Carrie is presented to Stanford Blatch's adored, classy grandmother, but comes to the conclusion his being gay cancels all his qualities on her bottom line and probably in her last will. Miranda is losing her self-respect after many rejections, but turns to blind dating - just to walk out on the first man who's still willing to give it a go when they meet. Samantha tries everything to turn Bernie Turtletaub, a Wall street guru but society laughing stock with viciously bad breath the girls met at the "singles" table at a posh wedding, into a fashionable date, but can even the best PR expert's make-over make up for his intrinsic lack of charm?
Join Coryne & Francene as they dive into this next episode of sex and the city!
follow us on @cityafterdark
Carrie is presented to Stanford Blatch's adored, classy grandmother, but comes to the conclusion his being gay cancels all his qualities on her bottom line and probably in her last will. Miranda is losing her self-respect after many rejections, but turns to blind dating - just to walk out on the first man who's still willing to give it a go when they meet. Samantha tries everything to turn Bernie Turtletaub, a Wall street guru but society laughing stock with viciously bad breath the girls met at the "singles" table at a posh wedding, into a fashionable date, but can even the best PR expert's make-over make up for his intrinsic lack of charm?
Join Coryne & Francene as they dive into this next episode of sex and the city!
follow us on @cityafterdark
City after dark, we discovering sex and the city dive into the glittering world of city after dark, a podcast that takes you on a glamorous journey through the iconic series sex and the city. Join us as we discover the laughter tears and timeless moments of Carrie Samantha Miranda and Charlotte, each episode is a delightful stroll down memory lane, featuring Woody banter, candid discussions, and a touch of nostalgia. Whether you're a long time to voting or a first time viewer come along for the ride. As we explore the city that never sleeps and the friendships that defined an era. And as we compare our viewpoints from our twenties, when we first watched the show to now you'll witness how our perspectives have evolved with time adding a unique layer to our reflections on this beloved series.
francene:So we're up with season one, episode nine, the turtle and the hair.
coryne:This episode starts with them going to a wedding.
francene:Yes. And don't they just look, I mean, what do they, what does Carrie compare them to? I love it. She's like
coryne:of Eastwick. She's like, we look like them, which is so true. They look so out of place. And it's the, they're at a wedding of a friend who was like the wild party girl. And she got married and Carrie's like, I want to go to the wedding to see who she married because they don't even know and they get there and she's like, isn't this the guy that she said? I can't remember the insult, but it's like, she like, she hated this dude and now she's married to him.
francene:Yeah. I don't think I, I wrote that piece down, but yes, I, I did get the whole like high prop. Profile guys and then she finally made the plunge, but it's not so crazy. Like you're going to someone's wedding. Like you don't even know like,
coryne:Oh, the groom. I know. I thought the same for
francene:sure. And then I think she mentioned is just your typical average 100 K wedding, which back then
coryne:was like, Oh, insane. Now that's like, you know, that's a drop, but yeah, back then that was a fuck ton of money for a wedding for sure. But like New York society, I get it. But so they get, they have table arrangements like seating arrangement and they get set together, but with someone who again, Carrie just knows that they call the turtle. And I think they call him the turtle, by the way. I don't know, but he's obviously Carrie explains that he's a successful man, but he literally looks like a turtle and it's like so unattractive and has apparently like the worst breath. And like, there's a scene of him like talking to all of them and they're just like, Oh,
francene:yeah. What does like Carrie put over her face? I think it's a nap. Oh, is it?
coryne:Yeah. She's like, Rose out of the, yeah. And Samantha comes at this. This is so Samantha too. And I I have said this exact same thing when I was in my 20s, where she comes over and she like gets a drink and they're like, here, honey, have a seat. And she's like, no, this outfit only works. If I stay in, sit down in this, this is not a sitting.
francene:Oh, but there was nothing worse. So like when you're, especially when you go to a wedding with like, a group like that where you don't have a plus one and you're all kind of scattered or you all have to sit with random people and like, Oh, at least
coryne:they're together. Doesn't it? Yeah. At least they're all together. And I love how like they show like the wedding reception progressing and they're in Carrie's saying in a monologue that, you know, it had been a couple of hours. We'd had lots of drinks and we're all bored. And Charlotte's like, so are you going to stay to Yeah.
francene:I just love their extremeness, but yes. I mean what they're wearing, like just All in black and they just look so like we'll need to post a picture on Instagram, but it is just such a contrast to how everyone else
coryne:looks. Yeah, for sure. It definitely, yeah, it definitely is. They stick out to say the least. And then
francene:after the wedding, she's at home with her wedding cake. She calls big. And then she says as she continues to ponder, of course, why do people get married if they're not in love? And then this is when Big says well, I think he says, well, like, I was in love when I got married. He says,
coryne:why did you get married? He's like, I was hopelessly in love.
francene:Yeah. And she's like, Oh,
coryne:and he's like, don't worry, it ended me in divorce court. And that's why I'll never get married again.
francene:Yes. Which I don't know, like, how would you feel if someone, cause I don't know how long they've been dating at this point, but I feel like I wouldn't have taken that comment as extremely as Carrie did. And I maybe would have probed or said something, or I don't think I would have taken it as Gospel, would you have?
coryne:I don't know. I think that it like in my twenties when marriage was definitely high on my list of priorities, I probably would have That would have been a red flag for me and something that like needed to be discussed, or like, it was definitely that that could have been a breaking point for sure. Like, I wouldn't have had
francene:that discussion,
coryne:right? Yeah. I would have asked more questions. Carrie does a bad job of just like taking one thing and running with it in her mind
francene:though. And I'm like, See something. So
coryne:yeah, since I have been divorced a couple times now, I'd be like, yeah, me either. I totally get, they're just stupid. Don't do that, like So it depends on like where I am in my life,
francene:you know, but I also, I also love that they always have such short conversations and I know a lot of it is clearly like for, you know, TV or whatever, but I'm like. Man, like, sometimes I call, like, my husband just driving home, and I don't really have, like, anything to say, but we're on the phone for ages. Yeah. And, I don't know, I just always appreciate seeing their sharp bursts, and how she's able to do that, because I feel like, especially at the beginning of a relationship, like, I cannot get
coryne:enough. You know what I mean? Yeah, no, I'm the same way. I mean, Jason and I, we still, like, we talk. All day. Yeah. Like I, I even like have to be like, okay, I'm, I have to let you go and don't call me back for an hour because I'm gonna work now to like, like we talk nonstop. So like Yeah. I'm the same way. I mean, it, it's not just, it's funny'cause like everybody like, oh, that's a girl thing. No it's not. No, I
francene:don't, iron does the same. Yeah. Iron
coryne:like that. Yeah, I
francene:agree with
coryne:that. Yeah, they definitely, I mean, that's obviously the writing that they have these little short burst conversations, but.
francene:Which I appreciate, but I, I know we're not going to sit there and listen to Carrie and Big for like an hour, just stalking dribble. But a part of me is like, they just seem
coryne:so classy. It's an episode like we stayed on the phone all night or something. Could you just say it? So we know you're doing it. Come
francene:on, Carrie. Yes, I know. Make us feel normal. So then the day after, or maybe a couple of days after they're at a brunch place and it's the same one as the last episode. I realize when you're talking about threesomes and then Carrie then brings up the subject on getting married and what Big said, and then this is when Miranda says, well, who cares? Like, who knows what's going to happen? And anyway, we don't need men. We have things like a vibrator and then specifically the rabbit.
coryne:Okay, so that's so funny because I remember when this episode came out and I, the rabbit was a real thing. It was a real vibrator that got like major freaking play off this episode. Oh really? Oh yes. And like I had girlfriends who were then like, oh, you can get it at this store, or, I saw it in this catalog, like it was a real thing and like it, and I remember the. First time I went to New York, I went to that sex shop that they go to. It was all because I did, of course, I did the sex in the city tour the first time and that was one of the stops on the tour was that sex shop that they went into and they still had the rabbit for sale. And this was like, I went there like, Oh, five. Like the first time I ever went. So like
francene:vintage, vintage at that point, vintage rabbit. Oh,
coryne:they still make that fucking vibrator. What are you talking about?
francene:Well, and what's so awesome. And I love this kind of girl's ness is after brunch, because Miranda then tells them about it. They then go. Yeah. Each of them. Well, I'm sure Samantha probably had a number of them, but they each buy one. And Charlotte is like, Oh my God, it's so cute. It looks like Peter rabbit.
coryne:Yeah. And I love him carries like 92. Like what? It is a lot. That's a lot. Do you have a promo code? Well, I guess,
francene:Well, again, especially back then,
coryne:right? Yeah,
francene:for sure. That is expensive. It would have been a high end one.
coryne:Brandon's like, this is gonna change your life. Like, this is, get the damn thing.
francene:And then, Samantha then calls Carrie And she was telling her, which I love. She's like the craziest thing happened to me the other day. So they went, she went out for dinner with one of the guys from the wedding called Jerry. They went to lava. He was very British, I think, which cracked me up. And then he said, he specifically said, when I see something, I go after it. And as he was saying it, this like girl model walks by and he immediately like, trails off. I'll be right back. And then he just leaves her. Can you imagine? That's so freaking rude.
coryne:And Samantha's like, they show her like at the bar, like has a couple drinks and she's like, where the
francene:fuck is he? I know. And he's like, poor
coryne:bartender. So she gets up to go, like, Find him and sees him like canoodling with this other woman. And so then she's just out and she's like walking out of the door. And lo and behold, who's at the restaurant having dinner by himself. And it was, she also mentioned that like, this is like a, it was like the it restaurant. Right. So the turtle is there having dinner by himself and he pounces. And he's like, so
francene:loud as well. Like, you know, those loud people. And you're just like, Oh my God, join
coryne:me, join me. And like, I don't remember what he said. He said, Oh
francene:God, you look so beautiful. And because she was feeling vulnerable, she was like Yeah. Okay.
coryne:I'll, I'll, I'll come sit down. And I love the true Samantha fashion, within 10 seconds, she's like, honey, your breath. And I love the way the delivery is so good. And he's like, Oh, I know it's these herbs, these Chinese herbs for long life. And she's like, well, with that breath, you're going to live a long time alone. Funny. Funny. Get that shit under control. And then flash to now he's like her fixer upper project and she's all excited about it. Telling Carrie, like, he's, I know, I love that. And like, once we get that breath under control, like I'm going to take him shopping, like she's totally got a project, which I think is amazing.
francene:Her little side hobby. And she really gets into it. Like she really does. So then Carrie starts her article, which is all about settling for. Or, should you settle for what you can get? Yeah. Is that it? Or settling. It was about settling, which then links back to the wedding at the beginning. So then Carrie then meets her friend who got married and I've forgotten her name who went to return her gift. And she kept on asking her like multiple times, like, well, are you happy? Like how's married life? How do you deal?
coryne:The one of the lines as she's leaving the wedding that always stuck with me is like, she hugs each one of the girls. Goodbye. And she says something like to Charlotte. She's like, I'm going to introduce you to so many great guys. He has such great guy friends. And I can't remember what she says to Samantha and Miranda, but then Carrie, she says, it's always better to marry somebody who loves you more than they, than you love them.
francene:That's right. And I think that's what started to make Harry them ponder about things. Cause she was like, what? And like, are they, and I think that's why she filmed big, right? Being like, well, why did you
coryne:get married? Get married. That was the whole, like, the spin off that, the thing that starts. So then she calls the friend and she's like, house marriage, you know. Oh, they're at, no, she takes her to return
francene:some And then, and you know what else I loved? I made a comment. Oh my god, Carrie's like plaid jacket. That is so nice. Oh god, it was so lovely. But then they bump into, outside of that store, Samantha and the turtle. Which cracks me up because he looks so freaking different.
coryne:And Carrie says, she's like, Oh, the turtle and Helmut Lang, like, whoa. And they're like all the shopping bags and they're like the little couple, which is so not Samantha.
francene:Especially when he's like, Oh, Honey, don't I have a, a 3 p. m. I have a facial and I was like, what the heck?
coryne:Oh, I'm speaking for a facial. I gotta, and he's, she's like, once she's like, we're going to get the what does she say? She's like showing him off. She's like, look at his clothes.
francene:Yeah. Twirl, doesn't he twirl?
coryne:Do a twirl, Yeah, she totally does. Oh my God, so hilarious. And then the girl who just got married, she's like, she's just getting him, but look how happy they are. Like, she's totally signing off on this, like, you know, fixer upper that Samantha's with, like, that's gonna, they're going to end up married or some shit, which is so funny. But
francene:what, what did she say again? I forgot to write it down. So when Samantha and Turtle go, and then she's saying goodbye to Carrie, doesn't she turn and she says,
coryne:She said something about like it's so good to see her happy. Or it's something like that. Like, she's like, yeah, yeah, like that. It's like a, you know, this is how it's supposed to be kind of thing. And then Carrie of course is like more on the pondering.
francene:Very, yeah. Very pondering at this point.'cause then she's like, it's everyone in Manhattan. Settling.
coryne:Settling. Yeah. And then enter Stanford into the conversation. I love Stanford. I do too. And they're having like. She's talking with him about the conversation with Big and the, you know, should I be bothered that he never wants to get married? And like, is this, do you just settle for good enough? And somehow Stanford brings up the whole conversation of his grandmother. And they, everyone in his family gets their inheritance when they get married. And he, so he proposed, he like propositions Carrie with the idea of like, what if we just got married? And Carrie is like open to it. And she's like, I mean, we both like dudes, like, you know,
francene:right. She'd have the flexibility. Yeah.
coryne:Yes. She then calls big and tells him that, which I love.
francene:I know, and she says this so like blasé as well. Or in fact, sorry, Saturday afternoon in bed with Mr. Big, he then say, she says very casually like, Oh yeah, I got a proposal yesterday. And what made me laugh so much, he was like, Oh, sounds for an interesting column. And then he's like, Isn't he gay?
coryne:Yeah, he is
francene:where it works out. But I actually do have a fun fact about Sarah Jessica Parker on this. So when Samantha, not Samantha, when Carrie and Stanford go to the ballet, you know, that that's I think Sarah Jessica Park either went there or she'd some affiliation there when she was younger. You know, the New York ballet, but she's been one of the biggest sponsors. From a money trade value. Her name's on one of the plaques. Oh, I didn't know that. Wow. I only knew that because me and Aaron went to see the Nutcracker and when we were walking out, I saw her name. Oh,
coryne:cool.
francene:Sorry. She's like a donor. Yeah. Probably a better term. Yeah. That's fantastic. Little fun fact that she threw in the little belly there. So then.
coryne:Your mic has changed. You have like a, it's like a, like some reverb on it. It has what it sounds like like like reverb like it's like the sound's a little bit blown out You know what? I mean? Try it now. See if it's it might be on my end. Maybe my Oh, that's yeah, that's way better. Is that better? Yeah, let me see keep talking.
francene:Okay, so I want And
coryne:that's crazy. The sound changed. I just wanna make sure nothing changed on your end. Oh, I hope not. I know. I think
francene:it's ok. That'd be bad ass times. The last thing we need. As we have like Taylor Swift playing over us.
coryne:Oh, my God. Anyway, so she tells big that she got a marriage proposal again, big, like is unbothered. He's unaffected
francene:by it. I think at this point, he's so used to like, he knows it's bullshit. Yeah,
coryne:yeah, yeah. He knows the crazy for sure. And so then what there's, there's another scene in between that before she goes and meet Stanford's grandmother.
francene:Yeah, it's she was Oh, so Charlotte and Carrie were at Zen and they were doing stretching together and Charlotte goes and she leans forward very delicately and says, I think I broke my vagina. And then she, and then she starts comparing the rabbit to men saying that her orgasm is being so amazing and she's like, is so much better. And she worries that like a guy will never be able to do that. And then they were talking about plans that they have and she's like, Oh, I don't think I can make that. And Carrie's like,
coryne:Okay, okay. Like she's getting overly obsessed with the rabbit. And like, this is her new pastime that she's just staying at home with the rabbit. Which crags me up.
francene:So then after Carrie's conversation with Mr. Big, Miranda and her Miranda and Carrie are supposed to go join Charlotte for a gallery opening, which knowing Charlotte, she's not going to miss that. And then she's like, Oh, I'm sorry, guys. I don't feel good. And of course they power into her apartment.
coryne:Yes. And
francene:we prefer from the rabbit. And you know what, you know what cracks me up the most in this scene is I understand them being like, okay, we're going to take this, but Randa then puts it into her handbag.
coryne:Of course. Of course. I mean, why? That makes sense. That's not gross at all.
francene:You don't even like, wipe nothing. Just like, straight into the bag.
coryne:That's amazing. I love it. Oh my gosh.
francene:And then what happens? So then next we have, meanwhile Samantha is She's with the
coryne:turtle and they're out, they go out to dinner. And
francene:then he starts talking about what kind of mushroom it is and she's like, I don't give a fuck what kind of mushroom it is. Yeah,
coryne:like, oh my god, she's like so annoyed with him. And they're like, he's all like, you know, she shined him all up and now he drives her fucking crazy because he's still the turtle.
francene:Yeah, and that's exactly it, right? Like, you're still, still
coryne:the same. You To about that whole dynamic between her. They never show anything sexual between the two of them.
francene:No. And I don't think there was
coryne:anything. But he's calling her. Oh, I bet there was. I mean, I would think that there was. It's Samantha. Like there she's, he's calling her babe. Like they're definitely giving off the very much. We're in a relationship vibe, but I love that she like at this dinner is all done and much and just fucking leaves. And he's like, Like leans over to the next woman and uses the same line on her Samantha.
francene:And I'm like this top my ex girlfriend gave me.
coryne:Yeah. I'm like, see, like, it doesn't fucking matter. Like, doesn't you can be a 10. You could be a one dudes saying they're all the same. Like they're going to try the same shit. Oh my
francene:God. It is funny. Like, I wonder. And maybe I'm being dumb with the reference, but obviously this is the turtle and the hare is a reference to the tur tortoise and the hare, that story. How, how is that connecting to the storyline? Am I being
coryne:dumb? The turtle, that they call the turtle, and the rabbit. The Bible. Oh,
francene:of course. Oh, what an idiot. I was thinking about it yesterday and I was like, you're so clever. I'm so glad I'm doing this with you. Because I'd be like, y'all, do you know the reference?
coryne:Yeah. Can you tell me? Somebody comment below, please. Thank you. Oh my God. It's so
francene:fucking dumb. Wait, what is the episode called? Turtle in the hair.
coryne:Turtle in the hair, yeah. Because he's the
francene:turtle. Oh, see, maybe I would have got it if they called the episode The Turtle and the Rabbit. Well, yeah. I need Captain Obvious here.
coryne:Yeah, can we get the Cliff Notes version, please? Of your references? Oh my
francene:gosh. So then Stanford then brings Carrie to meet his grandmother. Yes. He's in a beautiful vintage.
coryne:Chanel, which Carrie, of course, immediately picks up on and they have a whole conversation about it. And Carrie's getting to like see childhood photos of Stanford and like the whole it's very cute. And grandma is you know, elderly, Quintessential New York woman, obviously funny. Like she's very cool. And I love it. Stanford walks out of the room for one second and grandma's like, listen,
francene:as if Carrie didn't
coryne:know, you know, he's gay. Right. And she's like, I didn't know you. She's like, I have Stanford's a very sweet boy, but. Like, I'm no dummy. Okay. So Carrie's like, damn it. There goes the body like this.
francene:She's like, well, I guess Stanford will never get that inheritance. At least they
coryne:tried. Yeah. I mean, at least she gave it, gave it a go. She gave it a go for sure.
francene:And then the last thing, which interestingly, it's the same as the last episode, is with Mr. Big. So he's in the kitchen and he looks very sexy when he's in the kitchen. With the world's largest saucepan, like, why is that so big? Like, you know what I mean? It's just both of them. I know that's
coryne:a lot. He's making spaghetti sauce for like a year. He's gonna It is. He's doing meal prep. Before meal prep was cool.
francene:I was like, Mr. Big. That is a little bit too big a lot.
coryne:I swear he makes spaghetti like once a season. He makes spaghetti or feel spaghetti feel. Yes, he does make feel. I always love that he's cooking, but because Carrie can't cook, that's one of my favorite ones too, where she's like, I keep shoes in my oven. What are you talking about? Like
francene:the best use of space. Come on. Yeah. Yeah. But he he continues to ask her to like taste it. And then immediately as she tasted she just felt like verbal diarrhea. And she's like, I want to get married. Or I want to know that's part of my future. Yeah. Which again, big, big just handled it.
coryne:It is so interesting to see her do this in this episode and spend a whole episode worried about that. She wants it. She doesn't want it to not be on the table, essentially, like today, but she doesn't want it to be. And then to know the way she is about marriage down the road. She is major fucking. She doesn't care about it.
francene:And kids as well, like with Sanford's grandmother, and she's like, I want to have a family, I'm like, that actually really surprised me, knowing Carrie later on.
coryne:Which, cause she doesn't, she can barely deal with the marriage thing, much less kids, like, yeah, it's crazy to see her be such a normal girl about it and in this episode, but yeah, she tells him she doesn't want to be off the table and he, again, he handles it well. He's also pretty noncommittal about it.
francene:Yeah, because doesn't he then taste it and he says it's better. What
coryne:does he say? Like too much salt. Definitely too much salt. Like he's That's
francene:it. Yeah, something like that. And then she tastes it and she says it's better. It has possibilities.
coryne:Yeah. And he says, he's like, I don't know. I thought we were having fun here. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. Very like noncommittal. And then he says like another noncommittal thing that like, is it now? It's such, it's such breadcrumbing that we like now as evolved speed, like 20 years later have worked on ourselves enough to know that this is what men fucking do. He's just like, yeah. Breadcrumbing her with like, Oh good.
francene:It's all okay. Whereas at the time you'd be like, okay, so let me just get this clear. So we are going to get married. No, when are you proposing? Like, you know what I mean? The fact that she's knowing how she spirals, but she does spiral, and then he gives to your point a little breadcrumb, and then she's like okay with it, but she doesn't get the answer she
coryne:needs. No, he's breadcrumbing the shit out of her through this whole season of like, Even like when he's like, you know, like the you know, when the, a couple of episodes back where she comes, shows up his apartment and she's drunk and he's like, could this, could this be something? He's like, maybe.
francene:And she's like, oh,
coryne:thank God. Like that's the most breadcrumby thing.
francene:But he does it in such like a sexy, chic way. He's like, maybe. And you're like, well, I'll go
coryne:with it. Okay. He is definitely the king of it. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I, I'm not saying I wouldn't fall for it either. Bread crummy shit, right?
francene:And then the episode cuts. So that is the end of the episode. And the next one is episode 10. So we have two more left for the end of the season. And you know, the next one is baby shower, which is also fucking great.
coryne:I love that. If so, really, that's 310 right? Oh, yeah.
francene:Yeah. I've clearly taken my, like, dumb pills today. Did you borrow? You're right. 10,
coryne:11, 12. Damn it. Three more. That's crazy. We only have three episodes left for our first season of The Pod. That's wild. For sure.
francene:I am super bummed. And actually, I need to give, like, a shout out to, I feel, our number one fan who always messages me after listening to the episodes, Cara. She's like loving, loving this, like re rewatch
coryne:with us. I love, which is great. I love it. I love that you're loving it. I have one friend who when we very first started it, she, I, she was like, oh, I wanna listen. And I was like, yeah. She's like, I've never seen Sex in the City. And I was like, what in the actual fuck are you talking about? Right? And she's like, where do I stream it? I was like, girl, I have all the DVDs, And so she like got a DVD player and she's like old school, like watching. She's like, so I gotta finish season one before I listen. She's committed. Oh my god, I love that she's doing that. She's never seen it. Isn't that crazy? Yeah, so I hope we're getting people who were old school fans like us and then we're reigniting a new whole trove of followers that can watch it and, and hear our recaps in real time.
francene:I know, I kind of hope so too. All right y'all, well that is a wrap. We will talk soon.
coryne:Do do
francene:do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
coryne:do do do do do do do do do.