There's a lot to say about the reboot of Sex and the City: The "wokeness," the Peloton, the Che Diaz of it all, Miranda's drinking, the aging hips and hearing loss, the fake apartment, Brady being repulsive, and the Demi Lovato reference. But there's no one character they've done a bigger disservice to since the original Sex and the City than Steve — And Just Like That's apparent nemesis.
When we reconnected with the core characters from the original series, it was apparent that Steve had... aged. So much so that he was hard of hearing (60% in one ear, 40% in the other). Steve was never a cool character on SATC, but he was endearing, and loved Miranda. And while he lacked the poshness that other characters like Big or the Russian had, he had heart. Fast forward to the 2021 version of Steve, and all he has is a bowl of ice cream every night.
We never new the age of Steve in the original series, although actor David Eigenberg was born in 1964, making him 57. And yet somehow, Steve is mid-50s going on 110. He's constantly embarrassed by his wife's lack of interest in him or just by situational comedy. And this was a guy that owned a bar in New York in the '90s and '00s! That's worth something, right?
When thinking about all the ways the show has done him dirty, I was able to come up with this list:
- He acts like he's geriatric
- He can't hear, and you're constantly reminded of it
- He also seems to be senile (which some have theorized could be early on-set Alzheimer's)
- He's lazy and always just on the couch (and while there's literally nothing wrong with this — hello, it's been the last two years of my life — through Miranda's eyes, we're supposed to be disgusted by it)
- He is being made into a "buffoon" to justify Miranda cheating on him
- He doesn't know how to pleasure his wife anymore
- HE HAD TO FIND HIS HEARING AID IN THE COUCH CUSHION SO HIS WIFE COULD ASK FOR A DIVORCE
The list goes on. The writers of the series have acknowledged the uproar, clarifying that they don't "hate Steve," despite what many may thing. In an interview with Vanity Fair, writers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky explained that,
Everyone on the show, every single person, loves David Eigenberg as a human being. We love him as an actor. We love Steve...But Miranda’s journey is representing another reality out there, which a lot of people go through—the reevaluations and transitions in life...Grown couples grow apart, and people come to epiphanies about what their spouse is or isn’t fulfilling for them...Even beloved people have crises...
Ok, listen. I get it. Marriage dynamics change over 20 years. I am sure that there are times where you are struggling to connect with your partner. I am sure there may be whole years where you don't even like each other. And I am sure there are differences that you can't overcome because you've grown apart. But that doesn't justify ruining his character completely.
I choose to remember Steve as the hot, nerdy bartender who knew how to dish it out just as good as he could take it. The Steve who repairs a whole house and loves Miranda more than anyone and anything. The Steve who you love so much that you leave Blair Underwood for. BLAIR UNDERWOOD.
Images: HBO