374562 01: The cast of “Sex And The City” (“The Caste System” episode). From l-r: Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker. 1999 Paramount Pictures
Sex and The City is celebrating 20 years since it first aired on HBO. Two decades later, there are plenty of episodes that still deserve the spotlight.
20 years ago, a spunky New York sex columnist named Carrie Bradshaw wrote her way into our hearts on the hit show Sex and The City. Along with her group of best friends, the sexy PR guru Samantha, the sarcastic lawyer Miranda, and prudish WASP Charlotte, Carrie took the world by storm with a show that wasn’t afraid to go where other shows didn’t dare.
Sex and The City tackled subjects like abortion, infertility, cancer, homosexuality, and so much more, all while maintaining a strong message of female empowerment. Before it, shows rarely showed such empowered, independent women who took control of their sexuality without shame. The show was the perfect balance of raunchy, funny, and heartfelt, and that’s one of the many reasons why its legacy has spanned two decades.
Even after six seasons, two movies, and 20 years, fans still want more. It was such a cultural phenomenon that it became the go-to discussion amongst friends: are you a Carrie or a Samantha?
With so many great episodes, it’s hard to choose just 20 of them to highlight in honor of the show’s 20th anniversary. From the time Carrie’s $485 Manolos suspiciously disappeared from a baby shower to the time Charlotte practically became a lesbian, and even the many, many breakups of Carrie and Mr. Big — we compiled a list of 20 episodes that have stuck with us after all these years, in no particular order!