The Sex and The City series arrives on Netflix in 2024, 26 years after it revolutionized TV when it debuted in 1998, on HBO. At the time it was released, bringing four financially independent women into the pursuit of sex and fun was revolutionary. New York – “the city” of the title – has never been more glamorous, female friendship has never been so deep and inspiring, and also a parade of real places, luxury brands, and faces that would one day become famous began to form the universe of the series, which also produced two films and a spin-off, And Just Like That.

The concept was simple: journalist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) has a column about sex in a newspaper, but her approach is neither medical nor scientific, she reports on the habits and situations experienced by her and her friends, equally modern, navigating through a busy Manhattan full of possible romances.

The fact that there is an entire generation that has not yet lived with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda justifies recovering basic information from the 1st season. With 10 important points to keep in mind and learn a little more about this recent television classic.

1- Sex and The City is inspired by a true story

The series, created by Darren Star, with Michael Patrick King as showrunner, is an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Candace Bushnell, a former New York Observer columnist who addressed a whole new generation of women who had it all: careers, money, had good taste in fashion and shoes, frequented the coolest places in Manhattan and had casual sex, like men.

Candance wrote from her own experience, changing the names of people who would become famous, such as Samantha Jones and, more importantly, her alter-ego, Carrie Bradshaw (with her initials CB (Carrie/Candace Bradshaw/Bushnell) to ‘disguise’ ‘ the stories.

The role transformed Sarah Jessica Parker into one of the biggest stars in the United States, collecting awards, fans, and success.

2- The pilot had a proposal that little by little changed

In the pilot, recorded a year before the series aired, the proposal was to break the fourth wall, with Carrie talking to the audience and inserting testimonials from other people, along the lines of When Harry Met Sally, something they were gradually abandoning and adopting the character’s voice-over narration. Carrie’s hair and style were radically changed during the season, giving her more of the look that would become her signature.

Sarah Jessica Parker was not interested in moving on to work in TV – 26 years ago, anyone who was working in TV was either a beginner or at the end of their career – and hated the pilot, even asking to leave the cast. She only agreed to film the rest of the season because the changes she requested were made. So, don’t be surprised, the pilot really doesn’t have that much to do with what the series became later.

3- Four friends forming the perfect woman

Charlotte, Samantha, Miranda, and Carrie are inseparable and very different, each highlighting a female stereotype, but together, forming the perfect quartet.

Carrie is the one who mixes a little of both, but she is a complicated, dreamy, and creative woman. She is the narrator of the series and is always connected in some way to all the stories.

Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) is the older, “sexually confident” public relations agent. She has an aversion to commitment, is the soul of the series (which talks about sex after all!), and is often also the fun link of every season.

Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is the most romantic, the eternal optimist who works as an art curator and who dreams of a traditional wedding.

Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) is a practical and cynical lawyer, with a pessimistic view on relationships.

They always meet for brunch and often go out together, exchanging secrets and giving each other unconditional support, even when they disagree. Together they symbolized the dream of independent and charming women.

4- Carrie and Mr. Big meet in the 1st episode

Carrie’s great love and torment will be Mr. Big (Chris Noth), whose real name is only revealed in the last minute of the final season. Their relationship is marked from the beginning by ups and downs, with Big representing the greatest example of a toxic man mistaken for a romantic.

Just to put it into context, Samantha identifies him as the “next Donald Trump”, but at the time the former American president was just a big real estate businessman in New York, so what she meant was that Mr. Big was a millionaire and influential, but not necessarily an ultra-right man. Although looking at it today, the reference could not have been more accurate…

Seeing how the new generation will face this abusive relationship that was accepted almost 30 years ago. Either way, it’s Sex and The City‘s great love story.

5- Sex and the City redefined the concept of “single woman”

Although Charlotte is the only one to admit that she wants a marriage and Samantha remains faithful to her lifestyle until the end, Carrie and Miranda alternate using their singleness as a shield while searching for the ideal man, something that many women have come to criticize throughout. from the series. Still, Sex and the City was the ultimate symbol of changing female behavior, with four stylish single women leading the stories. Being single never seemed as exciting as Carrie and company made it out to be.

Wearing Jimmy Choos and drinking Cosmopolitans, they were single and unattached by choice. The ‘spinster’ spectrum was rewritten and women who choose not to have children also became accepted, even more so, they became an example. The game of “Are you more Carrie or Miranda” was common among friends… all looking up to Carrie…

6- Lack of diversity, and concepts that are dated for today

One can’t help but remember that the 1st season of Sex and the City is 26 years old, the world was still backward and themes like sex were still bold. There is no diversity, there are prejudiced judgments and examples of toxic relationships, without forgetting the financially fanciful ones (Carrie’s accounts generated articles and theses to decipher how she managed to live in an expensive neighborhood in New York, buy the brands she wore and leave all the nights on a columnist’s salary, but it’s part of the escapism!).

7- Behind the scenes the atmosphere was different

Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda are inseparable, but in the second season, rumors began of some tension behind the cameras, something that escalated into a very public fight 20 years later.

Today it’s no secret that Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall can’t stand each other, but for many years the nitpicking was denied by both. Jealousy? Temperament? We don’t know which version is close to the truth, but the two actresses fought, with Kim letting the dogs out on social media. This makes us realize that while Sex and the City was on air the two proved that they knew how great performers they really are…

8- Everyday stories entering the plot of the series

Legend has it that no Sex and the City story was ‘invented’, but they came out of the scriptwriting team’s chats. From observing neighbors, about people on the street, to being taken away by post-it notes, all the subplots came from the experiences of the series’ team.

The stories that amused or moved were added to a list and, when the opportunity arose, they were brought into the series. This helped a lot to create a connection between the characters and the city. The rule was “nothing that appears in the episode can have been invented”, only what was true was considered. Wasn’t it innovative?

9- We don’t know anyone from the characters’ families

Carrie may enter the church to meet Big’s mother, but in general, relatives are peripheral and do not reappear, not even at weddings or funerals. That’s right, only in And Just Like That do we meet Big’s brother who doesn’t even attend the party or is mentioned at the wedding (in the film). Charlotte’s brother too or Miranda’s sister. Relatives are satellites, the real connection is between friends…

10- Paris will always be memorable for Carrie

Big’s trip to Paris will be decisive for the series until its spin-off, And Just Like That. And Carrie’s request – “Tell me I’m the one”– too.

So there you have it. I avoided as much as possible spoilers for first-timers. Overall, Sex and the City may have its flaws but it holds a special place for all women above 35, and with reason. It was funny, it was inspiring and most of all, it was for us women. Enjoy!

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