And Just Like That... we have some qualms with Carrie Bradshaw’s latest choice of lover on the new season of Sex and the City’s reboot.
We pick up from where season one left off – which, in case you’ve forgotten, saw Carrie and her silver fox podcast producer Franklyn (played by Ivan Hernandez) making out in the lift. Hot. It’s soon made clear that they’re having casual sex every Thursday, a set up Carrie is very happy with and feels uncomfortable with taking any further.
Fans are divided on Franklyn. One called the chemistry between him and Carrie ‘underwhelming’ while another called Carrie an ‘idiot’ for limiting him to just Thursday play only.
But there’s one thing we can all agree on. Franklyn just isn’t Carrie’s type. If we look back over her past partners in Sex and the City – think Aidan’s wholesome, boho charms or Big’s smooth, sexy persona, or even the suave energy of The Politician (who wanted her to urinate on him) – they’ve all had some kind of quirk, edge or odd charm that feels right or matches with her sensibilities. Even if it’s just the raw sex appeal that both Ray King, the jazz musician, and Bradley Cooper’s character Jake exuded – and she didn’t even end up going home the latter.
Whether it’s one-dimensional writing for Franklyn’s character or just that he’s a bit, meh, it’s hard to imagine him as a believable long-term romance or hook up for Carrie. Here’s our theory – her greatest hits are either hunky, smooth-talking, or both. And while Franklyn seems nice and all, and definitely easy on the eye, we haven’t been treated to the same chemistry or rapport she’s shared with other guys that have stood the test of time.
While we weren’t a fan of Mr Big’s emotional unavailability, for instance, they sparred. His charisma was undeniable. A good smile and a shared interest in writing podcast advert scripts isn’t giving the most compelling vibes, is it? Still, at least Carrie and Franklyn able to work in the same industry without him seeming super threatened – yes, break up over a post-it note guy Jack Berger, we’re looking at you.
It’s refreshing, though, to see Carrie having casual sex and trying on different ‘types’ or experiences – remember her brief tryst with a teacher in the first season of And Just Like That? Not exactly setting her (or our) world on fire, but is still an example of healthy experimentation and discovery. Is Franklyn just another (temporary) example of this?
Either way, it seems pretty clear where Carrie is likely to end up, what with Aidan's imminent return. It’s just not likely to be with the safe as houses silver fox, not after how long we spent caught up in Big’s charms and Aidan’s goofy smile.