* Spoiler Alert - for both Sex and the City and And Just Like That*
From Manolos to Cosmopolitans, there are few things as synonymous with Sex And The City as its quartet of protagonists and the life teachings they extolled at large during the show’s six seasons. Sure, some aspects of the show have come under fire when scrutinised through a 2023 lens (hindsight's 20/20, after all), but there are other lessons that have endured for their timeless wisdom.
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte Yorke (Kristin Davis) and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) burst onto our screens in 1999 when Hinge was nothing more than a piece of hardware used to attach a door to a frame and when being paid $4 per word to write articles for glossy magazines was the norm.
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In amongst their litany of romantic dates, lunch dates and drink dates, the four ladies of Sex And The City schooled its loyal audience in things that shows elsewhere on television at the time didn’t dare approach. Themes of sex, empowerment and independence peppered the episodes, instilling in its impressionable audience the hard-learned lessons of life, which is why when the show’s sequel And Just Like That debuted last year, the original show’s fans figuratively flocked back to the Big Apple once again to pore over their favourite characters and their achingly glamorous existences.
What’s more is that And Just Like That’s sophomore season is airing on the small screen on June 22 (grab the popcorn), but to tide you over in the meantime, we’ve rounded up some of the life lessons that we learned from our favourite Manhattan ladies.
‘The One’ is a myth
Charlotte was convinced that Trey was her knight in shining armour and look how that turned out. Samantha thought for a time that young actor Smith Jerrod was her person, but after four years in a relationship with him, realised that monogamy wasn’t for her and ended their relationship. Big was Carrie’s ‘The One’ — and she suffered heartbreak at every turn until he met his demise. In the words of our Manhattanite heroine, ‘Some love stories aren’t epic novels — some are short stories. But that doesn’t make them any less filled with love.’
You don’t always get closure — and that’s okay
From Big’s untimely death in the first season of And Just Like That, to the time Carrie got dumped by Berger with a post-it note that read ‘I’m Sorry I Can’t Don’t Hate Me’, closure doesn’t always come at the end of a relationship and sometimes that's a blessing in disguise.
We all want different things from relationships
While for Samantha, dating was largely just a bit of fun — lest we forget when she waited hours in a restaurant for a hot waiter to finish his shift, so she could go home with him, even going so far as to pay the one other woman still waiting to leave — for the other women of SATC, the love they craved looked and felt different. Miranda once said, ‘Steve is completely predictable, but that’s what I love about about him. He’s so comfortable and safe.’ We all desire different things from our significant others — and our relationships will naturally reflect those differences.
Friendship is key to a happy life
A pregnant Miranda emotionally supporting Charlotte, who was struggling with her fertility. Samantha offered to babysit Brady for Miranda. Charlotte lent Carrie money, so Carrie could purchase an apartment. Carrie helped get the girls together, so they could support Miranda after her mother passed away. Few relationships will go with you through the entirety of your life, but the right friendships can. These are women who, when push came to shove, showed up for each other and proved that friends really are the family we choose. As Carrie once so pertinently said, ‘No matter who broke your heart, or how long it takes to heal, you’ll never go through it without your friends.’
Bad dates aren’t the end of the world
Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda dated over 100 men over the course of six seasons of the show. The takeaway? Yes, dating is exhausting, but it’s also not the end of the world if a date goes badly. Simply have a Cosmopolitan with your best friends, dust yourself off and get back in the saddle again.
Romantic love is great, but self-love is everything
May we never forget the parting words in the final episode of Sex And The City from Carrie, which spoke to the importance of loving yourself. ‘The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you that you love, well, that’s just fabulous.’
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