Why Sex And The City Fans Should Give Girlfriends A Chance
This show is the relatable version of friendship and fabulousness.
Sex And The City Was Ground Breaking Television
At the beginning of the series, the show was a lot more gritty and seriously wanted to explore the sex lives of 30 something single women living in New York. Later, the show became a fantasy that lived in its own world. It was still a ton of fun but it was not particularly relatable to the average woman.
Girlfriends Did Not Get The Love It Deserved
As a sitcom with a primarily African American cast, Girlfriends ran for eight seasons. The characters were smart independent women who were also trying to make sense of their 30’s in Los Angeles. The show did not even get a proper finale due to the writer’s strike and budgetary concerns.
We had put together lawyer Joan, who can not understand why she does not “have it all” by the end of her 20's. Then there was the gorgeous but self-absorbed Toni, who worked from humble circumstances to afford the finer things in life. The cast also included down-to-earth and fierce Maya who was married and raising her child in Compton. Then, we had overly educated bohemian Lynn who refused to conform to society’s standards. Finally, we had William. The group's heterosexual lovable goofball guy, who was also trying to muddle his way through his thirties.
The Characters Were Complex
These were characters that could not be summed up in one sentence analysis. Yes, Toni coveted the designer labels of wealth and could be something of a gold digger. However, she was also a hard-working real estate agent who was successful enough to have a place in the posh part of town and a killer wardrobe. Lynn was a biracial woman who was adopted by a white family at a young age. She has a rebellious spirit but annoyingly did not seem to have any ambitions beyond being a mooch. Maya was raised in Compton and proved that you could be from a rough neighborhood and still carry yourself with class. However, being Joan’s assistant began to make her want something more for her life.
Then we had the central character of Joan. This was no Carrie Bradshaw. Joan was a hard-working woman who had become an associate at a prestigious law firm at a fairly young age. She was always there for her friends to the point of sometimes enabling some of their toxic behaviors. She is a lady that is beginning to realize that you can not control every aspect of your life and sometimes you just had to go with the flow.
These Women Had Real Financial Consequences.
There was one point in Sex In The City where Carrie could not afford to buy her apartment because she spent $40,000 on shoes. Her wealthy friend Charlotte gives Carrie her giant engagement ring (Charlotte was in the middle of a divorce) and it is never spoken of again.
Toni, on Girlfriends, has a beautiful incredibly expensive destination wedding. She later finds out that her doctor groom has actually gone broke trying to keep up with Toni’s extravagant tastes. Toni suffers real consequences including the dissolution of her marriage.
The Clothes
You can not do a Sex In The City comparison without talking about the clothes. All four of the main female characters on the show were styled following their character, just like Sex in the City.
Joan wore stylish power suits that were very fitting with her job as a corporate lawyer. Later, when she decides she no longer wants to practice law she becomes a little more free-flowing in her style.
Toni was always wearing expensive pieces that showed off her fabulous figure and made her look like a million dollars.
Maya had an edgier funky look that suited her petite frame and spoke of her take no prisoners personality.
Lynn loved boho eclectic pieces that often showed off the actress’s wide assortment of tribal tattoos.
However, There Was No Million Dollar Budget
Unfortunately, like many African American shows of the time, the budget for the series was rather low. Tracy Ellis Ross, who played Joan, often wore her own clothes in the first season. We would even see Maya “borrow” and wear some of Joan’s clothes, which truly made them seem like real girlfriends. This lack of budget actually made the wardrobe choices much more relatable. Not everyone was walking around in red-bottomed shoes that cost thousands of dollars and killed your feet (with maybe the exception of Toni).
The Show Tackled Real-World Issues
Even though Girlfriends was a sitcom, the show was not afraid to tackle serious issues. They had episodes around colorism, cultural appropriation, and postpartum depression. The women had rough patches in their lives but were often there for each other.
Final Thoughts
Sex In The City is an acclaimed and beloved series. However, viewers should give Girlfriends a chance(the series is available on Netflix). The show truly represents the trials and tribulations of friendship from the perspective of four unique and amazing women who often, at that time, did not have a voice or seat at the table.