Sex and the City is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in the United States on June 6, 1998, and concluded on February 22, 2004, with 94 episodes broadcast over six seasons.
The series follows the lives of four female friends living in New York City: the streetwise newspaper columnist Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), the sexually liberal PR professional Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), the more conservative art dealer Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and the cynical lawyer Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon).
Sex and the City received both acclaim and criticism for its characters and themes, and is credited with helping to increase HBO's popularity.Nussbaum, Emily (July 29, 2013). "Difficult Women: How ‘Sex and the City’ Lost its Good Name ". New Yorker. It won numerous accolades including seven Primetime Emmy Awards, eight Golden Globe Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. The series was ranked fifth on Entertainment Weekly "New TV Classics" list, and has been cited as one of the best television series of all time. It airs in syndication worldwide.
Sex and the City was followed by the feature films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), and a prequel television series commissioned by the CW, The Carrie Diaries (2013–14). A sequel series, And Just Like That..., premiered on HBO Max on December 9, 2021, without Cattrall.
Development 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.
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. 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." available at the The pilot episode was shot in June 1997, a year before the series premiered. 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. 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."
HBO scheduled the buzzy show on Sunday nights, a night that broadcast networks typically neglected, and used Sex and the City and The Sopranos to create the network's popular Sunday night lineup, which has consistently aired prestige dramas and comedies year-round.
Cast and characters
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is the narrator and central character of the television series Sex and the City. Each episode is framed through her inner monologue while writing her weekly column, Sex and the City, for the fictional newspaper The New York Star. Initially conceptualized as a lawyer, the character was reimagined as a columnist to allow for greater narrative flexibility and engagement with New York City's nightlife. Bradshaw is depicted as a prominent figure in New York's social scene, recognized for her distinctive fashion sense. She resides in a studio apartment in an Upper East Side brownstone and maintains a close friendship with Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson), a gay talent agent.
Carrie's most significant romantic relationship throughout the series is with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), a wealthy and enigmatic businessman. Their relationship is characterized by recurring breakups and reconciliations, primarily due to Big's reluctance to fully commit. A recurring motif involves Carrie being interrupted whenever she attempts to state Big's real name; his first name, John, is only disclosed in the final episode of the series.
Their second breakup occurs in Season 2 when Big moves to Paris for business and expresses little interest in a long-distance relationship. Carrie later encounters him with his new, significantly younger girlfriend, Natasha Naginsky (Bridget Moynahan). Attempts at maintaining a friendship are strained, particularly after Big and Natasha become engaged —a level of commitment he previously denied Carrie.
In Season 3, Carrie enters a relationship with Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), a furniture designer with a more conventional and patient demeanor. Despite initial compatibility, Carrie engages in an affair with Big, which ends after Natasha discovers Carrie at Big's apartment. After confessing the infidelity, Carrie and Aidan separate but reconcile in Season 4. Aidan proposes, but the engagement dissolves due to Carrie's unresolved connection with Big.
As the series progresses, Carrie and Big attempt to redefine their relationship, eventually settling into a form of friendship. During the final season, Big experiences a health scare, prompting Carrie to reassess her feelings. However, his continued emotional unavailability leads her to pursue a new relationship.
Carrie later begins a relationship with Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov), a renowned Russian artist. He introduces her to an international lifestyle and demonstrates a greater degree of romantic attentiveness. Petrovsky eventually asks Carrie to relocate to Paris, which she agrees to, despite concerns from her friends—particularly Miranda—about the relationship's imbalance.
In Paris, Carrie becomes increasingly disillusioned due to Petrovsky's preoccupation with his work and her sense of isolation. After an argument in which he accidentally strikes her, Carrie decides to leave. Mr. Big travels to Paris to reconcile with her. Following a confrontation with Petrovsky, Big finds Carrie in the hotel lobby and tells her she is "the one." The series concludes with Carrie and Big returning to New York City together.
Charlotte York
Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is one of the four central characters in Sex and the City. She is depicted as having a conventional and privileged upbringing in Connecticut and works at an art gallery in New York City. Raised in an Episcopalian household, Charlotte is characterized by her idealism, traditional values, and perfectionist nature. She is an alumna of Smith College, where she majored in art history and minored in finance. Although the show states she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, no such organizations exist at the real Smith College. During the series, it is revealed that Charlotte was voted prom queen, homecoming queen, and student body president, in addition to being a cheerleader and track team captain.
Charlotte's relationships often reflect her desire to find a suitable partner for marriage, typically dating men with professional or social prestige.
Despite her traditional values, Charlotte occasionally subverts expectations. She briefly has a relationship with an Orthodox Jewish artist, dresses in drag for a portrait, and agrees to pose for an artist's rendering of her vulva. She and Samantha often clash over their differing perspectives on sex and relationships.
In Season 3, Charlotte meets Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan), a cardiologist from a wealthy, old-money family. After a brief courtship, Charlotte proposes marriage, which Trey accepts. Their engagement and wedding proceed quickly, but they encounter problems immediately. Charlotte discovers that Trey suffers from impotence, and his refusal to address the issue, coupled with the interference of his domineering mother Bunny (Frances Sternhagen), strains the marriage. Despite attempts to reconcile, including pursuing fertility treatments and considering adoption, the couple ultimately separates and divorces.
Charlotte later begins a relationship with Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), her divorce attorney. Initially reluctant due to Harry's physical appearance and mannerisms, Charlotte is encouraged by friends to pursue the relationship. Their bond deepens, but Harry informs Charlotte he cannot marry someone who is not Jewish. Motivated by her commitment to him, Charlotte converts to Judaism. Although they briefly separate due to miscommunication and expectations, they reconcile, and Harry proposes. The couple marries in a traditional Jewish ceremony.
Charlotte later becomes pregnant through acupuncture therapy but suffers a miscarriage. The couple adopts a daughter, Lily, from China. In Sex and the City: The Movie, it is revealed that Charlotte later becomes pregnant and gives birth to their second child, Rose.
Miranda Hobbes
Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) is one of the four main characters in Sex and the City. A Harvard Law School graduate (Class of 1990), Miranda is a career-driven attorney from the Philadelphia area. She is characterized by her pragmatic worldview, sharp wit, and skepticism toward romantic relationships. Often acting as a voice of reason within the group, she is also one of Carrie's closest confidantes.
Miranda is initially introduced as highly independent and guarded, particularly in matters of love. Early in the series, she is set up on a blind date with Skipper, a friend of Carrie's, but dismisses him for being too passive.
Her most significant and long-term relationship in the series is with Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), a bartender she meets during a chance encounter. What begins as a casual relationship gradually develops into a deeper connection. However, financial and lifestyle disparities between the two create tension. Steve struggles with Miranda's success and independence, while Miranda grapples with vulnerability. Their relationship ends when Steve, feeling inadequate, breaks up with her after returning a suit she had offered to buy him for a work function.
The two later reconcile after a candid encounter, and Steve moves into Miranda's apartment. Disagreements about having children lead to another breakup, which is further underscored by their failed attempt to co-parent a dog. Despite separating, Miranda continues to support Steve when he is diagnosed with testicular cancer, helping him through his treatment.
Following a brief period of renewed intimacy, Miranda discovers she is pregnant. Although she initially considers terminating the pregnancy, she ultimately decides to keep the baby. She later gives birth to a son, Brady Hobbes (named using Steve's surname). As a single working mother, Miranda navigates the challenges of balancing her legal career and parenting, often with the assistance of her housekeeper, Magda, who becomes a maternal figure and caregiver.