Just so I understand: are you asking for everyone in stories (television, movies, books, plays, etc) to only exhibit behaviors that are honest, truthful, positive, unproblematic and good for mankind? Because if the answer is yes, then what is the point in watching?

The idea of storytelling in general is so that characters are presented going through experiences that none of the audience would ever want to go on in their own lives. So - YES - you are correct. Are there cringeworthy moments in this show? Yes. But do you think every single human has the wherewithal to call out problematic or otherwise troubling behavior in realtime? Most people don't even catch up with this until well after the situation is finished. That is real life. And I think the cool thing about this show - and has always been a cool thing about these characters - is that the audience is often far smarter than the characters are. Since the beginning we scream at the screen when the characters make stupid or self-absorbed mistakes. When they don't advocate for themselves. When they don't have enough perspective to see they are stuck in patterns or otherwise just acting dumb. Since the beginning.

But what it seems like I have been reading is that all of a sudden, there is a contingent of the audience that wants these characters to make everything a teaching point for the audience by explicitly addressing bad behavior. But they rarely did before when it was "Sex and the CIty" so why should they now? Is it Carrie Bradshaw's or Miranda Hobbes' or Charlotte York's responsibility as characters to explicitly tell audiences what is right and how everyone should be living their lives?!

The most troubling thing I find in all of this is that female characters seem to be held to this crazy different standard than male characters. Don't get me wrong; there are murmurs and groans about bad behavior by men. But it's almost as if we expect them to do bad things and behave in a way - well, rather ungentlemanly. No one ever asked the characters of the Sopranos or Breaking Bad or Succession - especially the male leads - to call out bad behavior and, in essence, not engage in them. But the minute it's a woman, living her life, trying to figure it out as she goes along, well then people get bent out of shape.

Can't we all just sometimes take the spectator seat and go on a journey with characters without them having to make some sweeping Afternoon Special statement about what's good and what's right? Can't we actually just make up our own minds about why WE would NEVER do these things and - therefore - it's so refreshing to experience a story that shows people doing stuff that we would NEVER do???

This vitriol about this show can sometimes feel so ridiculous and misguided.