnāt good enough. His impatience with her made sense.
Also, she resented him for being too into his work, but who was paying for that wildly luxurious suite for her? Petrovsky. Heās gotta be able to afford her room and board and diamond necklaces; so she can blow her own money on Dior shoes and pastries. Boo hoo!
The only way I saw him behaving badly was when he ditched her at his own art showing. But Carrie acted like a brat the entire time leading up to that, so I see it as a Team Nobody situation. Petrovsky was always honest and she demonized him for it, even when he was properly setting up boundaries, e.g. when he said heād like to meet her friends another time and she brought them over to the apartment anyway.
And Miranda in real life wouldnāt have many female friends, I fear. She is just a bitch sometimes. Her inability to believe in romance probably stems from fear, but she shits on everyone elseās dreams of a softer, gentler relationship. I doubt Charlotte or even Carrie in the real world would be as close to her as the show portrayed. Miranda is another narcissist who hates anyone with a different opinion than hers.
Ugh, yesss!!! She always acted so childish, like when Big got up to sing at the Italian restaurant and she just kept laughing, or when he put on Moon River and she was making fun of him. But with Petrovsky it was overdone, why canāt she appreciate people for who they are?
And yes. I agree with what you said about how she was in Paris.
i had the impression it was love bombing. he never kept that same energy once he āhadā her aka in paris after she has given up her friends Nd career to go there with him. the romance wasnāt sincere because he was so RUDE when her friends visited and for that dinner. for the things that truly mattered he was the least romantic ever
Just because youāre in the arts doesnāt mean you like mushy, sweeping romantic gestures. Also, he wasnāt doing that for her, he was doing it to feed his ego.
I feel like her complaints about him were valid. I donāt think he was a bad guy, but I do think he should be single. He was in love with the idea or romance not her. He was also consumed by his work which is totally fine. But if thatās whatās most important then focus on that.
Not a fan of this union.
I do think it was stupid of her to off and run away to Paris with him though. But thatās the issue with her in this relationship. I think she was also in with the idea of him just as he was with her. Not a good match.
But I do think itās unfair to say that Carrie is wrong or childish. Just because someone else likes all these grand gestures and things he did, doesnāt mean she is wrong or bad because they donāt appeal to her.
EDIT: Sneaking suspicion that the people who like these gestures are downvoting this. Or single people š I made all valid points.
Spot on.
I went on a few dates with a tall, smart guy who wrote poetry for me before even meeting me. We talked on the phone and just by my voice he was so enamoured he envisioned what it would feel like when he met me and wrote based on that. "I mean, he loves my voice that much I guess...this isn't too over the top..." Such gestures multiplied by 100 when I met him, and he needed appreciation for every gesture he did (even when I was clearly uncomfortable). While he is very into me and doing all these poetic things, I come across his whole poetry page on instagram filled with ONLY romantic poetry describing a girl's voice/looks/etc. He was definitely in love with the idea of love, and I could no longer pretend to be in love with the idea of him. The end.
Thank you!! Iām in the exact same place, watching in my teens/20ās was soooo different than in my 30ās/40ās, and I honestly couldnāt believe they had written these storylines for people who were supposed to be in their late 30ās by the end.
I donāt find Carrieās behavior āembarrassingā. Sheās always been the type of person to think she wants something and she loses it when she gets it.
Also, sorry honey but the āmimeā dress is iconic and itās been replicated many times. She waits around in a nice dress to go to dinner with him because he said heād have dinner with him. We never see her buy MOST of her clothes. She does try but she had expectations that did not match her reality.
Also Iām with Miranda, the Russian is pretentious. Just Google the definition.
Why is she dressed like a mime I am cackling
š
Honestly that's most tourists in Paris lol. If you take a shot every time you see a Breton shirt, beret or pleated skirt, you'd have alcohol poisoning before crossing one street.
Do you know what the problem is?ā¦.. he is not Big. that all the other Men in her life could be doing everything right but if itās not him, it doesnāt hold the same weight. ETA. This was not meant as a diss on Carrie sometimes people in your life are just irreplaceable. Even if you hate the couple, we must all admit that she never loved any man the way she loved him.
Yeah why do I feel like Big reading a poem or taking her to the opera would have been utter magic to Carrie.Ā
Even if Big had just LISTENED to her poem at the wedding, she would have been over the moon.
Right?? Reminds me of the first movie where the big reveal of Bigās emails wasā¦ excerpts about love that other people wrote. If that makes you swoon, then you definitely have rose-colored glasses on haha
That was the worst!
Perfect point
Big emailed her Love Letters in the first movie and she was moved lol
Right?! Moved by other peopleās words that he copied and pasted.
Yeah just remember how her face lits up when Big does karaoke in the Italian restaurant. Thereās just no room for any other guy in her heart.
No, first she laughed uncontrollably, thinking it was a joke, laughed at how he wasnāt a good singer, and seemed embarrassedā¦ THEN she lit up after realizing he was really singing, not joking.
It was magic to her when he gave her a toothbrush head. It was magic to her when he called her his girlfriend after about a year of dating. Any other guy could romance her and it wouldnāt come close to her getting the bare minimum from Big. But tbh, her and Big were a better fit than her or Aidan or Petrovsky.
The toothbrush head! š
I think it would be magic to any woman! Big was kind of a man of mystery. You would think that he was all numbers, closing the deal and big shot and only that! You saw a bit of softness and sensitivity. Even though he at first left her at the altar and then changed his mind, after all of that he tried to woo her back by rewriting the love letters of past writers. Granted he probably had his secretary type for him, itās still an interesting way to win her back. He knew she was a writer and won Carrie back with words! Itās the same with some men nowadays! If I met a guy who read poetry to me, played a song on an instrument or took me to the opera I would think he is magic as well, especially if it something you have never experienced before.
Yup youāre so right. If Big had done any of those things, even if heād been just as absent because of work in Paris, she wouldāve suddenly been more understanding.
This. A man can give you the moon, but if itās not the man that you want, it means nothing!
Yep and I love how astutely you put that she just constantly compares every man in her life to big sheās even says that on the phone, but sheās talking to Miranda
This! Carrie was just trying Petrovsky on for size, he was never going to fit. Nothing he did or how he was would come without some sort of ābad smellā. Big was New York, he was cynical and he fit the mould in the way this beautifully romantic lover from overseas could not. I feel like she did try, but if it doesnāt fit it doesnāt fit. QUICK EDIT (SORRY): I as well mean no disrespect to the discussion because all valid points. I just mean to say, it was always going to be Big in Carrieās eyes. Sometimes we have to allow this to happen, if you get that then you will always watch the show accepting the fact she was never supposed to move to Paris with that guy. It was always Big š¤·š¼āāļø
No matter how exotic and exciting, Petrovsky and Paris would never feel right to her because they were not her two great loves: Big and New York City.Ā
I loved all of Petrovskyās romantic gestures and found Carrieās behavior ridiculous. She really wasnāt a cultured person. She lived in NYC but spent her time drinking, dining out, & shopping which only seemed sophisticated because of how she dressed and also the fact that many ppl think NYC itself is sophisticated. I do think that Petrovsky was flaky on showing up for Carrie & that he wasnāt good at balancing work with his relationship. But in some ways, Carrie was signing up to be a trophy girlfriend & he was treating her like one.
They used to show her as cultured ā she stated that she loved the ballet and we see her going there twice. They show her reading in bed several times. She goes to museums in NYC too. Itās not about her being uncultured, itās about her being jaded and trying to play a part of a princess that wants to live happily ever after, hoping that itās right for her. But itās not because Alex isnāt her prince.
I donāt think she was uncultured, I think she was jaded and didnāt believe in romance. This is similar to Miranda calling his grand gestures hoo-ha. Very jaded and cynical and projected that on to Carrie especially. Iām glad it didnāt rub off too much on Charlotte.
A lot about Carrie has aged badly. This is an example where I think her Very American opposition to Petrovskyās attitudes and inability to enjoy Paris was supposed to come off as more endearing in 2004, soon after 9/11 and at a time when the US was angry at France for opposing the war in Iraq. In this time, it was hip for Americans to hate on France.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
OMG the "End of Ze World" video š. "But I am le tired..."
I literally just told a friend yesterday that I am le tired š
Then go have a nap.
And then fire missiles!
I kinda understood where she was coming from; I moved abroad when I was 22 to a country where I didnāt really speak the language, and no matter how excited you are to be there, it gets isolating and lonely very quickly. however, she gave up almost immediately because she was living in a fantasy. she decided to go to Paris with the idea that sheād be romantically exploring with her boyfriend and it would be *so different* than previous relationships. from her fight with Miranda over it, it also seemed like she felt resentment towards her friends for their successful relationships, so she needed this one to work. I donāt think Petrovsky was a great fit, but I think thatās because Carrie was fitting herself to him. again, she needed it to work because she was terrified of being alone while her friends moved on with their lives, and she convinced herself that her fantasy life in Paris would solve everything. dealing with the reality of a language barrier, isolation, and cultural differences shattered that almost immediately.
I wonder what she would have done if Big didnāt swoop in to save her? Would she have admitted defeat and returned to NY single? Or would she have tried to force the relationship with Aleks?
Iām 50/50 on what I think sheād do. on one hand, she was fully trying to book another room so she was ready to take a step back; however, I think in the light of day sheād have struggle to commit to her choice. especially having to admit defeat to her friends. having Big arrive at the perfect moment made it easy for her to leave.
2000% agree, Carrie is just a wannabe art-lover and not a real one. You can't even visit the whole Louvre in a few days and that is just 1 museum of the many. The episodes in Paris are also a great indicator of how she can't spend quality time alone, she always waits around for her busy boyfriend. Petrovsky was extremeley preoccupied, sure, but he's an artist, this is somehow understandable. Carrie could have used the time apart to focus on her art, like writing new columns or a new book, or learn french, etc. You can't always wait around for your boyfriend to come and entertain you. Even the most average white collar professionals need alone time to focus on their work or hobbies. A woman should be able to do this too.
I will actually defend Petrovsky and how he behaves in Paris bc she absolutely knows he disappears into his work and has a huge launch coming up, she just expects to be wined and dined and entertained and he trusts that sheāll entertain herself. Itās just a bad combo. I actually think someone like Samantha wouldāve hit the ground running in that scenario
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yeah she didnāt even bring her laptop- a fish out of water story wouldāve been so satisfying for her to write while getting settled surely.Ā Iām not guna blame her for not feeling comfortable on her own, I know a lot of people who would struggle, but I donāt think itās a failing of Petrovskys to not be holding her handĀ
I get secondhand embarrassment when she faints and tells him itās too much, sheās American. She passes up the ballet, which she loves, in an expensive couture piece he hand picked for her, and they go to McDonalds. They could have gone afterwards.
They were actually going to the Met, not the ballet.
There IS ballet at the Met Opera so she would have had two cultured activities for tne price of one.
There is ballet at Lincoln Center. It is not performed at the Opera House.
This has nothing to do with Petrovsky, but it KILLS me when she calls Miranda and says sheās bored and that sheās already been to every museum twice. Sheād been there a WEEK and sheād allegedly dreamt of going to Paris her entire life. There is so much to see and do, not all of it is museum stuff if youāre not so inclined. It just comes off to me as the āugly Americanā - on this trip in an amazing city and just bitching and moaning, not appreciating any of it. Yes, a part of her unease was that she was there with the wrong person. But come on. Carrie is so uncultured
It made me cringe when he said he was busy with work so Carrie literally brought her friends to his apartment and then acted all hurt when he didn't drop everything to hang out with them and give them a tour of the apartment .. girl he TOLD YOU HE WAS BUSY! I didn't even think he acted that rude I did get pretentious vibes from him though
I know that always gets me too.... like what did u expect?!
The writing for the Paris ending was horrible, insincere, unrealistic, NOT true to character, and the writers must have had some personal vendetta against the city of Paris.
Gosh, Iām annoyed all over again because at the time I so wanted to move to Paris or London and I was pissed when Rachel gave up Paris for freaking ROSS and then Carrie gave up the minute she wasnāt at the epicentre of all attentionā¦ thank God for Emily in Paris. At least she is trying.
This made me chuckle, I love Emily in Paris haha. At least she stayed in Paris!
Rachel didnt give up Paris. She just left on a later flight.
Rachel didn't just gave up Paris, a freaking promotion too! Ugh.
But she didnt give up. She left later.
Oof, thank God. I remember she gave up everything. When did they said she will go after?
Itās after the gang finds out she came back and theyāre talking about going for coffee in the apt.
ty
Many people who go to Paris just love the idea of Paris and not actually Paris lol. They end up disappointed. In fact, there is an actual term in Japanese for 'Paris Syndrome" which occurs when one faces physical symptoms from the disappointment experienced after finally visiting Paris. Can't make this up
This! I hated the Paris episodes when they first came out and I hate them in every rĆ©-watch. She is such a brat. Followed by Big and his stupid āCarrie youāre the oneā cringe fest.
I just watched the last episode last night. Why is the āyouāre the oneā line so damn annoying ? Itās been bugging me all day.
The way he says it sounds stupid and itās anticlimactic.
lmaoooo āšshut up and kiss me you big cry babyšā
That whole scene was so bad !
lmfaoooooo it really was. my bf loves to mock it whenever itās on š¤£š¤£š¤£
Big and Petrovsky handled moving SO differently. Big didnāt even give her as much as a conversation about moving to Paris when Petrovsky was like āmove with me, Iāll pay for your apartment and you can live off of me there, you donāt even need a job.ā Like he was down for her coming and made it possible! Obviously he wasnāt attentive when she got there and thatās a whole other convo, but imagine if Big did half of these things for her.
Yes, she gave up easily, less than 2 weeks and she was already pining for home, she wasn't alone but she chose not to continue with her French classes that where going easily well for someone like her, i.e. low attention span. She could have gone back to the book store, apologize and set another meeting but no, that was another sign for her. She resigned instead of asking for a leave without payment, no, she just went full steam ahead and come what may. Aleksandr was obviously focused on him, and his work. I mean, I moved last year to Europe, all by myself, I just had a very good friend in another city but we couldn't meet that often, I began in a room, my husband came much later when I set ourselves up, we did the paperwork and I started meeting people, she just gave up, and ON F... PARIS. I was there 7 days and trust me, I couldn's see even half of my list given the distances, I don't for a second believe she went to every museum twice, I don't buy that American crap, she MAYBE went to Versailles, huge emphasis on maybe, Louvre, Orsay and that is it, she loves shopping, going to Aux Quatre Saisons, L'Samaritaine, etc. Same here, the amount of book stores, libraries, couture, she gave up EASILY. And honestly, that ending... my 19 self liked it but my 39 self, upon the only full rewatch I did on SATC, would have love her to tell him that she had enough on that lobby, that she needn't rescuing, to acknowledge to Big she made a mistake by going there, that once more she bought her own crap and she is going to go back, put the pieces of her life back together and being the only one who ends up alone since Carrie believes in a true love that does not exist, she should keep searching, and end up with GOODBYE LOVERS or something witty. But no, I don't buy the happily ever after ending for those two are too toxic to be able to work, ever.
I agree about a lot of her behavior being frustrating, but when it comes to the romance being "too much" I kind of get it, and I think it was an indicator that despite coming to Paris she still wasn't fully into him. Think of when someone is pursuing you that you're not that into. Their actions might make you cringe or feel embarrassed, and it definitely can feel like too much. If the same actions are taken by you or someone you're more attracted to, it suddenly doesn't feel as over-the-top. As for her unwillingness to explore Paris on her own I have no idea or excuse.
Yes! How are people not seeing this lol. I've been in her shoes and you just feel so guilty and unappreciative but you can't help go with the motions because "it feels like a bit much but isn't it a good thing?"
Also we know from the entire Big / Aiden storylines that she likes her men to be slightly out of reach and so overt romantic attention can feel too smothering for someone like that.
I do think that Petrovskiy and Carrie were a good fit. She was like a breath of fresh air to him and helped him be less tough. And he could have helped her to become more cultured. They were different people but sort of complimented each other and even if it was not going to last forever, they could have benefited from the relationship. Miranda acting like Paris is some kind of hell that Carrie needs to be saved from and like she owns her is ridiculous. āBring our girl backā. No, sheās not your girl. Sometimes life takes our friends to another level that is challenging but going to back to their comfort zone is damaging to them. And we know that it was. Carrie is 50-something now and she is still being such a kid.
I think Miranda only said that because Carrie called Miranda crying from the pay phone and essentially communicated that she's miserable and misses Big..
I thought it was sweet of Miranda. āOur girlā she is. Carrie acts like a girl. Sheās not independent, unlike Sam. She always needs to be rescued, helped, supported, reassured. Sheās always spiraling off something lol. Miranda knew Carrie was unhappy and doing something that didnāt suit her. She was all alone. Which is a shame, but it sure is hard to make real friends when youāre in a different city or country. I know we all hated how she missed the French book party for her, that was shitty. At the end of the day, she was a creature of habit and belonged in nyc
Yes. Miranda correctly assessed that Carrie wasnāt happy in Paris and would like Big to come sweep her off her feet. I canāt really fault Miranda for accurately (but melodramatically) answering Bigās question about whether he should go to Paris. What should she do instead? Pretend like Carrie is happy and doesnāt want to see Big because suffering builds character? That being said, this show acts like being in the lap of luxury in Paris is a struggle because Petrovsky isnāt fawning over Carrie non-stop and thatās very silly.
She could have just called Carrie and told her that Big said this or that and let her make her decision. Just because you find yourself fantasizing about having an avoidant ex back into your life, all available and head over heels for you, doesnāt mean that you really want or need that to happen. Itās an ego response, itās your mind trying to fix a situation that still hurts you. Challenges do not equal to suffering, itās your choice if you are going to be the victim of the whole situation and indulge in self-pity and negativity or to try and turn things around. I donāt blame her for feeling like an alien in a different planet and struggling to start over even if sheās living in luxury, but she didnāt start a blog, she didnāt sign up for French lessons, etc. So after two weeks there were no museums, no restaurants, no shops, no little corners to explore? Really. But well, this is Carrie that weāre talking about. Of course she was going to get back with Big. Miranda was not a big factor on that, but she was just annoying.
I donāt actually think thatās what Miranda is seeing, I think sheās seeing how flighty Carrie is and how little sheās prepared for the move. She doesnāt even bring her laptop, sheās clearly seeing it as some grand gesture to Petrovsky that sheās not thought throughĀ
Let her deal. She has to find a way of being herself in Paris instead of just being Petrovskiyās side piece, making her own friends, learning the language and customs and having a career there once sheās done feeling like a tourist. She doesnāt need Chip and Dale rescue rangers to come fetch her. If she needs another laptop, she can buy one in France. I donāt know about outlets and electricity in the US versus France but maybe getting a computer there is a better idea. I studied abroad and everyone made a point of not going back home to visit after at least two years. You need to go through a phase of adaptation and language learning and if you go back, you may even lose language skill and forget a lot of what you have learned.
I agree with you, and said as much in another comment that Carrie isnāt good on her own, but what I mean is I donāt think this is Miranda seeing paris as a hellhole but just seeing the drama ahead and just trying to nip it in the budĀ
I donāt think itās fair to judge Miranda so harshly for how she responded to the move to Paris. She knew Carrie was going to Paris just to be Petrovskyās shadow and she was giving up her own life and independence to do it. Miranda loves Carrie so of course sheās going to want Carrie to see the cons of going to Paris because she is usually the dose of reality and cynicism in the group, so itās in line with her personality. She just wanted to shield her from making a potentially bad decision, and as her friend she would let her know how she felt. Iām sure if Carrie wanted to move to Paris for herself even if she was going with Petrovsky, she would have been more supportive.
Carrie is not a kid. She can make her own decisions and be her own person. Even if she got there for all the wrong reasons, itās her life to live. I can say to a friend that maybe they need to reconsider this and that because I care. But I cannot infantilize them and act like I know better what is it that they should be doing because I think that is controlling behavior. Miranda had very little respect for people and their choices and she was always right and had the superior judgement in her own mind.
But Miranda was usually right though, and especially right in this case.
She liked Berger.
Miranda was the one point out to Carrie that if Berger and Carrie needed a Hollywood moment to get through the morning, then it probably wasnāt working out.
Just for the record, what Iām saying does not apply to violence in my humble opinion. If Carrie had called Miranda saying that Petrovsky was being violent or that she was somewhat in danger, call the embassy, help get the girl a plane ticket. Otherwise, I donāt really think you can āshieldā an adult for the life lessons and experiences that theyāre choosing. You just give your advice but you cannot shame or manipulate them into doing what you think itās best for them.
Carrie can make her own decisions and she did. But often times she did not have the best judgment and that is a flaw in Carrie, so her having a friend who will show her other perspectives and give her advice was very fitting. At the end of the day Miranda was not trying to be controlling. She just felt strongly about her leaving for Paris. Carrie still did what she wanted anyway and Miranda did not hold it against her. So whatās wrong with that?
Her reaction to the pancakes is particularly funny. Making breakfast for people is such a bog standard activity it's a wonder she survives sometimes.
And why doesn't she have a cellphone? The first Paris episode went to air in 2004, which was approximately 7 years after everyone in Western Europe got GSM mobile phones. There's a scene where she's using a payphone on the street to make a transatlantic phone call ā what?! In another scene, she can't contact people to cancel some plans, because she doesn't have a phone number and apparently neither do the people she planned to meet. It's very anachronistic. It's like it was written by someone who had not actually seen Paris recently.
I personally don't think Carrie gets an arc that shows very much growth or learning from her mistakes and I think that is why she seems to be so disliked when people rewatch today or watch for the first time. And I think the Petrovsky relationship kind of shows that. Like...yeah...he kinda sucks (a lot). But Carrie gives up her entire life for a man she barely knows and moves to Paris with this ridiculous, romantic idea of what Paris will be like. In reality, she seems to have spent zero time considering the reality of the scenario. Then she gets there and after like two weeks is talking about how she's been to all the museums and blah blah blah. You could spend years in Paris and not go to all the museums. Then she finally meets people who like her book and she stands them up for Petrovsky. Girly pop NEVER LEARNS and does not advocate for herself very well. And then she just gets back together with Big, which is what we've all wanted yeah, but it took her 6 years to really pull herself away from him and then she goes right back. It's a show so I can suspend belief and pretend he changed and finally realized he loved her. But realistically, in the real world, that wouldn't work out that way.
he buys her that beautiful gown to go to the opera or something and she messes up the evening by fake fainting and telling him to "take it down a notch" and they end up at Mcd. thats tacky.
I get itās a plot point to have some conflict but I find Mirandaās frought over concern for Carrie in the last season so cringe. Sheās not some fragile little girl being taken advantage of.
"she's been to "every museum like twice" when there's no way she could have done that in just a few days" LISTEN !!!! that annoyed me SO MUCH !! i grew up and lived all my life in Paris and even I didn't visit every museum lool. there are so much stuff to do in paris lol she really was clingy.
Miranda had no grounds to criticize Petrovsky for anything considering she was with a man who left skid marks in his underwear.
I read somewhere that some viewers complained about Carrie dating Big being older and the writers thought ok letās go with someone really older. Thinking that Big was about 7 years ish difference was too old for Carrie. Then they inserted Petrovsky and show her in a relationship with a real older man, at least 12 years.
I love this post. Iāve always felt that Petrovsky was not most peopleās cup of tea, but, 10000% real about who he was: Cultured, non-traditional, self-absorbed, work-obsessed (possibly to a fault), and extremely sure of what he wants. He was transparent about not wanting kids, wanting to stay in Paris indefinitely, wanting to structure his life a certain way around a certain mindset. Carrie didnāt have to go along with any of it. But, she did, and got treated like a princess every step of the way, and that still wasnāt good enough. His impatience with her made sense. Also, she resented him for being too into his work, but who was paying for that wildly luxurious suite for her? Petrovsky. Heās gotta be able to afford her room and board and diamond necklaces; so she can blow her own money on Dior shoes and pastries. Boo hoo! The only way I saw him behaving badly was when he ditched her at his own art showing. But Carrie acted like a brat the entire time leading up to that, so I see it as a Team Nobody situation. Petrovsky was always honest and she demonized him for it, even when he was properly setting up boundaries, e.g. when he said heād like to meet her friends another time and she brought them over to the apartment anyway. And Miranda in real life wouldnāt have many female friends, I fear. She is just a bitch sometimes. Her inability to believe in romance probably stems from fear, but she shits on everyone elseās dreams of a softer, gentler relationship. I doubt Charlotte or even Carrie in the real world would be as close to her as the show portrayed. Miranda is another narcissist who hates anyone with a different opinion than hers.
I agree with this
Ugh, yesss!!! She always acted so childish, like when Big got up to sing at the Italian restaurant and she just kept laughing, or when he put on Moon River and she was making fun of him. But with Petrovsky it was overdone, why canāt she appreciate people for who they are? And yes. I agree with what you said about how she was in Paris.
i had the impression it was love bombing. he never kept that same energy once he āhadā her aka in paris after she has given up her friends Nd career to go there with him. the romance wasnāt sincere because he was so RUDE when her friends visited and for that dinner. for the things that truly mattered he was the least romantic ever
It wasnāt love bombing, not by a long shot.
Just because youāre in the arts doesnāt mean you like mushy, sweeping romantic gestures. Also, he wasnāt doing that for her, he was doing it to feed his ego. I feel like her complaints about him were valid. I donāt think he was a bad guy, but I do think he should be single. He was in love with the idea or romance not her. He was also consumed by his work which is totally fine. But if thatās whatās most important then focus on that. Not a fan of this union. I do think it was stupid of her to off and run away to Paris with him though. But thatās the issue with her in this relationship. I think she was also in with the idea of him just as he was with her. Not a good match. But I do think itās unfair to say that Carrie is wrong or childish. Just because someone else likes all these grand gestures and things he did, doesnāt mean she is wrong or bad because they donāt appeal to her. EDIT: Sneaking suspicion that the people who like these gestures are downvoting this. Or single people š I made all valid points.
Right? I agree. Neither of them are bad people, just not right for one another.
Spot on. I went on a few dates with a tall, smart guy who wrote poetry for me before even meeting me. We talked on the phone and just by my voice he was so enamoured he envisioned what it would feel like when he met me and wrote based on that. "I mean, he loves my voice that much I guess...this isn't too over the top..." Such gestures multiplied by 100 when I met him, and he needed appreciation for every gesture he did (even when I was clearly uncomfortable). While he is very into me and doing all these poetic things, I come across his whole poetry page on instagram filled with ONLY romantic poetry describing a girl's voice/looks/etc. He was definitely in love with the idea of love, and I could no longer pretend to be in love with the idea of him. The end.
Ha ha!
Yes but I find most of Carrieās behavior embarrassing for someone in their 30s
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Thank you!! Iām in the exact same place, watching in my teens/20ās was soooo different than in my 30ās/40ās, and I honestly couldnāt believe they had written these storylines for people who were supposed to be in their late 30ās by the end.
I donāt find Carrieās behavior āembarrassingā. Sheās always been the type of person to think she wants something and she loses it when she gets it. Also, sorry honey but the āmimeā dress is iconic and itās been replicated many times. She waits around in a nice dress to go to dinner with him because he said heād have dinner with him. We never see her buy MOST of her clothes. She does try but she had expectations that did not match her reality. Also Iām with Miranda, the Russian is pretentious. Just Google the definition.
I agree!
Lol