People on the internet seem to love Friends and How I Met Your Mother. There’s always a debate going on about how great these shows were. Bring one title up and someone is bound to mention that the other one is better. We’re not here to pit these two shows together since they’re both entertaining in their own right. What we’re here to present is a third show, which like Friends and HIMYM, talked about friendship. We’re talking about Sex and the City.
For those who are too young to remember the show, Sex and the City followed the adventures of four best friends from New York: writer Carrie Bradshaw, public relations executive Samantha Jones, lawyer Miranda Hobbes, and gallerist Charlotte York. Sex and the City dealt with friendships, relationships, sexuality, career, promiscuity, and more. While these themes may be garden variety today, it’s important to note that the show ran from 1998 to 2004.
Sure, the show may have had moments that won’t fly in 2019, but it had plenty of instances that showed how it was living in the future. Here’s why it’s one of the best TV shows ever:
It showed that women can be strong, independent, and career-minded
Samantha made being single look fabulous. She always made sure to put herself first instead of making sacrifices for a partner. When she broke up with her boyfriend Smith, she said, “I love you but I love me more.” In another episode, Carrie said, “Being single used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you’re pretty sexy and you’re taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with.”
While the show may be titled Sex and the City, it wasn’t always about sex. In a memorable episode where the girls were talking about their love woes, Miranda said, “Give me a call when you’re ready to talk about something besides men for a change.”
It taught us not to change ourselves for a man or a woman
In the finale of the show’s second season, Carrie breaks up with Mr. Big, her on-and-off boyfriend. As she walks away, she says, “Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with.” In an episode where she wonders if she’s a freak, Carrie said, “If the world’s fattest twins can find love, there’s hope for all of us. Somewhere out there is another little freak who will love us and understand us and kiss our three heads and make it all better.”
Sometimes, best friends are better than boyfriends
When discussing the possibility of soulmates, Charlotte told her friends, “Maybe we can be each other’s soulmates. And then we can let men be just these great, nice guys to have fun with.”
Speaking of best friends, Samantha Jones is one of the best
Samantha Jones is perhaps the most colorful character on the show. She is sex positive and is proud to share her conquests with her friends. When Carrie judges her for sleeping with the delivery guy, she declares, “I will not be judged by you or society. I will wear whatever and $%&* whomever I want as long as I can breathe and kneel.”
In a memorable episode where Carrie admits that she slept with one of her exes, Samantha nods understandingly. When Carrie asks if Samantha was going to judge her, even just a little, Samantha smiles and says, “not my style.”
Miranda is also awesome
Out of the bunch, Miranda is considered the most cynical of the bunch but delivered the best truth bombs. She is the most relatable and once said, “Sexy is the thing I try to get them to see me after I win them over with my personality.”
Miranda is also the best at giving “real talk.” She won’t sugarcoat things when you ask for her advice, which makes her a true friend.
It showed the double standards women face
In one episode, Carrie admits, “When men attempt bold gestures, generally it’s considered romantic. When women do it, it’s often considered desperate or psycho.” In another, we see Samantha apply for a job for hotel magnate Richard Wright. However, she was initially turned down for the job. Samantha responds with, “If I was a guy, you would have shaken my hand, bought me a Scotch, and given me a key to an office.”
Miranda also said, “A 34 year old guy with no money and no place to live, because he’s single, he’s a catch. But a 34 year old woman with a job and a great home, because she’s single, is considered tragic.”
It taught us the importance of self-love
Sex and the City is known for its fashion choices. Carrie is a stylish woman who loves Manolo Blahniks. She once said, “I like my money where I can see it – hanging in my closet” and “The fact is, sometimes it’s really hard to walk in a single woman’s shoes. That’s why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun.” Sure, it’s self-care, but the quote we love the most is during the series finale, when everything falls into place for all the girls.
Carrie says, “Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.”
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