Sex and the City

1 9 9 8 – 2 0 0 4 (USA)
94 x 30 minute epiosdes

Four beautiful 30-something women from Manhattan found sex easy to come by, but love harder to find, in this adaptation of the best-selling book by Candace Bushnell.

The ringleader, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), was a svelte blonde who wrote a column for the New York Star on the late-night party and sex scene in New York. “Carrie Bradshaw knows good sex,” the column read, so of course, she did her research – which apparently meant sleeping with every eligible bachelor in the city.

Her three best friends were Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), a public relations executive who preferred one-night stands to a lasting relationship; art gallery curator Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) who was looking for Mr Right; and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), a lawyer with a sometimes eccentric taste in men.

All were catty, self-absorbed, and constantly gossiping about their latest conquests – and their worries that they might never find the “right one.”

Carrie thought she had found the right one in the devastatingly charming Mr Big (Chris Noth), and their on-and-off romance was a thread that ran throughout the series.

But after too many letdowns from the emotionally unavailable Big, she took up with furniture designer Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), which led to an awkward triangle – even though Mr Big had married Natasha (Bridget Moynahan) in the meantime.

Stanford (Willie Garson) was Carrie’s gay pal and confidante.

Samantha ran through a constant stream of men and even tried lesbian Maria. Her client Richard Wright (James Remar) was her longest-standing relationship.

Charlotte ultimately married Dr Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan), only to discover he had impotence problems and a nutty mother (Frances Sternhagen).

Miranda had a fling with Skipper (Ben Weber), then conceived a baby by bartender Steve Brady (David Eigenberg). She considered abortion as babies did not fit the women’s lifestyle but instead gave birth – as a single mother – to baby Brady.

In the final season, Carrie dated writer Jack Berger (Ron Livingston) for a time, then moved on to suave Russian artist Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) while Samantha was diagnosed with breast cancer and began chemotherapy. Samantha finally committed to young actor Smith (Jason Lewis) who had stood by her during her chemo.

Charlotte divorced Dr Trey, married her divorce lawyer Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) – after converting to Judaism – and, after many false starts, Charlotte and Harry adopted a Chinese baby.

Meanwhile – after much vacillating – Miranda finally married Steve and moved to Brooklyn with him to raise their baby and care for Steve’s elderly mother.

In the finale, Carrie flew to Paris where she broke up with Aleksandr and finally received the long-sought commitment from Big, whose name was revealed to be “John”.

An estimated 10.6 million people tuned in to see the final episode in 2004. It was one of the biggest audiences then claimed by the network channel HBO.

Carrie Bradshaw
Sarah Jessica Parker
Samantha Jones
Kim Cattrall
Charlotte York MacDougal
Kristin Davis
Miranda Hobbes
Cynthia Nixon
Steve Brady
David Eigenberg
Mr Big
Chris Noth
Stanford Blatch
Willie Garson
Dr Trey MacDougal
Kyle MacLachlan
Aidan Shaw
John Corbett
Harry Goldenblatt
Evan Handler
Jerry ‘Smith’ Jerrod
Jason Lewis
Magda
Lynn Cohen
Anthony Marantino
Mario Cantone
Richard Wright
James Remar
Bunny MacDougal
Frances Sternhagen
Aleksandr Petrovsky
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Skipper Johnston
Ben Weber