Sex and the City

The show is based on writer Candace Bushnell's column "Sex and the City", published in The New York Observer, which was later compiled into a book of the same name. Bushnell has mentioned in several interviews that the character of Carrie Bradshaw in her columns is her alter ego. Initially, she wrote the column from her first-person perspective but later invented Carrie, introduced as Bushnell's friend, so her parents would not realize they were reading about her own sex life. Both Bushnell and the television version of Carrie (who had no last name in the column) share the same initials, further emphasizing their connection. Like Bushnell, Carrie writes columns for the fictional New York Star, which are eventually compiled into a book within the series, and later becomes a writer for Vogue.^[9]

Bushnell collaborated with television producer Darren Star, whom she had met while profiling him for Vogue, to adapt the columns for television. Both HBO and ABC expressed interest in the series, but Star ultimately chose HBO for the creative freedom it offered.^[10] Star wrote the pilot with Sarah Jessica Parker in mind for the role of Carrie. According to Parker, "I was flattered but didn't want to do it. He convinced me, begged me to do it, and I signed a contract."^[11] The pilot episode was shot in June 1997, a year before the series premiered.^[12][13] However, Parker initially disliked the pilot, stating, "I hated the look, the clothes ... I didn't think it worked" and feared it might end her career.^[11] She even offered to work on three HBO movies unpaid to be released from her contract. Though Star refused to release her, he listened to her concerns and made significant changes before shooting the first season. Reflecting on the experience, Parker said, "The funny thing, after the first episode of season one, I never looked back, and the rest is history. I never thought, though, that the show would become what it has become."^[11]

 

Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is the narrator and main protagonist of the series, with each episode structured around her thoughts while writing her weekly column, "Sex and the City," for the fictional newspaper, the New York Star. A member of New York's social scene, she is known for her unique fashion sense and lives in a studio apartment in an Upper East Side brownstone. Her best friend outside of the central group of women is Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson), a gay talent agent from an aristocratic family.

Carrie has a tumultuous, on-again, off-again relationship with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), a prominent businessman and jazz aficionado. Big, who is once-divorced at the series' start, is a recurring source of emotional conflict for Carrie due to his reluctance to fully commit to their relationship. A running joke in the series involves Carrie being interrupted whenever she is about to introduce Mr. Big by name; his first name, John, is only revealed in the final moments of the series’ last episode (Season 6, Episode 20).

Carrie and Big break up for a second time in Season 2 when he leaves New York for a work trip to Paris and shows no willingness to either bring her along or maintain a long-distance relationship. Carrie is heartbroken and later encounters Big at a party in The Hamptons with his new, much younger girlfriend, Natasha. Carrie tries to maintain a friendship with Big, but it falls apart when he announces his engagement to Natasha, a level of commitment he never offered Carrie.

In Season 3, Carrie begins dating Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), an up-and-coming Manhattan furniture designer who is more traditional and patient than her previous boyfriends. Despite their happiness, Carrie starts an affair with Big, which ends when Natasha catches Carrie at Big's apartment. The affair's revelation causes Aidan to break up with Carrie after she confesses her infidelity on the day of Charlotte's wedding to Trey. The two eventually reconcile in Season 4, and Aidan even proposes, but Carrie's ongoing connection with Big and her reluctance to fully commit lead to their final breakup.

As the series progresses, Carrie and Big attempt to redefine their relationship, eventually becoming friends. However, when Big has a health scare in the final season, Carrie realizes she still has feelings for him. After helping him through his recovery, she decides to move on from Big due to his continued inability to commit.

In the final season, Carrie begins a relationship with Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov), a famous artist who introduces her to a different, more cosmopolitan lifestyle. He eventually invites her to move to Paris with him, which she accepts, seeing it as a contrast to Big's reluctance to make similar gestures. However, Carrie's friends, particularly Miranda, express concerns that Aleksandr is controlling and that Carrie is changing herself to fit into his world.

Once in Paris, Carrie quickly becomes disillusioned as Aleksandr is frequently absent due to his work, leaving her to wander the city alone. After a lonely call to Miranda, in which Carrie confesses her regrets, Mr. Big decides to go to Paris to win her back. After a confrontation with Aleksandr, who accidentally hits her during an argument, Carrie is ready to leave when Big arrives and tells her she is "the one," a sentiment she had longed to hear throughout their relationship, and they return to New York together.

 

Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is depicted as having a conventional, privileged Episcopalian upbringing in Connecticut and works in an art gallery. A classic overachiever and perfectionist, Charlotte was a "straight A" student who attended Smith College and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma (there are no sororities at the real Smith College) majoring in art history with a minor in finance. During the series, it is revealed that Charlotte was voted homecoming queen, prom queen, "most popular," student body president, and track team captain, in addition to being an active cheerleader and teen model.

As the antithesis of Samantha, Charlotte is optimistic, hopelessly romantic, and a firm believer in true love and soulmates. She places significant emphasis on emotional love over physical desire and is focused on finding "the one" to marry and start a family. Her dating life throughout the show reflects this pursuit, often involving men of status and pedigree, such as bankers, doctors, and lawyers.

Charlotte can be a dark horse, and it is learnt that she once had a dalliance with an Orthodox Jewish artist, she dressed in drag for a portrait, and she allowed an artist to paint a picture of her vulva. She can be an "East Side Princess" sometimes, and she and Samantha occasionally come to blows over their differing opinions about love and sex.

In season 3, Charlotte decides she will be married that year and sets about canvassing her married friends to set her up on dates. One married friend usurps her blind date to try to start an affair with her. Horrified, she dashes into the street and trips in front of a taxi, carrying Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan), an attractive, old-money, Scottish-American cardiologist with pedigree, a Park Avenue apartment and country estate in Connecticut. They fall in love at first sight, and he appears to be everything she has always wanted. Things move quickly and Charlotte, convinced he is the one, suggests they marry. He agrees, and they are married very shortly afterward (with the help of wedding planner Anthony Marentino; a gay Sicilian who is as forceful as Charlotte is timid).

Wishing to "do things the right way," Charlotte has withheld having sex with Trey, hoping for a romantic and traditional wedding night. On the evening before the big day, she gets drunk with the other women and goes to Trey for sex. Unfortunately, it does not go well; Trey reveals he suffers from impotence (though he won't say the word).

While concerned, Charlotte presses ahead with the wedding. Minutes before walking down the aisle, she confides in Carrie about what happened the night before and nearly does not go through with the marriage. As the marriage begins things do not get any better in their intimate relationship, and Trey refuses to address matters either physically or psychologically, resisting their marriage counselor's advice. Matters are not helped by Trey's overbearing mother Bunny (Frances Sternhagen), a manipulative sort who intrudes on Trey and Charlotte's relationship and apartment on a regular basis. Not long into the marriage, on a weekend trip to the MacDougal country estate, Charlotte, frustrated by Trey's lack of sexual attention, kisses the hunky gardener, and is caught by a relative. Though Trey suggests they can stay together and have separate lives, Charlotte won't accept this. She and Trey separate, and she moves back into her old apartment.

While separated, Trey suddenly gets his mojo back and they mend their sexual relationship. But it takes Charlotte getting fed up with being a slave to "the penis" that convinces Trey to grow up and invite Charlotte to move back in, which she does. All seems to be well, and soon Trey tells Charlotte he's ready to try for a baby. Having no luck with natural method of conception, Charlotte seeks fertility treatment and is told she has a very low chance of becoming pregnant. Seeking other options, she begins hormone injections and looks into adopting a Chinese baby girl, which Bunny does not approve of.

A combination of these factors once again ignites old tensions with Trey and Bunny, culminating in Trey's deciding he no longer wants a family. Charlotte tries to adjust to this change, but is clearly upset, since having a husband and family were her dream. Trey finally tells Charlotte that she shouldn't have to give up her dream for him. Trey lets Charlotte keep their apartment after he moves out. However, Bunny is not content to let Charlotte keep the apartment and the apartment becomes a contentious aspect of the divorce proceedings.

When Charlotte's marriage ends, she meets Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), her Jewish divorce lawyer, at the beginning of season 5. She is not attracted to him initially but, spurred on by Anthony, she starts a purely physical relationship with Harry. Harry is the opposite of Trey: short, bald, hairy, uncouth but funny, passionate, and attentive. Their sexual relationship is fulfilling, and eventually they begin dating properly. However, Harry says he cannot be serious with Charlotte because she isn't a Jew.

Believing Harry to be her future, Charlotte converts to Judaism and this sees her struggle with losing her Christian faith and ideologies including Christmas and Easter. After her conversion, Charlotte celebrates her first Shabbat with Harry but loses her temper when he appears to not appreciate all her efforts. The argument quickly devolves into Charlotte's badgering Harry to propose and, feeling pressured, he storms out, and they break up, but not before revealing that Charlotte's dream was in reach after all, that he'd bought a ring.

Charlotte is heartbroken but tries to move on with her life. Sometime later, at a singles event at the synagogue, she bumps into Harry. She tells him she loves him and doesn't care if he never marries her as long as they can be together. Having missed her, too, Harry proposes, and they marry in a traditional Jewish ceremony.

Charlotte, against all the odds, becomes pregnant after acupuncture therapy but loses the baby very early on. Charlotte is crushed, but they later go on to adopt a baby girl, Lily, from China, and it is revealed during Sex and the City that Charlotte later naturally conceives and gives birth to the couple's second daughter, Rose.

 

Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) is a career-minded lawyer with cynical views on relationships and men, a struggle she navigates throughout the series. A 1990 Harvard Law School graduate from the Philadelphia area, she is Carrie Bradshaw's confidante and often serves as the voice of reason within the group.

Carrie sets Miranda up on a blind date with her friend Skipper, but Miranda finds him too passive for her tastes.

Miranda's most significant relationship is with bartender Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), whom she meets by chance one night. What begins as a one-night stand develops into a more serious relationship. Despite their strong connection, Steve feels insecure about Miranda's financial success and struggles with the income disparity between them. Tensions arise when Miranda attempts to buy Steve a suit for an event at her law firm; Steve, feeling inadequate, maxes out his credit cards to buy it himself, only to return it later and break up with Miranda, believing she deserves someone more on her level. Miranda is heartbroken and questions if her career success is a hindrance to finding a lasting relationship.

In Season 2, after avoiding Steve on the street, Miranda is confronted by him at her home. They rekindle their relationship, and Steve eventually moves into Miranda's apartment. However, their differing views on having children—Steve is eager to start a family, while Miranda is focused on her career—lead to their breakup. A failed attempt to care for a puppy together further highlights their differences, with Miranda feeling burdened by Steve's lack of responsibility.

Steve later opens his own bar, encouraged by Miranda's criticisms. They maintain a friendship, and in Season 4, when Steve is diagnosed with testicular cancer, Miranda steps in to support him, helping him through his surgery and treatment. Their relationship deepens, and after one night of intimacy, Miranda discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant, despite having been told she had a "lazy ovary."

At the same time, Charlotte is struggling with infertility, leading to tension when she learns that Miranda, who is initially considering an abortion, is pregnant. At the clinic, Miranda decides to keep the baby and later gives birth to a son, Brady (Steve's last name). Miranda and Steve co-parent Brady, with the help of Miranda's housekeeper/nanny, Magda, an older Eastern European woman who becomes a constant presence in Miranda's life. The series explores Miranda's challenges as a single, working mother and her struggle to balance her career with her new responsibilities.

Miranda eventually realizes she is still in love with Steve, but before she can express her feelings, Steve reveals he is dating a younger woman named Debbie. Choosing not to disrupt his new relationship, Miranda keeps her feelings to herself, and their interactions remain platonic.

Shortly afterward, Miranda begins dating Robert Leeds, an attractive African American doctor for the New York Knicks. Their relationship becomes serious when Robert confesses his love for Miranda, but she is unable to reciprocate. At Brady's first birthday party, Miranda has an epiphany and confesses her love to Steve, who reassures her that he loves her too. They end their respective relationships and reunite.

Miranda and Steve marry in a modest ceremony in a community garden. Initially cramped in Miranda's one-bedroom apartment, they decide to purchase a larger home and eventually move to a house in Brooklyn, a decision Miranda initially resists.

In the final episodes of season 6, Miranda and Steve care for Steve's mother Mary, who is suffering from dementia/Alzheimer's. Miranda tells Steve that his mother can come stay with them in the Brooklyn house and even bathes her when Mary has a bad episode. Magda comments to Miranda that the things she does for Mary are what's called love.

 

The oldest and most sexually confident of the foursome, Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) is an independent businesswoman with a career in public relations (PR). She is confident, strong, and outspoken, often referring to herself as a "try-sexual"—someone who will try anything once. Early in the series, Samantha declares that she has given up on traditional relationships and instead chooses to have sex "like a man", purely for physical gratification without emotional attachment.

Throughout the show, Samantha engages in numerous brief sexual encounters, including a lesbian relationship with an artist named Maria (Sônia Braga). This marks her first attempt at monogamy, but her sexual past with men soon interferes and she returns to her previous lifestyle. Later, she secures the PR business for hotel magnate Richard Wright (James Remar), who is her male counterpart—handsome, sexually liberated, and uninterested in long-term commitments. As their relationship develops, Samantha finds herself unexpectedly falling for Richard, which frightens her. Despite her efforts to hide her feelings, Richard reciprocates, and they enter a monogamous relationship.

However, Samantha's trust in Richard falters when she catches him cheating on her, leading to heartbreak. Although they briefly reconcile after Richard apologizes and showers her with expensive gifts, Samantha's jealousy and inability to trust him ultimately cause her to end the relationship.

In the final season, Samantha becomes involved with Jerry "Smith" Jerrod (Jason Lewis), a much younger aspiring actor. Although their relationship begins as a casual fling, Samantha helps Smith advance his acting career through her PR expertise. Over time, their intense sexual chemistry and Smith's refusal to tolerate Samantha's emotional defenses lead to a deeper connection. When Samantha is diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes chemotherapy, Smith stands by her side, even shaving his head in solidarity when she loses her hair. Despite her attempts to push him away, Smith remains devoted, and their bond strengthens.

They remain together, and in the first Sex and the City film, it is revealed that Samantha has moved to Los Angeles with Smith to manage his career. However, she eventually breaks up with him, realizing that she has prioritized their relationship and his career over her own needs and desires. Samantha decides to end the relationship, choosing to focus on herself and her life in New York. She and Smith part on good terms, remaining friends.

It has been claimed by Louise Perry that Samantha's character was based on a stereotypical portrayal of the life of a promiscuous gay man.^[14][15]

List of notables recurring roles during series

Carrie Bradshaw lives in Manhattan and writes a column titled "Sex and the City." At a birthday party for Miranda, Carrie and her friends discuss the idea of having sex "like men", meaning without emotional attachment. She decides to test this theory by sleeping with a man who had previously broken her heart. This time, however, she treats him with the same detachment he once showed her, and she discovers that he seems eager to see her again when they next meet. Carrie openly discusses her relationships with her best friend Stanford Blatch, who is gay and perpetually searching for love.

Carrie has several chance encounters with a handsome businessman whom Samantha dubs "Mr. Big." They begin dating, but Carrie is dismayed to learn that he is still seeing other people. Although he eventually agrees to exclusivity, he does not introduce Carrie to his mother and avoids referring to her as "the one." Frustrated by his lack of commitment, Carrie decides to break off their relationship rather than go on a planned vacation with him.

Carrie sets up Miranda with her friend Skipper. Miranda and Skipper date intermittently, with their contrasting personalities—Miranda being more assertive and Skipper more laid back—causing tension. After they break up, Miranda sees him with another woman and feels compelled to resume their relationship, but they break up again when he seeks exclusivity, and she does not.

Charlotte dates a marriage-minded man, but they clash over china patterns. She also declines to have anal sex with another boyfriend and consents to pose nude for a famous painter.

Samantha has a series of brief sexual encounters, including one with an artist who videotapes his partners, with Charlotte's doorman, with a married couple, and others. When she meets James, who initially seems perfect for her, Samantha is heartbroken to discover that he has an extremely small penis.

Carrie dates a baseball player on the rebound but ends the relationship when she realizes she's not over Big. She then dates a filmmaker who has compromised his artistic integrity, a shoplifter, and a nice guy whom she inadvertently scares away by snooping. Eventually, she rekindles her relationship with Big, initially keeping it a secret from her friends. Their relationship remains tumultuous, and when Big reveals that he may have to move to Paris for a year but does not explicitly invite Carrie to join him, they break up for a second time. Carrie then unsuccessfully tries to turn a friend-with-benefits into something more, dates a writer with a great family but who is consistently "early" in bed, and then a recovering alcoholic who uses Carrie as a replacement for his previous addiction. She later encounters Big again, who has returned from Paris with his new 20-something fiancée, Natasha (played by Bridget Moynahan).

Charlotte encounters a range of suitors, including a legendary expert in cunnilingus, a handy actor who lives next door, a widower looking for a relationship, a man who undergoes adult circumcision, a famous actor, a pastry chef with effeminate tendencies, a shoe salesman with a foot fetish, and a 20-something who gives her crabs.

Miranda dates a man who enjoys dirty talk, fakes it with an ophthalmologist, and tries to adapt to a guy who likes to watch porn during sex. By the time she meets Steve, a bartender, she is skeptical of his niceness. Although they begin dating, differences in their schedules and finances eventually lead to a breakup. They reconnect and end up in bed together again, but not before Miranda dates a man who wants to get caught cheating, a Peeping Tom in the next building, and a divorced father.

After a brief attempt at couples therapy, Samantha ends her relationship with James. She then has encounters with a litigator, a salsa dancer, her personal trainer, a sports fan whose sexual performance depends on his team's success, and Charlotte's brother. She also meets a man whose anatomy is too large even for her.

The end of season two also marks the end of characters' talking directly to the camera.

Carrie starts off dating a politician, followed by a bisexual man. Meanwhile, Big marries Natasha, and Carrie meets Aidan, a furniture maker. Carrie and Aidan have a seemingly flawless relationship until Carrie and Big begin an affair. When Natasha catches Carrie in her and Big's apartment, both the affair and Carrie's relationship with Aidan come to an end, as does Big's marriage to Natasha.

Charlotte, in her quest for a husband, dates an investment banker with anger management issues, a photographer who encourages her to wear menswear, a bad kisser, and a man who calls out names during climax. She eventually meets Trey MacDougal; despite an awkward proposal, Trey's low libido, and conflicts with his domineering mother, the two marry. Their marriage begins with a sexless honeymoon, and as sexual issues persist, they ultimately decide to separate.

Miranda and Steve move in together. Steve expresses a desire to have a baby, but a decision to get a puppy instead highlights the maturity differences between them. Steve moves out, and Miranda makes partner at her law firm. She also dates a series of men, including a phone sex enthusiast, a fake ER doctor, a man who doesn't swallow his food, and a police detective.

Samantha engages in a series of relationships, including with a firefighter, a short man, her assistant, a black man whose sister disapproves, a recreational Viagra user, a man who tastes bad, Trey's Scottish cousin, a dildo model, and a college-aged virgin. She also faces a menopause scare, gets tested for HIV, and buys a new apartment in the Meatpacking District, where she eventually makes peace with the transgender women on her street.

After her breakups with Big and Aidan, Carrie dates a man who still lives at home, teaches a class at the Learning Annex on how to meet men, gets mugged, and tries to apologize to Natasha. She and Big also attempt to establish a friendship.

After a chance meeting with Aidan at the opening of a bar he co-owns, Carrie convinces him to restart their relationship. Aidan eventually moves into her apartment after purchasing it when her building goes co-op and later proposes. Despite her initial misgivings, Carrie accepts the proposal but soon realizes she is not ready for marriage. Although Aidan initially agrees to give her more time, he soon begins to pressure her into marriage, revealing his lingering mistrust due to her past affair with Big. They ultimately break up, and Aidan moves out. Carrie buys her apartment with the down payment lent to her by Charlotte, who gives Carrie her engagement ring from Trey. At the end of season 4, Carrie discovers that Big has sold his apartment and is moving to Napa, California.

Charlotte and Trey, though living apart, continue to have marital relations. They eventually reconcile, and Charlotte moves back into their shared apartment. They decide to try for a baby but discover that Charlotte is reproductively challenged. After fertility treatments and considering adoption, their marriage falls apart under the strain, and they decide to divorce.

Miranda supports Steve through his battle with testicular cancer and surgery. Later, when Steve feels emasculated by the surgery, they have sex, and Miranda becomes pregnant. She initially considers an abortion, a decision that is particularly distressing to Charlotte, who is struggling with her own fertility issues. However, Miranda ultimately decides to keep the baby.

Samantha flirts with a priest, has nude photos taken, attempts a relationship with a lesbian, and sleeps with various partners, including a man who engages in baby talk, a wrestling coach, and a farmer. She then lands a major PR account with hotel magnate Richard Wright, who is resolutely single. Their relationship begins as purely sexual but gradually deepens into something more, leading them to attempt monogamy. However, Samantha eventually catches Richard cheating, leading to their breakup.

Carrie spends time focusing on herself, initially fearing that this might lead to her being fired from writing her sex column. Instead, a publisher expresses interest in turning her columns into a book. A book tour takes her to San Francisco, where she briefly reunites with Big. Back in New York, she meets Jack Berger, a fellow author with whom she feels an immediate connection, but he is already in a relationship.

Charlotte has a confrontation with her former mother-in-law over the legalities of the apartment she shared with Trey and hires Harry Goldenblatt as her divorce attorney. Despite his physical shortcomings, she finds herself attracted to him, and they begin a sexual relationship. As she develops real feelings for Harry, he reveals that he must marry within his Jewish faith, prompting Charlotte to seriously consider conversion.

Miranda, now a mother to her son Brady, struggles to balance work, dating, and her previous lifestyle. Steve remains supportive, and one afternoon they end up in bed together, leading Miranda to question her feelings for him.

Samantha attempts to rekindle her relationship with Richard but finds herself constantly paranoid and unable to trust him. During a trip to Atlantic City with Richard and the girls, she realizes she cannot overcome her lack of trust and decides to end the relationship for good.

Carrie begins dating Jack Berger, who is considered her best "mental match" among all her relationships. However, Berger's struggles as an author, combined with Carrie's success with her upcoming book, create tension between them, leading to their breakup. Big returns to New York for an angioplasty, and Carrie realizes she still has feelings for him; however, she also recognizes that he still cannot fully commit. After Big returns to Napa, Carrie meets Aleksandr Petrovsky, a famous Russian artist. Aleksandr appears to be attentive to Carrie in ways that Big never was, and he invites her to accompany him to Paris. She agrees but quickly realizes how inattentive he becomes when focused on his work. Carrie ends the relationship just as Big arrives in Paris, ready to finally commit to her as "the one."

Charlotte decides that life with Harry, who accepts her fertility challenges, is worth converting to Judaism. After completing the conversion process, she pressures Harry to "set the date" in a way that he finds insulting, leading him to break up with her. However, they encounter each other at a mixer, and after Charlotte offers a tearful apology, they rekindle their relationship and eventually marry. When fertility treatments fail, they decide to adopt and later receive approval to adopt a child from China.

After realizing she is still in love with Steve, Miranda discovers that he has begun a serious relationship with another woman, Debbie, prompting her to start a relationship with Robert (played by Blair Underwood). However, at their son Brady's first birthday party, Miranda and Steve confess their feelings for each other and renew their relationship. Miranda proposes to Steve, and they marry in a community park. With their growing family, Miranda agrees to move to Brooklyn, where they purchase a brownstone. After Steve's mother, Mary (played by Anne Meara), suffers a stroke and subsequent memory loss, she moves in with the couple.

Samantha begins a relationship with Jerry Jerrod, a much younger waiter who is also a struggling actor. Using her PR expertise, she helps boost his career, even rebranding him as Smith Jerrod. Although Samantha initially tries to keep their relationship casual, she develops genuine feelings for him. Smith stands by Samantha after she is diagnosed with breast cancer, shaving his head in solidarity when she loses her hair due to chemotherapy. He also remains patient and supportive when her treatment affects her sex drive. When Smith flies back from a movie shoot just to tell her that he loves her, Samantha replies, "You have meant more to me than any man I've ever known."

The season and the series concludes with the four women reunited in New York City, and with Carrie receiving a phone call from Big (finally revealing his first name, John), telling her that his Napa house is up for sale, and he is headed back to New York. Carrie's final voiceover states: "The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."

Sex and the City premiered on HBO on June 6, 1998, and was one of the highest-rated comedies of the season.^[16]

Over the course of its six seasons, Sex and the City was nominated for over 50 Primetime Emmy Awards and won seven: two for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series (Jennifer McNamara), one for Outstanding Costumes, one for Outstanding Comedy Series, one for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Sarah Jessica Parker), and one for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Cynthia Nixon).

The show was also nominated for 24 Golden Globe Awards and won eight: three for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, four for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (Sarah Jessica Parker), and one for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film (Kim Cattrall).

In 2007, Sex and the City was listed as one of TIME magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME."^[3] Entertainment Weekly included it in its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, stating, "The clothes from SATC raise your cosmos! A toast to the wonderful wardrobe from Sex and the City, which taught us that no flower is too big, no skirt too short, and no shoe too expensive."^[17]

For its 65th anniversary, TV Guide ranked the episode "My Motherboard, My Self" as the eighth-best episode of the 21st century.^[18]

In 2023, Variety ranked Sex and the City as the sixth-greatest TV show of all time.^[19]

In 2013, The New York Times credited Sex and the City and its costume designer Patricia Field with "starting crazes for nameplate necklaces, Manolo Blahnik shoes, flower corsages, and visible bra straps." Field described the show's influence as "like sitting at the bottom of an atom bomb."^[20] A 2018 feature in The Guardian highlighted the show's enduring impact, quoting fashion editor Chelsea Fairless: "I would venture to say that the mix of high fashion and fast fashion that Patricia Field brought to the show influenced most people who work in fashion in one way or another."^[21] The article also noted fan accounts on Instagram, such as "Every Outfit on Sex and the City" and "Carrie Dragshaw," as evidence of the show's continued popular appeal and influence on fashion.

Criticism has been expressed regarding the influence Sex and the City has on adolescents and how the images portrayed on the show affect the way women and young girls view themselves.^[22]

Tanya Gold of The Daily Telegraph stated, "Sex and the City is to feminism what sugar is to dental care" and argued that the show was dominated by images of women as either childlike or as sex objects. She pointed to the opening credits, where the protagonist wears a ballet skirt—"the sort that toddlers wear"—and is then passed by a bus ad featuring a scantily clad photo of herself. "In another [episode], Carrie realizes she is homeless because she has spent $40,000 on shoes and does not have a deposit for an apartment. (In this crisis, she cries and borrows the money for the deposit—what child would do anything else?)."^[23]

In addition to focusing on finding and keeping a man, the lead character also routinely hides her true thoughts and feelings from the men she dates. The show uses voiceovers to reveal Carrie's inner thoughts, which often conflict with how she expresses herself externally. Pop culture expert Ashli L. Dykes notes that "... [the] fear that men will no longer find a woman attractive if she reveals her true self is in contrast to the relationships among the four main female characters..."^[24]

Academic critics, however, are divided on whether Sex and the City is anti-feminist, feminist, or post-feminist. Some argue that regardless of the label applied, the show contributed significantly "to ongoing dialogue"^[25] and that it "shows women in a world where they can be feminine, attractive, and feminist at the same time ... the series gives a forum to a renewed postfeminist debate."^[26]

Andrea Press criticized the show for its handling of topics such as unexpected pregnancy, arguing that it contrasts with progressive feminist thought. In one episode, Miranda faces an unexpected pregnancy, prompting Carrie to reflect on her own experience with pregnancy and abortion. Press contends that Carrie's shame when sharing this story with her boyfriend serves to "undermine" the hard-won freedoms that allowed her choice, presenting "multiple critical perspectives toward the act."^[27] Press also argued that while the show is often lauded as a champion of progressive feminism, its characters adhere to traditional views of female gender roles, focusing heavily on appearance, glamour, and consumerism.^[27] She pointed out that the outfits worn by the characters are as central to the show as the storyline itself, with a significant emphasis on consumption and constant marketing messages throughout the series.^[28]

In retrospective analyses of the show, critics have reassessed Carrie Bradshaw as an unsympathetic protagonist, despite her portrayal as a positive figure. In 2013, Glamour called Carrie "the worst" character on the show, stating that "her brattiness and self-absorption eclipsed her redeeming qualities and even her awesome shoes."^[29] In a 2010 retrospective on the previous two decades of pop culture, ABC News named Carrie one of the ten worst characters of the past twenty years, describing her as a "snippy, self-righteous Manhattan snob" and citing her actions in Sex and the City 2 as evidence that she was beyond personal growth or redemption.^[30] Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker, reflecting on the show a decade after it ended, argued that Bradshaw was "the unacknowledged first female anti-hero on television," who began as a "happy, curious explorer, out companionably smoking with modellizers," but from the second season on, she "spun out, becoming anxious, obsessive, and, despite her charm, wildly self-centered." Nussbaum also asserted that the show's reputation has "shrunk and faded" over time, largely due to disappointment that the series "gave in" to the limits of romantic comedy in its later seasons. She contended that until then, Sex and the City "was sharp, iconoclastic television." In addressing why the show is now "so often portrayed as a set of empty, static cartoons, an embarrassment to womankind," Nussbaum suggested: "It's a classic misunderstanding, I think, stemming from an unexamined hierarchy: the assumption that anything stylized (or formulaic, or pleasurable, or funny, or feminine, or explicit about sex rather than about violence, or made collaboratively) must be inferior." Nussbaum also challenged criticism of Sex and the City as anti-feminist, advocating for a more nuanced view of the characters as situated within different waves of feminism: "Miranda and Carrie were second-wave feminists, who believed in egalitarianism; Charlotte and Samantha were third-wave feminists, focused on exploiting the power of femininity, from opposing angles."^[31]

A 2018 article in The Guardian titled "'That show was as white as it gets!': Sex and the City's problematic legacy," highlighted the lack of non-white series regulars and "racial insensitivities" in the show, such as Carrie's reference to "ghetto gold" and Samantha's wearing of an afro wig to cover her baldness from chemotherapy.^[32] The article also referenced the #wokecharlotte memes that gained popularity on social media in 2017, in which Charlotte chastises Carrie for comments that retrospectively appear insensitive and ignorant (e.g., Carrie's labeling of bisexuality as a "layover on the way to Gay Town" and Samantha's use of transphobic language to refer to the sex workers outside her apartment).^[32][33] The creator of the memes stated that "it is satisfying to see the show get called out for the stuff that wouldn't hold up in 2017. It's true that it was progressive for its time, but that doesn't mean contemporary viewers should be dismissive of some of its more problematic content."^[34] On the 20th anniversary of the show's premiere, The Guardian published an opinion piece by Rebecca Nicholson, arguing that the show should not be discounted because of its retrospective flaws but should still be appreciated for being "a brilliant, daring, pioneering show."^[35]

Season one of Sex and the City aired on HBO from June to August 1998. Season two followed, broadcasting from June to October 1999. Season three aired from June to October 2000. Season four was split into two parts: the first aired from June to August 2001, and the second in January and February 2002. Season five, which was shortened due to Sarah Jessica Parker's pregnancy, aired during the summer of 2002. The final season, season six, consisted of twenty episodes that were also split into two parts: the first aired from June to September 2003, and the second from January to February 2004.

Sex and the City is currently syndicated in the US by HBO corporate sibling (under Warner Bros. Discovery) Warner Bros. Television Distribution. CBS Studios (successors to Rysher Entertainment and Paramount Domestic Television) and their distribution arm own international rights. The series was filmed with traditional broadcast syndication in mind during its run, and pre-planned scenes with different dialogue and content were created specifically for syndication, along with appropriate cuts of each episode to fit a 22-minute timeslot which includes advertising.^[36]

Sex and the City is currently syndicated in the U.S. by HBO's corporate sibling, Warner Bros. Television Distribution, under Warner Bros. Discovery. CBS Studios, as the successor to Rysher Entertainment and Paramount Domestic Television, holds the international rights. During its original run, the series was filmed with traditional broadcast syndication, including pre-planned scenes with alternative dialogue and content were created specifically for syndication. Additionally, episodes were appropriately edited to fit a 22-minute timeslot, including advertising.^[36]

The United States cable channel HBO was the original broadcaster of Sex and the City; HBO Max now carries the entire series as it was originally aired. TBS and WGN America were the first U.S. channels to syndicate the show, utilizing the secondary syndicated cut; it also aired on various broadcast stations for several seasons. As of 2021, E! occasionally broadcasts the syndicated version of the series.

In February 2021, a remastered high-definition version of the series was released on HBO Max. The original film negatives were rescanned at 4K resolution and reformatted to a 16:9 aspect ratio by extending the sides of the frame.^[37] In May 2023, following the rebranding of HBO Max to Max, the series became available in 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos.^[38] It was released on Netflix on April 1, 2024.^[39]

In Canada, the cable channel Bravo aired the first run of Sex and the City every Saturday at 11:00 PM, a few weeks behind the U.S. HBO broadcast (the series predated the 2008 establishment of HBO Canada).

In Australia, the Nine Network aired the series every Monday between 9:30 PM and 11:00 PM. After 2004, the cable channel W aired it until the summer of 2008, when Arena began airing it alongside Will & Grace, with promos stating, "all the good guys are gay." The series was also repeated on Network Ten from 2005 to 2010 and on Eleven (later rebranded as 10 Peach) from February 2011. It is currently syndicated on the cable channel Fox Showcase and occasionally features in marathons on the cable channel Binge, where back-to-back episodes of various TV shows are aired.

In Ireland, TV3 premiered Sex and the City in February 1999. Since 2006, repeats of the series have aired on 3e.

In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 originally aired the series, with the first episode broadcast on 3 February 1999.^[40] As of August 2009, a double bill of the show aired each weeknight at 10:30 PM on Comedy Central, and another double bill aired on Wednesdays at 9 PM on 5*. From 2015, the series was repeated on CBS Drama. Starting on 26 February 2018, the series returned to Channel 4 on its music-oriented channel, 4Music. Since 2020, the series has been aired on Sky Comedy.

The first five seasons of Sex and the City were released on VHS in box sets.^[41]

All six seasons have since been released commercially on DVD, with the sixth season split into two parts. These DVDs have been released in region 1 (Americas), region 2 (Europe & Middle East), region 3 (Korea), and region 4 (Oceania & South Pacific) formats. In addition to region encoding, the releases vary depending on the region in which they were distributed.

Beyond the standard single-season DVD box sets, limited edition collector's editions have been released, featuring all six seasons in one complete set. These editions differ by region. In Europe, a special "shoebox" packaging was created as a nod to Carrie Bradshaw's love for shoes, while the U.S. and Canada versions were packaged in a more traditional fold-out suede case and included an additional bonus DVD with special features. In Mexico and Oceania, the set was packaged in a beauty case.

Some European viewers encountered issues with the Region 2 edition of the season 1 DVD, as it was not converted to the PAL video format and remained in its original American NTSC format. This caused compatibility problems with certain European television sets and DVD players. However, all subsequent Region 2 DVD releases were properly transferred to PAL format using the original film prints, and season 1 has since been re-released in PAL.

Outside the U.S., Sex and the City boxed sets were released through Paramount Pictures, while in the U.S. and Canada, they were released by the program's original broadcaster, HBO. In Australia, single editions were made available, with each disc sold separately. In South Korea, complete six-season special DVD shoebox sets were released. In Brazil, the first and fifth seasons were released on DVD Dual, while the remaining seasons were released in DVD box sets.^[42]

Selected episodes are also available as part of the Sex and the City Essentials DVD collection. This collection includes four separately packaged discs, each containing three selected episodes centered around a common theme:

• The Best of Lust: Features the episodes "The Fuck Buddy," "Running with Scissors," and "The Turtle and the Hare".
• The Best of Mr. Big: Features the episodes "Sex and the City," "Ex and the City," and "I Heart NY".
• The Best of Romance: Features the episodes "Baby, Talk is Cheap," "Hop, Skip and a Week," and "An American Girl in Paris (Part Deux)".
• The Best of Breakups: Features the episodes "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," "I Love a Charade," and "The Post-it Always Sticks Twice".
• The Best of Fashion: Features the episodes "Secret Sex," "The Real Me," and "Luck Be an Old Lady". This DVD was exclusively released at Target stores in the U.S. and was the only DVD in the "Essentials" collection to have a colored cover instead of the standard black-and-white design.

The high-definition remastered series, including the two films, was released on Blu-ray on November 2, 2021.^[43]

Two digital CDs (the albums from Irma Records) contain tracks used in the show's actual soundtrack:

• Sex and the City – Soundtrack [Import]

2000/2001/2002

Sire Records

Includes the main theme from the show, written by Douglas J. Cuomo.

• Sex and the City – Official Soundtrack (Two-disc set)

March 1, 2004

Sony TV

36 hits, including the songs of Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Justin Timberlake, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Daniel Bedingfield, Anastacia, Kelly Rowland, Sugababes, Cyndi Lauper, Jamiroquai and Britney Spears among many others.

A feature film based on Sex and the City, written, produced, and directed by Michael Patrick King, was released in May 2008. The four lead actresses reprised their roles, along with Chris Noth, Evan Handler, David Eigenberg, Jason Lewis, Mario Cantone, and Willie Garson. Additionally, Jennifer Hudson joined the cast as Carrie's assistant. The film is set four years after the series finale.^[44] The film received mixed reviews from critics but emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, becoming the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the year.^[45][46] It was released on DVD on September 23, 2008.^[47]

Sex and the City 2 was released in May 2010. The film stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, and Chris Noth, all reprising their roles, along with Evan Handler, David Eigenberg, Jason Lewis, Mario Cantone, and Willie Garson. The film also features cameos from Liza Minnelli, Miley Cyrus, and Penélope Cruz. Set two years after the events of the first film, it was critically panned,^[48] but proved to be a commercial success at the box-office.^[49]

In 2016, rumors circulated that a script for the third and final film had been approved. However, on September 28, 2017, Sarah Jessica Parker announced to Extra that the film had been cancelled, stating, "I'm disappointed. We had this beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story. It's not just disappointing that we don't get to tell the story and have that experience, but more so for that audience that has been so vocal in wanting another movie."^[50] It was reported that Kim Cattrall did not want to be involved in the film after learning of storylines where Mr. Big dies of a heart attack and Samantha receives sexting and nude pictures from Miranda's teenage son Brady. Cattrall later clarified in 2019 that she opted not to appear in a third film, explaining she had "gone past the finish line" portraying the character of Samantha and due to her love for the franchise.^[51][52]

The third movie plot was later reimagined as the 2021 television series And Just Like That…, with Cattrall not returning.^[53] Originally billed as a miniseries, it was renewed for a second season, with Cattrall reprising her role in a brief cameo in the season finale.^[54]

The Carrie Diaries is a prequel to the original series, based on the book of the same name by Candace Bushnell.^[55] The series premiered on The CW on January 14, 2013, with AnnaSophia Robb portraying a young Carrie Bradshaw. On May 8, 2014, The CW cancelled The Carrie Diaries after two seasons.^[56]

The Brazilian television series Sexo e as Negas was adapted from the original Sex and the City series and premiered on September 16, 2014.^[57] This version introduced some notable differences: the four main characters were portrayed by black actresses, and the show was set in the suburbs.^[58]

In December 2020, it was reported that the cancelled third movie plot was redeveloped into a television series for HBO Max, without Kim Cattrall's character returning.^[59][60] In January 2021, the revival, titled And Just Like That..., was officially confirmed by HBO Max, with Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis returning.^[61]

Originally billed as a limited series, And Just Like That... was renewed for a second season in March 2022, during which Cattrall reprised her role in a cameo for the season finale.^[62] In August 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.^[63]

Sex and the City had a profound influence on luxury fashion, popularizing high-end items and brands among mainstream audiences. The series is credited with transforming luxury accessories, turning them into cultural icons through frequent on-screen appearances and clever character integration. For instance, the Hermès Birkin bag became a symbol of exclusivity and status after an episode in which Samantha Jones famously exclaims, “It’s not a bag, it’s a Birkin.” This moment highlighted the bag’s luxury status and introduced it to a new audience.^[64][65][66]

Other luxury items gained similar status due to their association with the show. Manolo Blahnik shoes, which Carrie Bradshaw famously adored, became synonymous with elegance and self-expression.^[67][68] Likewise, the Fendi Baguette bag was catapulted to "it bag" status after Carrie sported it, making the item a must-have for fashion enthusiasts. The show also prominently featured Jimmy Choo and the Dior Saddle Bag, further elevating their presence in pop culture and reinforcing the perception of luxury brands as aspirational items.^[69]

• Official website  
• Archive of the original Sex and the City official website hbo.com/city
• Archive of the original Sex and the City columns in The New York Observer
• Sex and the City on Facebook  
• Sex and the City at IMDb