Are you looking for a feel good show that will leave you laughing, yelling at the TV and comparing all the men that you have ever liked with terrible male characters on the screen? Then I have just the show for you: Sex and the City, which first aired 25 years ago in 1998.
We can argue that the dating space has changed extremely in the past two decades, but after a couple episodes, we see that it has actually stayed relatively the same. We can see elements of ghosting, cheating and typical dating plights throughout the episodes. Anyone, especially young women, can find some enjoyment in the series.
Although romance is a huge focus on the show, it has a deeper element of friendship and the love the four main women share with one another. Main character Carrie Bradshaw’s future husband even tells her three best friends, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte: “You three know her better than anyone. You’re the loves of her life. And a guy’s just lucky to come in fourth.”
This quote is one of my favorites in the series. Unlike many shows that mainly have elements of romance, Sex and the City puts the friendship of the women on a pedestal.
We are also able to focus on the women as individuals. They are badass, they’re witty, and they’re portrayed as successful in their own right. Yet that doesn’t deprive them of their conquest for love, which is something we can all benefit from seeing. You can be both successful and want to look for love.
Their age is another huge part of the show. All of the main women are in their mid-to-late 30s, and they all have different goals for their life. Three of the four of them want to get married. They watch their friends get married and have children while they feel like they have fallen behind. This is an important part of the show because it teaches us that not everyone is on the same timeline; just because something hasn't happened for us yet, it doesn’t mean that it never will.
The show never lacks in the drama department either. From a "situationship" that lasts for years to being left at the altar, there is never a dull moment. While the series doesn't always show us the “right” answer (for example, marrying someone who left you at the altar the first time), I’d argue that this is what makes the show so good as it's relatable.
As Sex and the City progresses, we see the bond between four women, the same mistakes we made in our past dating pointed out in a funny way, and the soothing feeling that we don’t need everything figured out yet. College, and, more generally, our 20s, can make us feel like we should have your entire life figured out. When, in reality, we're always figuring it out. This show is good for college-aged women in particular because it shows that many older women are still trying to figure out the same things that we are.
You don’t need to have everything solved just yet — you’re still a 20-something teenage girl.