Which Sex and the City Leading Lady Was Your Favorite?
Sex and the City is a beloved show that introduced the world to four diverse, independent women looking for love (and sex) in New York City. It's leading ladies included writer and fashionista Carrie, the sexually liberated Samantha, eternal optimist Charlotte, and driven yet cynical Miranda. These characters resonated with audiences across the country, and viewers often connected with a specific character. This is my personal ranking of the characters (from worst to best) in terms of likability and realness.
"Don't laugh at me, but maybe we could be each other's soulmates? And then we could let men be just these great nice guys to have fun with?"
— Charlotte York4. Charlotte York
Charlotte York is from a wealthy, blue-blooded family in Connecticut and attended Smith College, where she graduated with a degree in Art and minor in Finance. She was a respected art dealer and wanted to own her own gallery, but ultimately gave up her career after marrying her first husband, Trey. Charlotte's relationship with Trey was extremely complicated, and was only made worse due to his overbearing mother Bunny. She would later divorce Trey due to these issues, and eventually marry Harry Goldenblatt.
She is viewed as the most conservative and traditional of the group, and has many romantic ideals about love and relationships. Charlotte can often be the most naive out of the characters, and her high morals are often seen as judgmental. She was extremely critical of Trey's relationship with his mother, and while it was indeed strange and borderline disturbing at times, Charlotte often acted just like Bunny. She too used Bunny's manipulation techniques on Trey, like when she got him to propose. Charlotte also judged her more sexually-liberated friends, like Samantha. She also was initially embarrassed to be seen in public with Harry, because he was not conventionally attractive.
Although Charlotte can be viewed as naive, and has her fair share of flaws, she is also a kind friend with a loving heart. She is quick to offer words of reassurance, and her eternal optimism on love could be inspiring. Who could forget when Charlotte stood up to Mr. Big in the street, cursing the day he was born for what he did to Carrie in the first film. She was willing to give up being an Episcopalian and convert to Judaism in order to marry Harry, which reflects heavily on her character.
"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone as wild to run with them."
— -Carrie Bradshaw3. Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw is the fictional narrator and lead character in the HBO series Sex and the City. She is a New York City newspaper columnist and major fashionista, and is never one to turn down a Cosmopolitan or a fabulous party. Throughout the course of the series, Carrie is on an endless search to find true love and all she really wants is "somebody I can stand still with for a minute." She expects nothing less than butterflies and is willing to kiss a few (or dozens) of frogs until she finds Mr. Right (or in her case Mr. Big).
It seems as though people either absolutely love Carrie or can't stand her. There's no denying she made her fair share of mistakes throughout the show. She spends an ungodly amount of money on shoes and clothes, is a serial adulterer, and has more than once put her happiness over that of her friends. Perhaps Carrie's biggest mistake was cheating on Aiden with Mr. Big. When she was finally in a seemingly happy and healthy relationship, Carrie had an affair with Mr. Big, who was at that time married to Natasha. Or maybe it was when she racked up a jaw-dropping $40,000 in debt from buying shoes and expected Charlotte to bail her out.
Despite making obvious mistakes and poor judgement, Carrie's character is refreshing. She is the most self-aware of all the ladies; when she does something wrong, she knows she has. Carrie is constantly looking to grow as a person, and isn't afraid to admit when she's messed up. She might be a little self-centered, but she is always there for her friends when they need her most. Carrie is fun and flirty, and has a great sense-of-humor that makes her enjoyable to watch. Her flaws are what makes her such a multi-dimensional character.
"How did it happen that four such smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends? It's like seventh grade with bank accounts."
— Miranda Hobbes2. Miranda Hobbes
Miranda is the career-minded character with extremely cynical views on love and relationships. A graduate from Harvard Law School J.D., she is often the group's voice of reason and Carrie's confidante. Initially, Miranda is portrayed as a resentful and mistrusting of men, but eventually softens and opens up to the possibility of love. She has a Type A, workaholic personality that she eventually finds a balance with when she dates and ultimately marries Steve.
Sometimes Miranda's cynicism in the early seasons can be a bit much. She is overly critical of the men she dates, and her repressed anger often made her rigid. Miranda could be closed off to other viewpoints, and could let her ego get the best of her. She didn't treat Steve the best when they first began their relationship, and could at times have a domineering personality. When Miranda had a one night stand with Steve, she became pregnant and debated having an abortion. She confided in Carrie, and had no intention of telling Steve about the pregnancy. This seemed selfish to not even include the father of the child in the decision.
Though it was sometimes hard to like Miranda due to her cold exterior, she is open and honest about her feelings. She does not sugar-coat her thoughts to her friends, and is very blunt. Miranda is fiercely protective of her friends, and knows her self-worth. She did not let men walk all over her, and encouraged the other ladies to focus on more than just sex and men. Career-wise, Miranda knew what she wanted and worked hard for the things she had. Even if she disagreed with the decisions her friends sometimes made, she was always there for them when it mattered most.
"I will not be judged by you or society. I will wear whatever I want, and b**w whomever I want, as long as I can breathe and kneel."
— Samantha Jones1. Samantha Jones
Samantha is the oldest, and most confident of the four leading ladies. She is a public relations worker who is a proud, sexually liberated woman and knows what she does-and-doesn't want in life. She is a self-proclaimed "try sexual" (meaning she'll try anything once) and her escapades are often the topic of conversation among the group. Samantha has a nonchalance attitude towards dating and men, and refuses to give into the pressures of society regarding love and relationships.
While she is brash and outspoken, Samantha can sometimes be selfish and conniving. She had used her position as actress Lucy Liu's public relations representative in order to get a Birkin bag. She also manipulates men and their emotions, in order to get what she wants. Samantha's sexual prowess can also sometimes cause issues, like when Carrie walked in on her with a delivery man at her office. One of her late-night visitors inadvertently let in a mugger, who attacked one of her older female neighbors.
Samantha strongest quality is her loyalty to her friends. She is never one to judge the other girls, and defends them no matter what. When Carrie confessed to having an affair with Mr. Big, and cheated on Aiden, Samantha simply says that judging is not her style and comforts her friend. Though she and Charlotte don't have a lot of similar views, Samantha always has her back. When Samantha noticed Miranda had a difficult time transitioning into motherhood, she gave up a coveted hair appointment so her friend could treat herself. Samantha is always upfront about who she is, and never wavers. When faced with cancer, she handled it like the strong-willed, independent woman she was.