Many minorSex and the Citycharacters live rent-free in my mind, from Tatum O’Neal’s shoe-shaming Kyra to Bobby Cannavale’s Mr. Funky Spunk, but when Susan Sharon appeared at Big’s funeral inAnd Just Like Thatseason 1, I was struggling to remember who she was. From the cringeworthy interaction she had with Carrie, it’s obvious that Susan Sharon was a former friend. And when I did aSATCrewatch, I was shocked that, for as often asCarrie is a terrible friend, she has a huge number of people she pals around with beyond her three close girlfriends.
I’ve actually found Carrie to be much more likable inAnd Just Like That, despite her terrible love life choices — seriously,Aidan Shaw is a toxic boyfriendwho needs to get off my TV screen permanently. However, despite a more mellowed-out Carrie Bradshaw, I’m not loving theSATCsequel series because it’s not really adding anything to this fun and fabulous world. Really, my favorite part ofAnd Just Like Thatis all theSex and the CityEaster eggs — including one Susan Sharon.
Susan Sharon Is Carrie’s Unhappily Married Friend In SATC
She Appears In Season 2 & 4
Susan Sharon actually appears twice inSex and the City. The first time is in season 2, episode 2, “The Awful Truth”, and it’s almost as uncomfortable as when she pops up inAnd Just Like That.Susan Sharon is a friend of Carrie’s whom she rarely sees anymore after S.S. married an abusive jerkof a man named Richard. After a very unpleasant encounter with him, Carrie finds herself accidentally telling Susan Sharon to leave Richard, which she does. However, after Susan Sharon embarrasses herself unsuccessfully trying to pick up another man, she reconciles with her husband.
SATCseason 2, episode 2
SATCseason 4, episode 15
“Change of a Dress”
AJLTseason 1, episode 2
“Little Black Dress”
Carrie was definitely put on the spot when Susan Sharon asked her what to do about Richard, but her girlfriends pointed out her rookie error at lunch. Samantha told Carrie that if S.S. and Richard split up, it’s all her fault, and if they didn’t, Susan Sharon now knows Carrie doesn’t like her husband, and it puts a strain on the friendship. This seemingly turned out to be true because we don’t see Susan Sharon again until season 4, episode 15, “Change of a Dress”.
Susan Sharon is played by actress Molly Price, who’s best known for starring in NBC crime dramaThird Watchas Faith Yokas.
In her brief appearance, it looks like Susan Sharon has moved past the Richard drama, as she’s thrilled to see Carrie at a restaurant. However, the interaction is yet again uncomfortable because, although there’s no tension between the girlfriends,Carrie is reluctant to tell Susan Sharon she’s engaged to Aidan. Things get even more awkward when S.S. grills Carrie about wedding details, and theSATCprotagonist’s reluctance to discuss her own nuptials are cringingly apparent.Carrie and Aidan call off their engagementin the next episode. It appears that Carrie, Susan Sharon, and marriage don’t mix.
Susan Makes An Uncomfortable Appearance At Big’s Funeral In And Just Like That
She Tells Carrie She Forgives Her, But Carrie Doesn’t Know What For
FollowingBig’s unexpected deathinAnd Just Like That,many familiar faces show up at his funeral in season 1, episode 2, “Little Black Dress”, including Susan Sharon. We first see her during the slideshow, where she whispers to her seatmate, “Am I the only one who remembers what a prick he was to her?” It’s a hugely inappropriate thing to say at a person’s funeral — even if it was manySex and the Cityfans, including myself, were thinking.
But her gauche words at the funeral are nothing compared to Susan Sharon’s behavior at the wake. She approaches Carrie andlaunches into a rambling monologue about how she’s willing to put the past behind them, forgive Carrie, and resume their friendship. Her tirade at this poor, grieving widow was so uncomfortable, I wish I had a veil like Carrie’s to hide behind. After Susan Sharon thunders off, Carrie confesses to Miranda that she has no idea what S.S. was talking about.
She was likely holding a grudge that Carrie gave her this advice and then turned around and married Big, a man who also treated Carrie like garbage.
Knowing what we do,the obvious answer is Carrie’s gaffe fromSATCseason 2. When Susan Sharon puts her on the spot, asking Carrie if she’d leave a toxic partner, Ms. Bradshaw implied she would because, “Life’s too short.” Since Susan Sharon did, in fact, stay with her husband, she was likely holding a grudge that Carrie gave her this advice and then turned around and married Big, a man who also treated Carrie like garbage. It also explains why she wasn’t angry with Carrie when she was engaged to Aidan because, as far as she knew, Aidan was a good guy.
Honestly, after I stopped cringing after Susan Sharon picking Big’s funeral to air her dirty laundry,I couldn’t help but wonder —was this scene brilliant? Before his death,And Just Like Thatpainted Carrie and Big as living their best happily ever after life, but we shouldn’t forget how odious Big was. I feel like the show was reminding us that Carrie deserves better, and now she has the opportunity to get it. Why she picked Aidan is beyond me, but that’s an article for another day.
Susan Sharon Is Rumored To Be Based On A Real Housewife
She Bears Similarities To RHNY’s Dorinda Medley
Susan Sharon would be the perfect cast member for aReal Housewivesseries, and it turns out thatshe may have actually been based on a Housewife —Real Housewives of New York’s Dorinda Medley, who starred on the show from seasons 7 through 12. This rumor comes from a tense interaction Dorinda had withSex and the Cityauthor Candace Bushnell, who based the Carrie character on herself. At a dinner party, Dorinda tells Candace, “I’ll tell you how I’m doing. Not well, bitch.” Can you not hear Susan Sharon saying that to Carrie?
Furthermore, Dorinda’s late husband, Richard Medley, has the same name as Susan Sharon’s husband. This is likely a coincidence, considering S.S.’s firstSATCappearance was back in 1999, and Dorinda and Richard weren’t married until 2005. However,many believe Susan Sharon’s husband was actually based on Dorinda’sfirsthusband, Ralph Lynch. It’s unlikely we’ll ever know the truth, but given what a wild card she is, I’d more than welcome Susan Sharon back on my screen forAnd Just Like Thatseason 3.
