Twenty-eight years ago today, Sex and the City premiered and changed television forever.
Back in 1998, I was firmly Team Carrie Bradshaw. As a writer navigating life, love, friendships, and career ambitions, Carrie felt like the character who understood me. Her endless observations, complicated relationships, and habit of turning life's chaos into stories felt very familiar.
But something funny happens as the years go by.
While I still see a little Carrie in myself, I've discovered pieces of all four women along the way.
I've come to appreciate Charlotte's deep love of family, tradition, and believing that happy endings are worth pursuing. I've definitely embraced Miranda's sharp wit, sarcasm, and ability to tell it like it is—even when people don't necessarily want to hear it. And Samantha? The older I get, the more I admire her unapologetic freedom. She lived life on her own terms, refused to let others define her, and never felt the need to explain herself.
Maybe that's one of the reasons Sex and the City has endured for nearly three decades. At different stages of life, we find ourselves relating to different characters. What felt relatable at 25 isn't always what resonates at 50.
The older I get, the more I realize that the goal isn't to be Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, or Samantha. It's to embrace the parts of ourselves that connect with each of them.
And honestly, that's a pretty fabulous lesson.
Who did you identify with when the show first aired, and has that changed over the years?