What women want?

Dan was ranting recently about why Sex and the City is anti-feminist, most of which I agree with while having to admit that I more or less enjoyed the first two seasons (which are all I've watched) of the show.

Which leaves us with the $64,000 question: Why do intelligent modern women, fully aware of the anti-feminist subtext, watch the show avidly despite themselves?

Lisa Schmeiser offers the following meditation: that the show's "number one fantasy element" was that "you and your friends would always have the time for each other, and treat weekly brunch like an inviolable religious observance." (See teevee's 'Sex and the City': The Token Chick Weighs In for the full article, which discusses other things about the show as well.)

Which sounds about right. Not many TV series dare to show grown women enjoying the kind of real best-friendships that don't involve petty catfights à la Ally McBeal or evil corporate backstabbing à la --- er, I'm having trouble coming with an appropriate example here, so maybe evil female corporate backstabbing isn't so much of a plot point in the TV I watch.

The point is: realistic female friendships? Not so common on TV. I'll let you know when the next one shows up.