Every ‘Sex and the City’ Episode Ranked

Big is back in town and drops the bombshell that he needs heart surgery. From a panic-induced place of love, Carrie dresses up as a candy striper to lighten the mood post-surgery. Once again, Big and Carrie’s chemistry is at its best when they aren’t in a relationship. When Big tries to chat on a serious level and suggests “life’s too short, what are we doing?” Carrie shuts down, prompting his heart to close off again. It’s a frustrating series of events that centers around showing up for someone you love when they need it most.   

In a tone change, colossal areas of conflict are finally addressed and storylines seem to jump leaps and bounds. Big and Aidan have a fist fight in the mud, before reconciling over a conversation about the aloof way Big’s model-ex dumped him. Steve is cancer-free, but self-conscious about his one testicle and sleeps with Miranda for a pick-me-up.

In a glimmer of hope for her love life, Carrie opens up about her need for time out of each other’s space as Aidan moves in and they are stifled in an over-cramped apartment. It’s the first step toward a healthier relationship. Charlotte’s pregnancy troubles weigh her down, but it’s made worse when Trey (Kyle MacLachlan), in a moment of misguided comedy, buys her a cardboard baby. Yeah, really.

Many pivotal moments are packed into this episode. Big cancels last minute on meeting Carrie’s friends, before in a major U-turn he arrives. This act spurs Miranda on to give her cute bartender Steve a date, who she chases down in the rain to share a kiss with. President Trump also has a Sex and the City cameo before Samantha dates his 72-year-old lunch buddy who offers to buy her an island.

Carrie has the misfortune of being mistaken for a prostitute, as her date leaves $1,000 in cash the morning after their night together. If things weren’t weird enough, Charlotte discovers a renowned artist now only paints portraits of memorable vaginas from his past, as “the cunt is the source of all life and pleasure and beauty.” Charlotte then poses for one of his portraits and Carrie says: “They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case I was speechless.” Us too, Carrie. 

The Season One finale takes a random tangent to examine how faith can make or break relationships. Carrie stalks Big to church on Sunday, but he doesn’t introduce her to his mother. Instead, he suggests a holiday, which prompts Carrie to realize that they want different levels of commitment. All the while, a psychic tells Charlotte she won’t get married, Miranda’s date is riddled with Catholic shame and showers after every orgasm, and Samantha is devastated when James, the jazz musician she’s in love with, has a tiny penis.

As a montage of first dates begins for Miranda, Carrie is stunned to find herself completely inept for teaching a class on how to find love. It dawns on her that she’s not an expert on relationships, as her own have never worked out. Charlotte takes Trey’s sexual disinterest in her to heart, which is just one of several knocks on her confidence throughout their marriage.

What should have been a momentous moment in Carrie’s career as her book debuts to rave reviews is overshadowed by the dirty look that Aidan’s ex-girlfriend Nina gives her. It’s a brief look at how detrimental fixating on other’s people’s opinions can be. Meanwhile, Samantha shows her compassionate side and babysits Brady and soothes him with her new vibrator when his oscillating chair breaks. Charlotte swaps to a short, bald divorce lawyer and her whole future changes. Enter Harry Goldenblatt.  

Charlotte and Harry get married and somehow the most chaotic, imperfect day (he spills red wine on her wedding gown, Miranda’s speech sets on fire) becomes the most romantic.

A fundamental shift happens in Carrie and Berger’s relationship when she lands a big royalty check, while the publisher cancels his second book. It’s an examination of how the power dynamics change when women are more successful than their other halves, and safe to say Berger doesn’t process it well. Though it does works well for Smith and Samantha, who utilizes her connections to publicize his play, which turns him into a sensation.

This episode explores the sexual partners that the four women would be embarrassed to be seen in public with, which entertains them until Big doesn’t introduce Carrie to his friends and she becomes his secret partner. Carrie worries it’s her as she broke her sex-on-the-first-date rule, rather than question his motives.

This falls within a series of episodes that are certain to tug at the heartstrings, as Steve is diagnosed with testicular cancer. Miranda serves up some tough love and pushes Steve to get the best care, which he thanks her for later. It’s another sweet nod to how their contrasting personalities actually compliment and bring out the best for each other. Meanwhile, Aidan and Carrie’s differences only widen as they spend a weekend in his rustic cabin, and she breaks down mid-pie baking as she is a certified city girl and hates the countryside. Thankfully, Samantha doesn’t miss the opportunity to roll around in the hay with young MacDonald.

A trip to Atlantic City for Charlotte’s birthday captures the vibrant essence of the show in the face of their impending dread about aging. Charlotte sports an eye-catching pink glitzy plunge dress for the occasion, while Samantha breaks up with Richard as she becomes paranoid about him cheating. It brings about one of the most quoted breakup lines from the show: “I love you too, Richard, but I love me more.”

“A ‘Vogue’ Idea” feels like a fresh addition in the Sex and the City repertoire: Carrie changes up her hair, starts freelancing at Vogue, and in a brief touch on sexual harassment in the workplace, the male editor strips to his underwear in front of her in the office. A stressed Miranda concedes to a baby shower, taking the help and compassion from Charlotte who is in need of a baby-related project as she struggles to get pregnant.

It’s incredibly refreshing when the four women’s lives diverge and they navigate the different stages in their professional and personal lives together. Charlotte announces she wants to exercise her right to choose and quit work to focus on getting pregnant, which sparks a concerned discussion about her identity without work. Carrie becomes increasingly paranoid that Aidan will cheat on her with his beautiful barmaid, Shayna, to punish her after she cheated with Big. It’s a brief look at her guilt as they attempt to rebuild the trust in their relationship.

After a brief palette-cleanse, Season Three returns to the main plot to provide some much-needed conclusions to several loose ends. Charlotte and Trey decide to split up and Carrie faces Big’s wife and apologizes for the affair. In a random addition, she’s also mugged in broad daylight in the middle of the street. 

“Unoriginal Sin” is a brief snapshot at the painful experience of rebuilding yourself and your belief in romance after a breakup. The ever-optimistic Charlotte admits she’s lost hope for love while at a self-help seminar, as her marriage with Trey shattered her ideals about love. It’s only when Samantha and Richard finally rekindle their relationship that her faith begins to grow that things will work out for her, too. Carrie’s confidence dwindles as her dating options dry up, and she worries her column feels the absence. Yet she’s offered a book deal.

Charlotte remains heavily involved in the synagogue, and at one of the events reconnects with Harry, who proposes. Her dedication to love and her newfound faith pay off. Instead, Carrie is thrown through the emotional ringer one last time with Berger, who wants a break, before he comes back and declares he’s ready to make things work only to vanish the next morning.

As the show approaches the end of the second season, the drama begins to build again. The four women head to a party in the Hamptons thrown by Samantha’s bitter ex-assistant with her contact list. It’s filled with beautiful twenty-something women that threaten their self-esteem, until Carrie crumbles on the beach after seeing Big back from Paris with a 27-year-old girlfriend, Natasha.

An ode to what could have been, this episode is one for the history books. Miranda discovers she’s pregnant after her one night with Steve despite his “one ball and [her] lazy ovary”, in contrast to Charlotte, who discovers she has a 15% chance of getting pregnant. Miranda wants to get an abortion, which leads to a groundbreaking discussion as Carrie reflects on her abortion at 22, and Samantha shares she’s had two. It’s memorable for being an early, rare occasion when women have spoken openly about reproductive rights, abortion, and motherhood on TV.

Another signal that Carrie and Aleksandr aren’t right for each other comes in an unexpected scenario, as he talks openly about death in a matter-of-fact way that unsettles Carrie. Samantha shaves her head in defiance of losing it to chemotherapy, and in solidarity, Smith shaves his head, too. Miranda moves to Brooklyn, to a run-down house, and has a minor identity crisis about leaving the city.

Each woman tries to come to terms with an ex. Miranda bumps into Steve, Charlotte rekindles her love for horses, and Samantha dates someone who is now “too big” rather than someone who is “too small,” like in Season One. Meanwhile, Carrie and Big have an explosive argument when Big reveals he’s engaged to Natasha after insisting he never wanted to remarry. In the end, she walks away from him, choosing herself and her integrity.

“The Real Me” is stuffed with feminist power moves for the ages. Samantha embraces aging by doing a nude photoshoot to remember her body in its prime. Carrie walks the runway in a charity fashion show (momentarily trips in her high heels but recovers) and sports striking sparkly underwear. A hot guy at the gym flirts with Miranda and it boosts her confidence three-fold, as she’s reminded that even as a sweaty mess, she’s still beautiful.

And just like that, the end of an era begins. Carrie is shaken after her ex-party girl friend Lexi Featherston (Kristen Johnson) falls to her death after an epic breakdown about being single and almost 40. It induces a kneejerk reaction to quit her job and move to Paris with the less-than-perfect Aleksandr, even after a disastrous dinner with him and her friends.

This is prime Sex and the City fun. Carrie serves as a judge for the hottest fireman in New York for their annual calendar, and clicks with the charming politician on the panel played by John Slattery. Samantha learns that fantasies aren’t all they’re cracked up to be after she’s left naked and exposed in the firehouse after the firemen rush out to tackle an emergency.   

This episode leans into the harsh reality of singlehood and is all the better for it. Samantha suffers with the flu and her façade breaks; she confesses her desire to be married to feel comforted, supported, and loved. Charlotte is faced with a rigorous prenuptial agreement from Trey’s family, which she takes offense to as her worth increases if she has boys. It’s also bogged down by Carrie’s double life, as Aidan reveals he loves her and wants Carrie to quit smoking, which becomes a metaphor of her addiction to Big, which she breaks down and admits she “really wants to” quit.

This is a meaty episode. Miranda and Steve do the awkward breakup dance of living together and trying to avoid each other. Things turn from messy to chaotic, as Big drunkenly confesses he’s getting a divorce, but Carrie doesn’t tell Aidan about their past and it ends with Big and Carrie making out in the lift. And just like that… the affair begins. 

Big and Carrie keep bumping into each other, a sign they’re fated to be together. Meanwhile, Charlotte meets a man who fits her rather questionable big three in dating, “money, manners and looks,” until he asks her to do it “up the butt.” It leads to a casual but thorough discussion about anal sex between the four women as they’re squished in the back of a taxi. Carrie dates a hot twenty-something guy (Timothy Olyphant!), but the next morning is horrified by the chaotic reality in his apartment. 

This episode is renowned for the simple yet effective relationship advice Berger gives Miranda: “He’s just not that into you.” It reframes her outlook on dating, after decades of “deciphering mixed messages.” However, the real conflict surfaces when Charlotte spends hours cooking her first Shabbat dinner, only for Harry to ignore her efforts and watch the baseball game.

Despite feeling safe and secure with Aleksandr, as symbolized through being given access to his rigorous home security, Carrie discovers he doesn’t want kids. It’s another slice of the reality of dating as a 38-year-old woman, as Carrie can’t afford to waste time with the wrong person if she wants to have children. Samantha still comes to terms with her diagnosis, while the women look after Brady in shifts so Miranda and Steve can have a proper honeymoon.

Berger dumps Carrie by a Post-it note. A low blow that definitely deserves a full 30 minutes of one’s attention.  

One of the more pragmatic elements of adulthood comes to light here, mainly financing a glamorous lifestyle in New York as a single woman. Carrie can’t afford her apartment as Aidan moves out, nor is she willing to accept a loan from Big. Miranda works out that she’s spent a whopping $40,000 on shoes over the years, a horrific but relatable realization that hits Carrie that she’s living outside her means. It’s not Carrie’s finest hour as she pressures Charlotte for financial support, and eventually she donates her engagement ring to cover the down payment for her apartment. It’s another reflection on how friends become family and show up for you in ways beyond words or money.

Unlike other wedding announcements, Big and Natasha’s makes the four women sit in the discomfort of their own single status. Charlotte is depressed as the eldest bride in the New York Times wedding section is 27, which leads her to feel self-conscious in the steam room, while Carrie falls into a trap of comparison and doubts her ability in every area of her life. Miranda’s new cleaner, Magda, is offended by her “goody drawer” and swaps out her vibrators for a Virgin Mary statue.

This is an all-around low point. Carrie and Big continue their affair in seedy motels, and Carrie begins to feel used and degraded, before she’s chased out of his apartment by his wife, who trips and injures herself. She calls it quits with Big, while Samantha is prompted to take an HIV test by her date, and admits she’s never been tested. Charlotte frantically goes full bridezilla ahead of the wedding.

Slightly hungover and makeup-free with cigarette in hand, Carrie heads to her photoshoot for New York magazine for their “Single and Fabulous” cover story. However, the casual test shots end up as the glossy cover labeled, “Single and Fabulous?” Her confidence plummets, as all the women throw themselves into unsuitable relationships and test out faking their happiness. It ends with Carrie taking herself out to dinner, with “no armor, no books” as a sign she is embracing her single years, regardless of the media using her as the poster girl for the tragic single existence.

Aidan finally discovers Carrie’s affair and admits it’s something he can never get over just moments after Charlotte’s wedding. Charlotte is also faced with her own dilemma as she finds out Trey’s impotent the night before their nuptials, but as she’s standing in a $1,400 dress, she decides to get married… which is never a good enough reason. It’s another standout moment of the series as Carrie returns to her friends, who love her no matter what, after another relationship collapses.

In an ultimate power move, Carrie registers for a wedding to herself to receive compensation for her dedication to singlehood. She feels discriminated against after she loses her Manolos at Kyra’s baby shower, and Kyra refuses to replace them despite the expensive gifts she’s bought for her children over the years. Carrie doesn’t want to be out of pocket, so she sends out her registry for the shoes to her. It marked the start of a movement of women buying gifts to celebrate their independence.

As finale’s go, this is far from perfect, but it rounds off each storyline with a well-deserved positive end. Samantha and Smith become exclusive and share their “I love yous,” Charlotte and Harry finally adopt a child, while Miranda takes in Steve’s mother after she has a stroke. After a final fight, Aleksandr and Carrie are over, only for her to bump into Big downstairs as part of his big romantic-surprise arrival. It’s the culmination of love our lives are made up of: romantic love, love for our friends, family, and ourselves.

The final two episodes have been talking points since their release in 2004, but regardless of your thoughts on the outcome, these episodes are iconic. Carrie and the girls share a tearful last supper before she leaves for Paris. Only a week away from New York, Carrie is emotionally disconnected from her partner and misses her friends and Big. Big takes Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte to lunch and asks if they think he has a chance with Carrie and delivers one of the most perfect lines: “You three know her better than anyone. You’re the loves of her life. And a guy’s just lucky to come in fourth.” Agreed.

After 9/11, several episodes of the show pay tribute to New York and patriotism, such as “Anchors Away.” The quartet are thrilled as the U.S. Navy men flood the city during Fleet Week. It leads to a party with the sailors, where Carrie defends the city she’s been in love with for almost two decades. It’s an enjoyable and well-timed patriotic episode, with a historical significance that makes it all the more memorable.

“Change of a Dress” is a pivotal moment in the third season. Carrie breaks into hives as she tries on a wedding dress, a foreboding sign that her body “literally rejects the idea of marriage” and her impending breakup with Aidan. Next to the Columbus Circle fountain, in one of the more heart-wrenching moments, Aidan asks Carrie to elope, but it’s too much for Carrie and they break up. It’s disappointment and devastation all round, for no one more than Aidan.

Autumn in New York always signals a time of change on the show. In one of the more emotional episodes, Miranda proposes to Steve, who accepts. In a dramatic tone change, Samantha is stunned to discover she has breast cancer. She wants to withhold sharing her diagnosis until after Miranda’s casual wedding, but after a dose of Miranda-style straight talk (“You are my people and we’ll talk about it now”) she shares the bad news. It captures the inescapable reality that the best and worst events in life happen at different times in our adult lives, and true friendships hold space for the happiness and sadness that inevitably comes with them.

The Season Four finale is a love letter to New York. Released only five months after 9/11, this is a tribute to the charm, change, and cycles the city and its inhabitants are continuously subjected to. A lonely Carrie seeks out Big, only to discover its his penultimate night in the city before he moves to California. The romantic evening shows the best side of their relationship and the city, as they dance in his near-empty apartment to “Moon River,” before they take a carriage ride through Central Park. In another beautiful moment of choosing friends over partners, Carrie leaves as Miranda goes into labor to be by her side as she gives birth to Brady. While she misses her last night with Big, he leaves a plane ticket for her as a metaphorical open door for their relationship.

“There’s the kind of support you ask for and the kind of support you don’t ask for and then there’s the kind that just shows up.” Sex and the City is at its finest when it explores the emotional weight of its characters mainly through love, loyalty, and friendship. The quartet are faced with the harshness of mortality when Miranda’s mother dies after a heart attack. As Miranda tries to be strong, Charlotte becomes the “Martha Stewart of death” and Carrie worries she said all the wrong things. It presents us with one of the most iconic moments in the show’s history, as Carrie rushes to Miranda’s side in the aisle as she breaks down behind the coffin. The heart-wrenching moment is one of the show’s best encapsulations of how friends become family and the bond between these women transcends any other form of love.