Rumors have been circulating for awhile about a possible film prequel to the "Sex and the City" TV series, but nothing has been confirmed. Now word is out that the prequel may in fact be a CW TV series with writer and producer connections to that network's hit show "Gossip Girl." Based on Candace Bushnell's novels that begin with Carrie Bradshaw in high school, the new series could potentially be a success with diehard fans of the original HBO series as well as new teen CW viewers. Prequels have their pitfalls, but there are five ways the new "Sex and the City" could be a new television hit.
1. Go a little more gritty. Over the years, "Sex and the City" got to be more about the clothes, glamor, and outrageous sex rather than the realistic stories of friendship and dating in New York. If the new series could adopt more of a "My So Called Life" real-person, real-life vibe rather than a "Gossip Girl" super chic sheen, it could pay tribute to the start of the original series as well as creating its own signature style. Candace Bushnell's prequel book series gives Carrie and her friends plenty of character quirks, insecurities and drama to deal with, so the new "Sex and the City" would definitely work well with average and awkward teens rather than perfectly styled 24-year-olds pretending to be teens.
2. Add cameos from our favorite characters. So far, the early days of Carrie only include an appearance by Samantha Jones. A treat for fans of the HBO series would be to include glimpses of other characters in the new show. Bushnell's storyline has Carrie in New York City after high school, so it wouldn't be at all unrealistic for her to brush past Stanford on the street or hear Anthony making a scene at a club. Carrie wouldn't have to recognize them at the time, but the fans would. Of course the ultimate gift would be a near-miss of a meet cute with young Mr. Big, which would be a treat for viewers while still preserving their eventual meet-up in the original "Sex and the City" series.
3. Show Carrie's transformation. When "Sex and the City" began, Carrie was the most level-headed and easy-to-identify-with character on the show, so it's not tough to imagine a smart teenager with a sharp wit we'll enjoy cheering on each week. Since she wasn't born with a cool writing gig, designer wardrobe and expensive shoe collection, however, there's great potential to watch our favorite aspiring author slowly find her confidence and style. There's got to be that important moment when she buys her first pair of high-end, hot pink '80s stilettos.
4. Stay true to the time period. The "Sex and the City" prequel would be set in the '80s, which gives the costumers and make-up artists plenty of fun style to work with. Eighties fashion is slowly working its way into current fashion, so there's the danger that the characters might end up looking like modern CW girls rather than properly preppy or New Wave fashionistas, with a little '70s style lingering on from the previous decade. Showing Carrie's experimentation with a quirky mix of '80s fashions and some personal innovation will help keep the show fresh, and also prevent it from looking like some stereotypical neon and spandex style explosion.
5. Create compelling characters. The problem with prequels is that we know how the story ends. While it could be entertaining and enlightening to see Carrie's origin, it could also be tougher for viewers to care about her relationships when it's obvious the guy won't be The One. Anyone who's watched repeats of the original "Sex and the City" series, however, knows that it's still fun to see Carrie's dating misadventures because the characters she meets are interesting and funny--and in a lot of cases, extremely hot. Hook Carrie up with some gorgeous guys we actually care about, and we won't mind taking the journey with them, no matter how short-lived it might be.
What do you think, Yahoo!TV readers? What elements would make a "Sex and the City" prequel succeed?
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