“The Ick Factor”

Sex and the City season 6, episode 14
Original air date: January 11, 2004

Question of the Week: Have we become romance-intolerant?

Carrie's having a grand time with Aleksandr — her "lover," as she keeps insisting on calling him — until she begins to realize that his Old World romantic gestures are really getting under her skin. He's written her an impromptu piano serenade, entitled "The Woman with the Luminous Eyes," although he of course gives it its French name, La Femme avec Les Yeux Lumineux. On a quiet afternoon, while Carrie's reading her bible (Vogue), Aleksandr is reading Russian poetry, which he shares aloud.

Carrie can't help feeling that all these gestures are just a bit fake and over-the-top, even though she believes that Aleksandr is sincere. The other girls can't help laughing and "ick"ing when she tells them all about it.

Charlotte has trouble stomaching anything at all after the romantic dinner that she and Harry consume. After retelling to Harry all of Aleksandr's romance tricks, Harry insists he, too, can be romantic and takes Charlotte out, ordering for both of them. Unfortunately, much of what he orders is cheese, which they both have quite a lot of trouble digesting for the rest of the night.

Steve and Miranda are blissfully non-icky as they share a beer together and make resolutions together about all the things they don't want (Miranda passionately states, "I don't want to become your mother!"). Caught up in it all, Miranda asks Steve to marry her, and he agrees. The only problem now is, Miranda really doesn't want an "ick" wedding, with the big dress and the flowers and everything. She and Steve scout location after location and finally settle on a quiet neighborhood garden. The ceremony is simple and quiet, and Miranda is perfectly content.

Until, that is, Samantha drops her big news at the reception. She went to see a doctor about getting a boob job, but he found a lump in her breast. After having it biopsed, it turns out to be cancerous, which she reveals to Carrie on the way to the wedding. She swears Carrie to secrecy, not wanting to ruin Miranda's day, but when Miranda sees the other three whispering back and forth at the reception, she fears that they're laughing at her for being a Stepford bride, they have to share with her.

Carrie's overcome by Aleksandr's next gesture, which is to get her the Oscar de la Renta dress she was drooling over in Vogue ("He's a friend, Oscar.") and take her to the opera in it. Unfortunately, his next move proves to be too much: on the steps of the opera house, he spots musicians and asks Carrie to dance with him. Carrie literally swoons at this gesture, and Aleksandr has to revive her. When she comes to, she reminds him that she's an American, and he really needs to back off all the grandness. He agrees to kick it back a few notches, and they trade the opera house for McDonald's.