We heart these "Sex and the City" episodes. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most iconic, significant, and memorable episodes from the original HBO rom-com drama.
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00:00 "See, your post-it was your get out of jail free card, so if you never met Burger then you wouldn't--"
00:05 "Stop, you're killing my buzz."
00:07 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 Sex and the City episodes.
00:13 "Out of all the synagogues in all the cities, you had to walk into mine."
00:17 "Harry."
00:19 For this list, we're looking at the most iconic,
00:22 significant, and memorable episodes from the original HBO rom-com drama.
00:27 Naturally, plot points will be discussed, and just like that, here's your spoiler warning.
00:32 Would you leave us a comment telling us your favorite Sex and the City episode?
00:35 Number 20. They shoot single people, don't they?
00:40 After a night of dancing and drinking, Carrie shows up at a photo shoot, not looking her best.
00:45 The results leave her mortified, but the single person
00:48 shaming sentiment of the attached article is even worse.
00:51 "No, I'm a cautionary tale, shoot me."
00:53 "Filling their lives with an endless parade of decoys and
00:56 distractions to avoid the painful fact that they're completely alone."
01:00 "How is that helping?"
01:01 And although they all try to shrug it off,
01:04 Miranda, Charlotte, and even Samantha quickly enter relationships,
01:08 suggesting they're more affected by it than they're willing to let on.
01:11 Sure, we can't all relate to having our singledom splashed on the front page,
01:15 but many of us have felt judged for being unattached.
01:18 "Somehow the question mark had leapt off my cover and onto each of them."
01:22 By the end of the episode,
01:23 the women learn that it's better to hold out for the real deal than just fake it.
01:27 "As Samantha looked into his sweet and hopeful eyes, she realized something.
01:31 No matter how much it hurts, sometimes it's better to be alone than fake it."
01:37 And yes, that is Bradley Cooper.
01:39 Number 19. Hot child in the city.
01:42 In this season three gem, Miranda gets new braces while Charlotte
01:46 tries to work on her intimacy issues with Trey.
01:49 "We love each other and we're married now.
01:52 Rebecca and Schooner belong together. They need each other, please."
01:58 Carrie revisits youth while dating Wade, a comic book store owner who still lives
02:02 with his parents. Not that she would have batted an eyelid if the storyline took place today.
02:07 Samantha, meanwhile, meets her match in the bratty,
02:09 self-entitled Jenny Briar, played by Kat Dennings.
02:13 "My father has invited over 300 of his most powerful friends to this event.
02:17 They're not all coming. The Clintons can't make it, of course. But like I told daddy,
02:21 we'll be lucky if we can swing this far under a mill. But what do I know? I'm just a kid."
02:26 The women consider what it means to grow up and their respective relationships
02:30 with their inner children. The episode brilliantly captures what we miss about
02:34 our younger, freer days, and the struggles of letting that go.
02:38 "Sometimes it's important to have a 13-year-old moment, to remember a simpler time when the
02:42 best thing in life was just hanging out, listening to records, and having fun with your friends."
02:48 Plus, watching the ladies enjoy a little, ahem, recreation is always amusing.
02:53 Number 18. The Drought. Despite its title, this episode puts the sex in Sex and the City.
03:00 Miranda finds herself in a dry spell, while Samantha learns abstinence can be very powerful.
03:05 "Until your entire being is humming with that electric sexual energy."
03:11 "My apartment's just around the corner."
03:13 "The only thing hotter than sex is not having sex."
03:17 Charlotte meets a guy whose medication affects his libido. Meanwhile,
03:22 Carrie and Big are comfortably settled into their relationship. Only,
03:25 Carrie starts to spiral after a small emission on her part leaves her believing she's killed
03:30 the romance. "That was the first night we slept together and didn't make love.
03:34 By the middle of the next week, it was three times in a row, and I was beginning to worry."
03:40 "Three times? Try three months." "No."
03:43 "Yes." As with most episodes, the ladies' personal lives address issues that tend to go undiscussed,
03:49 typically due to embarrassment or fear of judgment.
03:52 "Do you think you'll ever...
03:52 Never mind." "What, think I'll ever go off it?"
03:58 "Yeah." "Nope."
03:59 "Not even for me?" "Nope."
04:04 But episodes like this prove that the tribulations of life and love are often universal.
04:09 Number 17. Luck be an old lady.
04:12 Carrie is determined to get the girls together to celebrate Charlotte's 30-fo birthday.
04:17 "Are you telling me the four of us can't get together to celebrate Charlotte's 30-fo birthday?"
04:21 But like any adult trying to balance personal obligations and friends, this is no easy task.
04:27 They end up going to Atlantic City, but no one's heart is fully in the celebrations.
04:32 "In five minutes, Charlotte turns 35 again! Goodnight!"
04:38 "Charlotte went to sleep that night with a thousand dollar chip on her shoulder."
04:42 Charlotte frets getting older, new mom Miranda feels body conscious,
04:46 and Samantha suspects Richard of infidelity.
04:49 This prompts several intertwining stories about how society idolizes youth and certain body standards.
04:54 "Guys, let's go. It's okay." "No! It is most certainly not okay!"
05:00 "Listen, you big jerk! Her ass isn't normally this big!"
05:04 It might not have been the girls' trip of Carrie's dreams, but their ride home is pretty heartwarming.
05:09 Plus, in this episode, Samantha delivers one of the most iconic lines of the series
05:15 and teaches us all a valuable lesson in self-love.
05:18 "I love you." "I love you too, Richard. But I love me more."
05:24 Number 16. The ick factor.
05:26 This episode hits us in so many fields that we're already tearing up just at the title.
05:31 Carrie's beau, Alexander Petrovsky, hits her with more romance than she can handle.
05:36 "It's too much. I'm an American. You gotta take it down a notch."
05:43 On the other hand, Charlotte and Harry enjoy each other's company,
05:46 although their digestive systems might feel differently.
05:49 "Surviving a night of food poisoning together wasn't the stuff of great romance,
05:53 but it was the stuff of lasting love."
05:56 Samantha considers breast augmentation only to receive some life-altering news.
06:01 However, the episode builds up to Miranda and Steve's nonconformist wedding.
06:06 "I, Miranda Hobbs, take you, Steve Brady, take you, Steve Brady, to be my husband.
06:13 To be my husband. For better or worse. For better or worse."
06:17 As they exchange vows, we can't help but get all choked up.
06:21 Although, not half as much as when Miranda shows that for better or worse,
06:25 in sickness or in health, nothing, not even her wedding day, is more important than her friends.
06:31 "You are my people and we'll talk about it now. Now start at the beginning.
06:36 You are the bossiest bride in the world."
06:40 "Yes I am and you have to do everything I say."
06:42 We start with Samantha urging her friends to embrace the kinkier side of intimacy.
06:50 Miranda and Charlotte both meet guys with interesting fixations.
06:53 "If someone might come by, we could get caught."
06:56 "I know."
06:59 Given Charlotte's more conservative nature,
07:01 it's entertaining to watch her turmoil as she steps into someone else's fantasy.
07:05 Of course, the pivotal moment is when Big tells Carrie about his plans to move to Paris for
07:09 several months. "How long have you known about this?" "It's been in the works for a while.
07:14 I'll know more details after this trip." "Well, when did you plan on telling me?"
07:19 "When I knew more."
07:21 This was a much-needed wake-up call for our protagonist. She can do everything under the
07:26 sun to make this relationship work, but Big hasn't made any space for her in his life just yet.
07:32 "Why is it so hard for you to factor me into your life in any real way?"
07:40 It's painful to watch, but we reckon she made the right choice by walking away.
07:44 How do you know when you've overstayed at a party? Is it when your boyfriend struggles
07:50 to fit in with your friends, making them question your suitability?
07:54 "Just say it! You don't like him." "Fine, I don't like him!"
07:57 "Then don't you go to Paris with him." "You're living in a fantasy!"
08:04 Or perhaps it's when ageism rears its ugly head in the ever-shrinking dating pool.
08:08 Carrie's boss seems to think the latter.
08:10 "If you're a successful 50-something woman, there's a very small pool. It's very small.
08:20 It's a wading pool, really. So why are you swimming in my wading pool?"
08:26 However, an infamous party girl from Carrie's past, Lexi Featherston,
08:30 played by Kristen Johnston, thinks it's when the city has given up on you.
08:34 She says as much in a bitter rant ending with a way-on-the-nose statement before
08:38 making her last tragic exit. "Over. No one's fun anymore!
08:43 Whatever happened to fun? God, I'm so bored I could die."
08:49 It's one of the series' darkest moments and understandably leaves everyone shaken.
08:53 The tragedy prompts Carrie to start experiencing love rather than just writing about it.
08:58 Number 13. Cock-a-doodle-doo.
09:01 While there are lots of great funny moments on this show that perfectly combined comedy and drama,
09:06 sometimes it's the serious ones that are the most memorable.
09:09 "Could we have lunch sometime? Well, I really need to talk to you. Please."
09:18 In this season three episode, Carrie is considering meeting up with Big again
09:22 despite everything they just went through during their affair.
09:25 Miranda is vehemently opposed to this reunion and doesn't hide her feelings from Carrie,
09:30 resulting in a blowout fight. "Perfect, that's just perfect. Walk away!
09:34 It's all my fault." Of course, this episode isn't without its issues.
09:40 We certainly do not condone Sam's highly offensive and majorly problematic turf war storyline.
09:46 "She had a date with destiny. Chyna and Joe. No E."
09:50 "Take this, ladies!"
09:51 Taken all together, it's a narratively important episode with lots of replay value.
09:59 Number 12. The Real Me.
10:02 This episode is probably best remembered for the brutal moment Heidi Klum
10:06 steps over Carrie after she becomes fashion roadkill.
10:09 "Oh my god, she's fashion roadkill!"
10:14 However, it also offers some relatable commentary on physical insecurities with
10:18 plenty of poignancy and humor. Miranda grapples with self-doubt when a guy at the gym finds her
10:24 attractive. "Smart, yes. Sometimes cute, but never sexy. Sexy is the thing I try to get them to see
10:30 me as after I win them over with my personality." A health problem forces Charlotte to become more
10:35 acquainted with her anatomy. And Samantha is the body positive icon we all need in our lives.
10:41 "Look, I like my body. I'm getting these pictures taken. What's the big problem?"
10:46 "No problem. You're my hero. I think it's fantastic that you can just put it out there."
10:50 Carrie reluctantly agrees to participate in a charity catwalk and looks fabulous until...
10:56 Still, it's a great lesson that when life knocks you down,
10:59 the best thing you can do is jump back up and keep strutting forward.
11:03 "Because when real people fall down in life, they get right back up and keep on walking."
11:10 "I'm not here to stop."
11:13 Number 11. The Post-It Always Sticks Twice. This episode and the one before it is why
11:19 Sex and the City fans cannot look at a Post-It note without cringing just a little.
11:24 "On a Post-It?" "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yep. Read it and weep, my friends."
11:30 "I'm sorry I can't. Don't hate me."
11:34 Come on, who breaks up with someone on a sticky bit of yellow paper?
11:38 Carrie is determined to change her misfortune and drags all the ladies along.
11:42 "If I have to, I will play the Post-It card. Just explain to me why I have to leave my house to go
11:48 to bed. Because this can't be the day that I was broken up with by a Post-It. This has to be the
11:53 day that something else happened." Meanwhile, Charlotte flaunts her
11:58 engagement ring, Miranda feels hot in an old pair of skinny jeans, and Samantha confronts
12:02 some surprising feelings. But back to Carrie. The outrage of her unfortunate breakup is lessened
12:08 when she's busted by a cop who sympathizes with her situation.
12:12 "Tell you what, I'll write you up for smoking in a bar."
12:15 "Oh, come on. Can't you just let her off?" "I'm sorry. I can't. Don't hate me."
12:21 And there's nothing funnier than watching her giggle over a sundae with her friends.
12:26 Now that's how you handle a breakup.
12:28 Number 10. Running with scissors. This episode is the one where it all falls apart for Carrie and Big.
12:35 "Carrie? Oh my God, what are you doing in this neighborhood?"
12:38 They've been sneaking around together for a while, but this is when Carrie is finally caught in Big's
12:43 apartment by his wife, Natasha. As Carrie tries to flee, Natasha chases her down the stairs and
12:49 seriously injures herself in the process. "Stop! I'm talking to you!"
12:53 It's a painful but poignant moment when Carrie has to help Natasha get to the hospital,
12:57 despite what's just occurred between them. Many people truly hated the whole affair storyline,
13:02 so this episode gets bonus points for having not only brought it to an end,
13:06 but a surprisingly satisfying one too. "Thanks for being here.
13:10 I'll call you." "For what? We're so over. We need a new word for over."
13:25 Number 9. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. In season 4, Charlotte has been struggling with her fertility,
13:30 so when Miranda finds out that she has unintentionally become pregnant,
13:34 she's understandably terrified to tell her friend. "I cannot think of a worse time to tell you this."
13:39 "What the F is going on?" "I'm pregnant."
13:44 And when she finally does, and announces that she plans to end the pregnancy,
13:49 Charlotte cannot forgive her. "What are you gonna do?"
13:52 "You're not even going to consider having it? This is not in my plans right now,
13:59 and I really feel awful talking about this in front of you."
14:02 This episode touches on an issue that is not often covered in mainstream television,
14:07 someone deciding whether or not to have an abortion. In the end, Miranda's decision to
14:12 keep her baby feels just as empowering, and her reconciliation with Charlotte is sure to warm
14:17 your heart every time you re-watch it. "But I'm just gonna walk a little way behind you
14:22 in case you change your mind and wanna talk." "No, I'm okay."
14:25 "Charlotte walked all the way home, and even though she never turned back,
14:34 she knew Miranda was behind her."
14:38 Number 8. One. There is so much going on in this episode, we hardly know where to start.
14:44 There's Charlotte's devastating miscarriage, and her subsequent surge of inspiration from Elizabeth Taylor.
14:49 There's Carrie's first date with Alexander Petrovsky the Russian.
14:59 "Of all my odd dates, this was number one."
15:03 There's Miranda finally admitting her true feelings and telling Steve she's in love with him at Brady's
15:08 first birthday party, despite the fact that both of their partners are pregnant.
15:12 "I love you. I love you, Steve."
15:17 And, of course, unforgettably, there's Bozo the Bush.
15:21 What more could you want out of a half hour of television?
15:23 "I'm Bozo the Bush!"
15:24 "Turns out, there is something scarier than a clown."
15:30 Number 7. The agony and the ecstasy. This episode is known as one of the saddest in the series run,
15:36 but it's undoubtedly one of the most memorable. It's Carrie's 35th birthday,
15:40 and she plans to have a celebratory dinner with her friends.
15:43 When she arrives, though, she is the only one there, and even as time passes, none of her guests show up.
16:07 She ends up leaving, dejected, alone, and forced to reflect on not only the idea of getting older,
16:13 but also aging without a man in her life.
16:15 "I am 35 and alone."
16:17 "You are not alone."
16:19 "No, I know I have you guys, but...
16:20 I really, I hate myself a little for saying this, but...
16:25 It felt really sad...
16:30 not to have a man in my life who cares about me."
16:34 In a heartwarming moment, however, the girls reunite and redefine the term "soulmate."
16:39 "Maybe we could be each other's soulmates."
16:41 Of course, having Big show up at the end to make Carrie feel special doesn't hurt either.
16:47 "As Big's car drove away, I realized having three soulmates already nailed down
16:52 made it a lot easier to spot those great nice guys to have fun with."
17:01 We can't talk about this two-part finale without mentioning Samantha's empowering speech from part
17:06 1, but whether you wanted Carrie to end up with Mr. Big or not, the series finale of "Sex and the
17:11 City" is one of the sweetest and easiest episodes to love. Carrie comes back from Paris, thank
17:17 goodness, and is reunited with her girls. Everyone's storylines are nicely tied up,
17:22 with Samantha being back in good health, Charlotte getting a first glimpse of her daughter,
17:26 and Miranda settling in to Brooklyn. Debate in the comments if you like,
17:30 but we'd argue that this ending is far superior to either of the alternatives the two movies left
17:35 us with. "And if you find someone to love the you, you love me." "Hi." "What's shaking, baby?"
17:40 "How's Samantha?" "The house is on the market. Look out, New York. I'm a-coming." "Well,
17:45 that's just fabulous."
17:48 There is nothing funnier or more relatable than the fight that takes place between Carrie and
17:56 Aiden in this classic episode. They're arguing about space in Carrie's small apartment, but as
18:05 often happens in real-life disagreements, the conversation branches out, pulling in other
18:10 problems as it balloons. We will never stop laughing about Aiden's multiple speed stick
18:25 deodorants, or feeling bad for Carrie when Pete chews on her prized shoes. No matter how many
18:30 times you've seen it, any fan is sure to get a kick out of this, one viewing after another.
18:34 Carrie's in a pity spiral after her laptop crashes. However, she's soon brought back down
18:53 to earth when Miranda calls her with devastating news. "And we all went home, and then they called
19:00 and said she was crashing. And by the time we got back, she had died. Oh, Miranda, I'm so sorry."
19:07 The episode excellently shows how there's no one right way to grieve. Charlotte is very practical,
19:13 whereas Samantha learns dissociating from your emotions can take a physical toll.
19:18 "Finally, Samantha found the release she really needed. She cried for everything she couldn't say.
19:23 And for things she didn't even know she felt." The episode also highlights the importance of
19:28 having a strong support network, whether that's your blood relatives or your chosen family.
19:32 Miranda's family is concerned about her singleness at the funeral, but when she needs someone the
19:37 most, Carrie is right there at her side. With every re-watch, our tears flow just as hard.
19:44 "There's the kind of support you ask for, and the kind of support you don't ask for.
19:51 And then there's the kind that just shows up."
19:53 In this season six episode, Carrie is invited to a party at a friend's house where the host
20:01 makes everyone remove their shoes before crossing the threshold. At the end of the night, however,
20:06 Carrie's beloved Manolo Blahniks are missing. "Well, actually, they weren't sandals,
20:10 they were Manolos." Her friend doesn't seem too concerned, but eventually offers to replace them
20:15 until balking at the price. What ensues is a story about single people versus married people,
20:21 in which Carrie questions the respect and recognition that she's given as an unmarried
20:25 woman without children. "No offense, Carrie, but I really don't think we should have to pay for
20:29 your extravagant lifestyle. I mean, it was your choice to buy shoes that expensive." In true
20:34 Sex and the City fashion, it takes an isolated incident and uses it as the foundation to ask
20:40 much bigger questions to remarkable effect. "I wanted to let you know that I'm getting married
20:47 to myself. Oh, and I'm registered at Manolo Blahnik. So, thanks. Bye."
20:53 In a twist of fate, the writers of Sex and the City penned this episode before the September
21:01 11th attacks, though it only aired the following February. "There is a time of year in New York
21:06 when even before the first leaf falls, you can feel the seasons click." The episode acts as a
21:12 love letter to New York, with Carrie making an impassioned speech to Bigg, begging him to stay
21:17 when he announces he's moving to California. "Well, if you're tired, you take a nappa. You don't move
21:23 to Napa." The episode has a melancholic tone to it, with Carrie and Bigg trying to savor their
21:28 last moments in the city together when Miranda goes into labor. "Miranda?" "Hi, I'm in labor."
21:34 It's a plot that's fraught with emotion, and an episode that, considering its timing, has become
21:39 an understandable fan favorite. "Oh my God, there he is!" "And he's perfect." Before we unveil our top
21:48 pick, here are some honorable mentions. Time and punishment. The Bigg-Carrie-Aidan love triangle
21:55 intensifies, Samantha's delivered a low blow, and Charlotte chooses her choice. "I am behind my
22:00 choice. I choose my choice. Charlotte, I don't have time for this. I have to go to work. Some of us
22:06 still have to go to work. I choose my choice! I choose my choice!" The baby shower. The ladies
22:11 head out to Connecticut for a baby shower and reflect on the prospects of motherhood. "As I
22:16 watched Lainey tear open a terrycloth baby bib with the same enthusiasm she once reserved for
22:21 tearing off rock stars' pants, I couldn't help but wonder, was I next?" The turtle and the hare.
22:29 This episode is probably best remembered for teaching us that a rabbit can be a woman's best
22:33 friend. "Well it's weird because with the rabbit, it's like every time, boom!" Hop skip in a week.
22:39 Everyone makes strides in their personal relationships,
22:42 but we're still bawling at Charlotte and Harry's reunion. "Charlotte York,
22:46 will you marry me?" "Yes, yes I'll marry you." What goes around comes around. Sam Jones meets
23:01 Sam Jones. Miranda struggles with body insecurities, Charlotte and Trey separate,
23:05 and Carrie ponders her karma. "I don't understand this. I get mugged and you get him.
23:11 Oh, I guess that's my karma." Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the
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23:22 videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch
23:27 on notifications. If there's one episode that encompasses everything sex in the city is all
23:35 about, it's this one. It puts a focus on female friendship while touching on the difficulty of
23:41 romantic relationships, not to mention featuring some wild sex. "Samantha suddenly understood what
23:46 made Mr. Cocky so cocky." Carrie finds out that Big and Natasha are engaged and is devastated by
23:52 the news. She has a revelation though when the girls realize that her situation is just like
23:57 the plot of the film "The Way We Were". "You know, I think I can actually feel them over there eating
24:03 shrimp. It's just, why her? I mean, really." This helps Carrie accept what's happening and give Big
24:13 a memorable goodbye that only she understands. However, even though we know now, it's not
24:19 goodbye forever. "Your girl is lovely, Heather." "I don't get it." "And you never did."
24:29 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
24:33 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
24:38 [Music]