DVD Review | Sex and the City (Season 4)
Written by: Kage Alan

Film Rating: A
DVD Special Features: C-

If there’s one series I get more e-mail requests about than any other, it’s “Sex and the City”.  I too am one of those people who doesn’t have HBO, so I have to wait until the DVD sets come out in order to watch them.  Are they worth the wait?  Most definitely!  I’m not quite sure how, but each season just keeps getting better and better and it doesn’t feel “old” yet.  A friend of mine can’t stand the show because he feels it’s “…just about a bunch of women sitting around bitching about how awful guys are.” Yeah, and?  I’m not complaining.  Seriously, though, the show isn’t that off in its depictions nor does it say that “all” men are evil.  Sheesh.

As we last left our sassy group, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is still reeling from having cheated on Aidan (John Corbett) with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is looking to make up, move back in with Trey (Kyle MacLachlan) and have a baby, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is still battling issues of self-esteem and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is still just as naughty as she ever was.  Season 4 resolves a number of issues and plants seeds for many new upcoming ones and while I don’t want to spoil everything that happens for everybody, I’ll try and stay general.

Carrie learns that she’s not perfect when it comes to relationships or opening up, but she can apologize, is willing to learn and look deeper into herself for answers.  Aidan does come back into the picture as does Mr. Big and the results range from dramatic to hysterical.  Charlotte continues to be a little off her rocker, only is she married to somebody who’s more so than she is and is Trey secretly more of a mama’s boy than she first suspected?  As for Miranda, perhaps she grows the most in this season after some very life changing encounters and that’s all I’m going to say there.  Samantha, meanwhile, becomes annoyed when she discovers that love isn’t just a Hallmark concept.

With a slew of celebrity guests including Lucy Liu, Candice Bergen, Ron Rifkin, Margaret Cho and James Remar (just to name a few), lots of drama, beautiful faces, shoes to die for and hilarity abound, “Sex and the City (Season 4)” is a wonderful return to the dysfunctional lives we’re so glad we aren’t living ourselves.  One question I found myself asking is what is up with Sarah’s clothes this season?  Some of them are absolutely laughably terrible while Kim Cattrall has never looked more ravishing…in or out of hers!

HBO has released “Sex and the City (Season 4)” in one of the best looking full screen transfers I’ve seen of the show yet.  Video and audio quality are much better this time around and the show really shines.  As for extras, we’re given some trailers to each episode and several (3 if memory serves) audio commentaries with writer/producer Michael Patrick King.  The commentaries are pretty good, though not overly exciting.  He gives us some insight into the show, but with nobody to play off of or cast member present to give additional insight, they come off a little flat.  What about some bloopers?  What about some behind-the-scenes featurettes?  How about some cast interviews?  Considering the popularity of the show, I expected more in the extras department.

While I can see how some might feel that men aren’t seen in the most flattering light, how many times are women portrayed as either brain dead blondes or ball busting brunettes?  Besides, instead of focusing on whether or not the men in the show are evil, it makes for some fascinating insight into what women are really looking for and how to communicate with them.  Watching the show will help!  The hard part now is going to be waiting until next year for Season 5 to show up on the shelves.  Until then, enjoy.