As one of TV’s most iconic shows reaches two and a half decades in age, it’s still a masterclass in female-led TV – even if it could have been less focused on privileged white women
Twenty-five years ago, a big-haired, well-heeled sex columnist made her debut in a bold new comedy about women over 30 dating in New York. “It’s like the riddle of the Sphinx. Why are there so many great unmarried women, and no great unmarried men?” was the first question Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) pondered with her fellow single friends. “By the time you reach your 30s, you think, ‘Why should I settle?’” was corporate lawyer Miranda Hobbes’s (Cynthia Nixon) answer. “Most men are threatened by successful women,” added art dealer Charlotte York (Kristin Davis). “The right guy is an illusion; start living your life!” countered PR guru Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). And just like that, one of the best-ever female-led TV shows was born.
Women talking so frankly about what they want from sex and relationships was groundbreaking at the time; a quarter of a century on, it is folklore. Conversations from the whole series still take place everywhere over brunches, margaritas and nine-minute WhatsApp voicenotes. I can confirm this as a single thirtysomething who has watched the whole six seasons at least, oh, five times since my 20s. Barely a week goes by where my oldest friend and I don’t exchange a Samantha meme (“If you turn into one of those married assholes, I’ll kill you” is a favourite). Sex and the City was, and still is, the single woman’s bible.
