Girls, Girls, Girls

Like many of you, when I was in my twenties, Sex and the City was THE show that a single, fabulous girl could relate to.  The show was massively successful for both the realistic portrayal of female friendships as well as, let's face it, the fashion.  There was something so relatable about how Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda lived their lives, but something so un-relatable and fantasy-like about everything else on the show.  The clothes, accesories, fabulous apartments, amazing meals, jet-setting trips, etc.  I could go on and on about how different my life was from theirs, but in so many ways I could relate to their friendships with each other and their struggles with the opposite sex.

The ladies at brunch: bonding while looking fab-u-lous as always

Lately there has been a great deal of buzz about the next SATC...but not because of the similarities between the two shows, but how vastly different they are.  The show is also on HBO, and it is called "Girls".  The premise of the show is also around the lives 4 women, this time in their twenties, trying to make it in NYC.   The heartbreak, awkwardness and humour are brutually honest, a sharp contrast from the somewhat glossed over problems of the original fab four ladies from SATC:

The early reviews have been very good, so perhaps "Girls" will end up being this generation of twenty-something women's new SATC.   I can see how this show would be relatable for that generation.  Life is so different for them now from when I was in my early twenties...there seems to be a lot less hope for one's future, mostly because the economic freefall that so many corporations and countries have been enduring for the last 4 years.  There isn't a lot for many people of that age group to look forward to.  They seem to struggle to find stable work and there is overwhelming pressure ahead to undo the financial and economic damage of the generations before them.  That generation (and let's face it, mine) will be paying for the mistakes of their parent's generation for years to come.

Whew, gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling just thinking about it doesn't it?  Perhaps at least "Girls" will be good for some laughs, as it was co-created by Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids, Knocked Up, Anchorman 2).  The show premieres tonight on HBO.

Unreality Shows

I will admit it, I watch the Bachelorette.  And I watch the Bachelor.  I don't know why.  Ok, I know exactly why:  the dating and relationship scenarios are so far from reality that I can't not watch!  It truly is like watching a soap opera.  First off, the people are generally beautiful.  Second, they are always in exotic locations.  Third (and most importantly) there is always some sort of drama, usually in the form of some devilish or she-devilish person who wants to ride to fame on the coattails of the franchise.

As I watched the show today, I started to wonder how successful my attempt at being a Bachelorette would be.  What if I had nothing but time to date potential suitors and decide between upwards of 20 men which guy I want to end up with?  Not to mention have someone else pay for extravagant dates in beautiful spots all over the world.  Add in the designer closet plus access to my own makeup artist and hairdresser, and it really sounds like the ideal way to find a man!

But sadly, there has been only one successfully married couple as a result of the show.  Kind of shocking, but when you think about it, it goes back to the "unreality" of the show.  The contestants are put in situations so far removed from real life that when they go back to their own lives, the adjustment doesn't always happen smoothly.  In fact, most of the time the couples crash and burn within the first few months after their engagement is revealed.

I guess there is no real magic way to find the one, you just have to have an open mind and be in the right place at the right time.  While I wait for my "the one", I'm going to go work on my audition tape for the Bachelorette!

(totally joking! LOL.)