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We did it. The finale was watched. Snacks were had. And more snacks. And more snacks. (And maybe a few more.) Then we talked about it. Post sugar crash, but if we were to put our mind on it - that’s like a pretty good metaphor for the end of Sex and the City. A sugar crash.  You want something. You get it. Is it what you wanted? Let’s talk about it. Part un that is. Part deux coming at you on Thursday.

Ooh! It was definitely the age un-innocence in the 90s in NYC. And with that opening note, we hereby call to order the Sweet Tea & TV Book Club.  This time, we’re reading Sex and the City – Candace Bushnell’s collection of essays that has inspired three TV series, two feature films, and nearly 30 years of fandom.  We’re discussing its themes, how it compares to the TV series, and of course, the woman who inspired the character of Carrie in the first place: Candace Bushnell.  And, ‘just like that’, we’ll be back next week with our first-ever watch along. That’s right, we’re watching the series finale of SATC: “An American Girl in Paris” Parts Une and Deux.

“I couldn’t help but wonder” – how many good SATC episodes had we missed in our breakneck season? No need to wonder – the number is 57. There’s no time for that, BUT – we will knock out one final handful of unmissable ones.  And, then, because our time in the Big Apple is almost over, we’ll talk about the series, make sure Nikki’s pre-season questions were answered, revisit our series superlatives, and determine which SATC character we are.  And, ‘just like that’, we’ll be back later this week to talk about the lady and book that started it all.

We’re rounding out our time in NYC and our time with the SATC universe. Which means it would be totally irresponsible for us to miss the opportunity to talk a little bit about the actors behind the characters.  But you know we can’t do just a strict autobiographical look at each actor - that would be too easy (and too not-competitive!) Instead, we’ll do three things: 1.) Nikki is going to tell Salina a little bit about an actor and we’ll see if she can guess who it is. 2.) Then, she’s going to give Salina insight into a person and Salina will tell us whether it was the character or the actor. And 3.) We’ll expand the universe a bit. We’ve talked a lot about the main characters of the show, but, as we’ve touched on throughout the series, there’s soooooo many more people behind the scenes. Let’s imagine a few scenarios where we are missing these important pieces of the puzzle and predict the “Butterfly Effect” of them missing. If we lose them, what else do we lose from the show? Just stick with us; it’ll make sense. Or, maybe it won’t, but we’ll at least chuckle along the way.

Women, women, women – it’s allllll we ever talk about. Like, when will men get a shot?? Today. They get their shot today.  Who are the men of Sex and the City? And who are the men behind those men? We’ll break it down. Then we’ll give them our “watch party” treatment, followed by their own round of superlatives because it’s really time to figure out…who is the best at being the worst? And, ‘just like that’, we’ll be back later this week to talk about the actors and others behind-the-scenes that brought SATC to life.

We’ve hinted. We’ve mentioned, but now we must discuss in greater detail – the fashion of SATC. What they wore was more than simply clothing – it showcased who they were as characters, as women in the world. It gave them authenticity as New Yorkers, and it evolved right alongside their lives.  Join as we discuss the woman behind the clothes; the show’s fashion legacy; and a breakdown of each character’s signature style and best looks.

She’s the glue, the anchor, the one who “couldn’t help but wonder.” She’s our eyes into the worlds of Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte. The fashionista, flawed, and utterly fabulous. She is Carrie Bradshaw.  Five episodes. One woman. One discussion. Can we encapsulate everything it means to be arguably one of the most famous fictional New Yorkers of all time?? You gotta tune in to find out.

The fact of the matter is that TV sets are workplaces and workplaces get messy. But, the messiness factor is a bit magnified on the big screen. This “Extra Sugar” is all about the behind-the-scenes drama on SATC. But, to level set - we’re not fueling the flames of gossipy rumors about drama that seem to follow women’s shows. No, we’re going to focus on a few sources that we consider to be reputable and honest and we’re going to try to stick to the ladies’ words themselves, or of those directly involved in the show; not the words others put into their mouths. Obviously, SATC isn’t the only show in which power, pay and public perception have, at times, gotten complicated. If you zoom out a bit, you can see versions of these same dynamics play out throughout TV history. Sometimes it’s about pay. Sometimes it’s about personality. Sometimes, it’s about public controversy. And sometimes - it’s much ado about nothing. We’ll talk about some other TV shows before we wrap up the segment.

If you’re anything like us, sometimes you go through your day and you just have to wonder: what would Samantha Jones do? Whether she’s the inspo for your inner professional baddie or your self-confident babe alter ego (or maybe both!), there’s no denying she’s a full-on icon.  As we’ve done with the other SATC ladies throughout the season, we’ll talk about the highs and lows of her character, including where she’s at her most “Samantha” and, of course, the things that didn’t age well this time around. We’ll also check in around our quest to determine which SATC gal we are.  OH! And we’re throwing in a side quest this week! Sam’s episodes introduced some extra-heavy topics, so we’re going to share our thoughts on those, too. If you want to follow along, here are the episodes we watched for this episode: S1E10 – The Baby Shower S2E16 – Was It Good for You? S3E6 – Are We Sluts? S5E4 – Cover Girl  S6E4 – Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little And, ‘just like that’, we’ll see you Thursday for an “Extra Sugar” where we’re gonna chat behind-the-scenes dramz.

We’re ready to celebrate all the ways SATC was wayyyyy ahead of its time. But, also, in the interest of telling the full story, we’ll also talk about the things that have gotten a little dusty as time has marched on. Or, as Salina framed it - from the dusty bits to the shinier parts.  And, ‘just like that’, we’ll see you next week for our look at one of New York’s most glamorous PR gals, Ms. Samantha Jones.

Today’s episode brings us to SATC’s legal representation, Ms. Miranda Hobbes, Esq.  Miranda is our to-the-point, cold-hearted (except when she’s not), high-powered lawyer girlie. Miranda is power suits by day and, when they fit, sexy jeans by night. She’s a mom who normalizes only liking your own kid. A professional who doesn’t take any crap. And a friend that has her friends’ backs (whether they like it or not.) We’ll talk about the highs and lows of her character, including where she’s at her most “Miranda” and, of course, the things that didn’t age well this time around. We’ll also check in around our quest to determine which SATC gal we are.

We could cue this one up with a bunch of puns and song lyrics, but hey, that’s what the episode is for.  In this week’s Extra Sugar, we’re talking about SATC’s fifth main character: New York City (but like, really Manhattan, which the show largely favored of the city’s five boroughs). The show lets us know – from the very first frame in the pilot that this is first and foremost – a NYC show. We love it. Honestly, after back-to-back traditional soundstage sitcoms, we’re just glad to be outside!  So let’s see if two Southerners can do the ‘city that never sleeps’ any ding-dang justice. Unclear but join us anyway, if you don’t like it, you can judge it – and that’s almost as good as liking something for real.

It’s time to explore the “Rose” of SATC. Our “good-on-paper” girl. Our “sweet one.” Our “one-cardboard-baby-away-from-a-crashout” ball of sunshine. That’s right - it’s Charlotte’s turn to get the ST&TV treatment.  We’ll talk about the highs and lows of her character, Charlotte’s funniest moments, her “Charlotte-iest” moments, and all the things that didn’t age well this time around.

If “Sex and the City” had given us nothing else, it’s incontrovertible that it served the best fashion. Fortunately, it gave us so much more and we’re exploring that in this week’s “Extra Sugar.” SATC said: be fabulous, be broke, be late, be complicated—and somehow make it iconic. Was it realistic? Absolutely not. Was it influential? So ab-so-duck-ing-lute-ly influential we’re still talking about it.

“It’s like the riddle of the Sphinx. Why are there so many great-unmarried women, and no great-unmarried men?”  We’re back and ready to spend this season watching Ms. Carrie Bradshaw and her besties address this critical question.  Along the way, we may even discover that “...nothing lasts forever; dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.”