WhileSex and the Cityis comprised almost entirely of funny, shocking, and memorable moments, some are so quintessential to the series that they define it. The cable TV series launched on HBO in the late 1990s featured robust characters with memorable presences. Whether you liked Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha or not, the 30-something New Yorkers were undoubtedly noteworthy. The series pushed the boundaries of what was socially acceptable for TV in the ’90s and created a lasting legacy forSex and the City’s main characters.
While there are someharsh realities of rewatchingSex and the Cityyears later, many of the show’s defining moments become more iconic with time. The definitiveSATCmoments comprise everything from major life milestones to terrible breakups because, in reality,Sex and the Citywas about so much more than sex. It was about women having (or not having) it and how they balanced their ethos with the judgment of those around them. Thanks to its defining moments, even thebest shows likeSex and the Citycan’t compete.
8"Carrie, You’re The One."
When Mr. Big Finally Chose Carrie
In the series finale,Sex and the Cityseason 6, episode 20, “An American Girl In Paris (Part Deux),“Big (Chris Noth) finally said the magic words. Big captivated Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) for most of theSex and the Citytimeline. However, the characters often misunderstood what the other person in the relationship needed, leading to a years-long toxic on-again-off-again-romance. The series ended when Big finally delivered what Carrie needed to hear. Even though the character was about five seasons too late, Carrie accepted the timing as just right.
Stream all six seasons ofSex and the Cityon HBO Max.
Big and Carrie had been dating sinceSex and the Cityseason 1. The couple had some of their best relationship moments in the show’s first season. However, Carrie withdrew from the relationship becauseMr. Big wouldn’t tell her she was the one. Carrie’s favorite boyfriend in the original series finally delivered the words when he went to find her in Paris, sealing the deal of their future together. While it was one of the more redeeming moments inCarrie and Big’s relationship timeline, Carrie called Big"a big mistake"inAnd Just Like That.
7The Post-It Note Breakup
When Berger Broke Up With Carrie
Jack Berger (Ron Livingston) infamously broke up with Carrie with a Post-it note inSex and the Cityseason 6, episode 7, “The Post-It Always Sticks Twice.” WhileBerger was arguably not the worstofCarrie’s four boyfriends inSex and the City,their breakup was one of the worst. Jack wasn’t Carrie’s worst boyfriend; it was probably Mr. Big. However, how Berger ended things would immortalize his cowardice in theSex and the Cityuniverse forever.
Despite Carrie and Jack’s relationship bumps inSex and the Cityseason 6, the couple decided to work it out after Berger’s romantic apology. It was quite a shock when, the following day, Berger left Carrie a farewell Post-it note. While Berger and Carrie had great chemistry inSex and the City,the couples' relationship insecurities were self-deprecating and hard to watch, making this infamously awful breakup a win for Carrie Bradshaw.
6The Fashion Runway Fall
When Carrie Became “Fashion Roadkill”
One of the show’s most definitive moments was inSex and the Cityseason 4, episode 2, “The Real Me.” In the episode, a friend recruited Carrie to wear Dolce & Gabbana clothing for a fashion show. While initially thrilled to be chosen, Carrie lost self-confidence when she learned thatthe fashion show’s theme was"regular New Yorkers,“meaning that she was considered a regular New Yorker and not a model. Carrie assumed she had been chosen for the fashion show because she was model material, which had different standards than modern, more inclusive modeling.
The moment is memorable not just because Carrie falls but because she gets back up.
With the support of her friends, Carrie chose to walk the runway. Still, Carrie asked for the tallest heels possible to feel like a"real model,“which caused her to slip and fall on the catwalk. Heidi Klum guest-starred in the episode and stepped over Carrie while she lay frozen. While it was the ultimate hard-to-watch moment, it’s also one of the series' best. It is memorable not because Carrie falls but because she gets back up, proving that there is grace in vulnerability, despite Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson) exclaiming that his best friend is"fashion roadkill.”
5The Brunch Window Knock
When Carrie’s Friends Were Family
While it’s a relatively simple and understated moment on its surface, Carrie’s window knock inSex and the Cityseason 2, episode 15, “Shortcomings,” truly defined the series. Ask any fan of the series, and they will tell you that Carrie’s little gray dress, paired with her permed blonde hair and gold nameplate necklace, is one ofCarrie’s best outfits inSex in the City,which helps make this scene more iconic.
Carrie tapping on the window to surprise her gal pals was more than a fashionable look. In this episode inSex and the Cityseason 2,Carrie has just broken up with Vaughn Wysel(Justin Theroux), a fellow writer who couldn’t"last"in bed and refused to talk about it. The episode emphasized family, and as Carrie met her friends for brunch, she reflected that her girlfriends were the family she was born into.
4Brady’s Birth
When Miranda Grew Up
Brady’s birth was definitive for the series because it caused a shift in the girl group’s shared values. While the leading ladies didn’t always have the same perspective, a touchstone for the series, their lives grew more serious and mature asSATCmarched on. One moment, the girls were going to the latest club opening thanks to their connections with Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) and her public relations firm. Next, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is pregnant with Steve’s baby and baby-proofing her home.
Brady is why Miranda and Steve ultimately choose to stay together in theSex and the CityTV series and movies despite their marital issues.
Miranda also had memorable quirks before she became Brady’s mom. She was a fierce lawyer who indulged in boxed chocolate cake and TiVo. However, when she took on motherhood, she gave it the same dedication she gave everything else, ending Miranda’s solo era. Steve Brady (David Eigenberg) struggled to support Miranda, exacerbating her lack of experience outside motherhood.Miranda’s values shifted with Brady’s birth, and her friends matured with her.
3The Tacky Wedding Dress Panic Attack
When Miranda’s Joke Backfired
InSex and the Cityseason 4, episode 15, “Change of a Dress,“Carrie has a defining moment regarding her relationship with Aidan Shaw(John Corbett).Carrie and Aidan’sSex and the Cityrelationshipstarted after her romance with Mr. Big burnt out. While it looked like the perfect romance at first, it ended with Carrie cheating on Aidan with Mr. Big. Still, Aidan eventually takes Carrie back, but with more ultimatums. Carrie’s volatile reactions to the progression of her and Aidan’s relationship defined the series.
Carrie’s wedding dress panic attack resembled her physical reaction when Aidan almost broke through the wall that separated her apartment from the one they bought to renovate next door.
When Carrie and Aidan reunite, Aidan is insecure about their relationship due to Carrie’s affair and alternates between resentment and excitement about their second wind. WhenAidan proposed to Carrie, the weight of the engagement crashed down on her after she said yes. Miranda took Carrie to a tacky wedding dress shop to try on dresses and laugh about it, but Miranda’s plan backfired. Carrie had a panic attack, breaking out in hives and causing her to rip the dress off.
2Charlotte’s Divorce Settlement
When The Former Mrs. MacDougal Got Her Worth
Charlotte York (Kristin David) settled her divorce inSex and the City,and it was a defining moment for the more conservative character. Charlotte chased her ideal partner, Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan), without ever really knowing who he was. To Charlotte’s extreme frustration, it backfired when the couple couldn’t consummate their marriage.Charlotte’s marriage with Trey ended their pretensions, and her divorce signified a permanent change in the character.
Charlotte joins the Jewish faith to pursue a second marriage to Harry Goldenblatt.
Charlotte is more in touch with her reality during and after her divorce from Trey, with whom she owned a Park Avenue apartment that they inherited from the MacDougals. During her divorce settlement, Charlotte worked with her lawyer and future husband, Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), to secure the Park Avenue her husband promised, despite her antagonizing former mother-in-law’s wish to keep it. Charlotte settling her divorce marked the character reconciling her ideals to build the authentic life she deserved.
1Sex And The City’s Publication
When Carrie Told The World Her Story
One of the series' most defining moments was whenCarrie compiled all her best columns into a book inSex and the Cityseason 5. Her book signified that Carrie’s time as a freewheeling sex columnist had evolved into a serious career as an author. After she publishedSex and the City,which primarily focused on her romance with Mr. Big, Carrie published several other books in the franchise’s timeline, developing her writing career.
Darren Star basedSex and the Cityon Candace Bushnell’s book of the same name. Like Carrie’s work, Busnell’sSex and the Citywas a collection of previously published newspaper columns about relationships.
The publication ofSex and the Citywas, in many ways, the beginning of the flagship series' end. After publishing her book,Carrie felt she could leave her column behindwhen she moved with Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) to Paris. While she eventually left Paris to return to life with Mr. Big and her friends in New York City,Sex and the City’s publication moved the character beyond the show’s initial premise and set up the followingSex and the Citymovies to introduce a new era of the series' lead character.
Sex and the City
Cast
Sex in the City follows Carrie Bradshaw, a New York writer who finds inspiration for her column from the genuine, emotional, and often humorous exploits of life in the city. Joined by best friends Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, and Samantha Jones, Sex and the City follows the ups and downs of the characters' romantic relationships, being single, sex, and friendship as 30-something women.
