All 6 Seasons of ‘Sex and the City,’ Ranked
It’s time. We are finally going to tackle the biggest problem facing Gen X, Millennials, and even Gen Z women: What is the best season of Sex and the City?
“Once upon a time, an English journalist came to New York,” Carrie’s opening voiceover begins — a fairytale hook that promises one story and delivers another. The show doesn’t trail this Elizabeth and her failed dalliance with one of the city’s most eligible bachelors; it follows four women instead: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall).
Across six seasons, we ride their highs and lows — work, love, friendship, and, yes, plenty of sex — returning to this world like a pair of well-worn sweats or that one ex who still texts “Merry Christmas.” But which is the best Sex and the City season of them all? Which character steals the show in our SATC seasons ranking?
Be brave and read on, but don’t be shy: Plead your case in the comments.
6. Season 5
The internet can rarely agree on anything — except being Team Conrad and hating Big (Chris Noth). But when it comes to Season 5 of Sex and the City, the verdict is nearly unanimous: meh. To be fair, the shortened season was due to Sarah Jessica Parker’s pregnancy rather than a creative misstep, but eight episodes (yes, only eight!) still feel like a tease.
Over these episodes, we watch Carrie publish her book and attempt a dating hiatus — a great idea for her, not so much for us viewers. She drifts into more of an “observer” role than an active participant in life, which leaves the season feeling a little disconnected. Then there’s Jack Berger (Ron Livingston), a fellow author, who pops in mid-season and feels… very mid.
Miranda adjusts to motherhood while tentatively dipping back into dating, wrestling with the feeling of being left out of her old life. Charlotte finally divorces Trey (Kyle MacLachlan) and starts seeing her divorce lawyer, Harry (Evan Handler), a true light in this otherwise uneven season. Samantha reconciles with Richard (James Remar), though the shadow of doubt lingers over their relationship and ultimately destroys it.
These aren’t bad storylines, but they feel rushed. Miranda’s journey through motherhood deserves more than eight episodes, and the Atlantic City episode awkwardly shames aging, making it seem like the girl gang is fraying at the edges. Then we get an episode focused on Miranda’s post-baby body and one where Samantha gets a chemical peel — moments that are realistic for women in their thirties and forties, but a little exhausting to watch without reprieve. We miss the confident women of previous seasons who made it feel okay to grow older and look different from supermodels.
Season Winner: Samantha. Kim Cattrall snagged the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, and it’s easy to see why. She brilliantly navigates the trust issues stemming from Richard’s cheating while rediscovering the fearless, unapologetic Samantha we all love.
5. Season 1
It feels near-blasphemous to place the opener so low on this Sex and the City seasons ranking, but the truth is the truth. Usually, a show’s first season is its strongest, setting the bar high before inevitably sliding downhill, but not for these girlies.
Season 1 did an excellent job of introducing the characters and keeping them consistent throughout the series. Some shows struggle with character inconsistencies — people suddenly acting out of left field, losing their priorities — but not SATC. These four women are fully realized from the start, believable in their mistakes, their regrets, and their triumphs.
Still, Season 1 is understandably rough around the edges compared to later seasons. The show was still finding its tone and pacing. Multiple characters speak directly to the camera, giving parts of the season a bizarre mockumentary vibe. Carrie herself frequently breaks the fourth wall, taking her role as all-seeing narrator a little too literally.
It’s hard to care much about Miranda and Skipper (literally, who?) or even Carrie and Mr. Big in these early episodes. Some storylines haven’t aged well: Miranda’s brief, non-sexual lesbian experimentation, the illegal filming of sexual encounters (which no one calls out), Carrie’s biphobia, and a fair amount of kink-shaming for a show supposedly about sex.
But let’s give credit where credit is due: Charlotte’s storyline with “The Rabbit” not only introduced rabbit vibrators to primetime but also normalized female masturbation — a small, iconic hop forward.
Season Winner: Miranda. This was a tough call, but her post-sex shower feud, her fearless takedowns of Carrie’s chaos, and her various dating misadventures make her the MVP of Season 1.
4. Season 6
Now, this is where our Sex and the City seasons ranking might differ from the masses, but hear us out before you sprint to the comments to present your case. Season 6 is often ranked in the top three (if not crowned #1), and while there is a lot to love — and it does wrap up a TV-defining show with emotional finality — we simply cannot get past Carrie.
First, the good. Carrie and Berger finally crash and burn, delivering us THE POST-IT. You know it: “I can’t do this. I’m sorry. Don’t hate me.” Pure television history. The girlies also casually smoke a joint together, which feels strangely iconic for a show that typically skirts anything illegal. Still, the entire Berger relationship is painful and feels more like a Season 1-level move for Carrie than a final season arc.
Miranda and Steve find their way back to each other, get married, and move to Brooklyn. More Steve on our screens is always a win.
And then there’s Charlotte and Harry, the true emotional backbone of the season. Charlotte converts to Judaism for him (this storyline strutted so Nobody Wants This could run), they break up briefly, only to reconcile in a rom-com worthy moment at a singles mixer that still makes us sob. Their wedding, fertility struggles, and eventual adoption of their baby girl deliver some of the most heartfelt moments of the series.
Samantha, meanwhile, softens without ever losing her spark. Her relationship with the gorgeous Smith Jerrod gives us peak Sexy Samantha and peak Vulnerable Samantha. Her cancer diagnosis and treatment bring a tenderness to her character we haven’t seen in quite the same way before.
And of course, Big racing to Paris to win Carrie back delivers maximum drama for the finale. Plus, Miranda’s discovery of “he’s just not that into you” didn’t just change dating culture — it went on to inspire a beloved book and movie.
Now… the bad. Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov). The much-older, emotionally unavailable Russian artist who somehow convinces Carrie to uproot her entire life. There is zero chemistry, and their storyline is as cold and repetitive as his art gallery walls. It drags the season down in a way that is hard to ignore.
Season Winner: Charlotte. Her portrayal of infertility, loss, love, and resilience is beautiful and devastating in equal measure. And who could ever forget her full Elizabeth Taylor moment at Brady’s birthday party?
3. Season 2
The conflicting feelings about Season 2 really depend on how you’re looking at it: As a follow-up to Season 1 or in the grander scheme of the show. If you view it as a revival after the first season’s growing pains, it’s a clear step up — more believable dating storylines, better pacing, more confident energy, and a stronger balance of comedy and drama.
But compared to later seasons, it’s still finding its footing. That said, Season 2 is where Sex and the City truly becomes the show we know and love. More assured than its predecessor, it dives into bolder, more taboo topics and continues to break ground in its already pioneering portrayal of sex and intimacy.
The real reason we cannot bring ourselves to rank Season 2 any lower? Steve. Yes, this is the season we meet the one, the only Steve Brady — the new-and-improved Skipper. He’s emotionally available, refreshingly normal, and (most importantly) able to go toe-to-toe with Miranda. They break up (sob) but don’t worry… they eventually find their way back to each other.
Carrie and Big do their usual two-steps-forward, one-step-back routine. He won’t commit, she’s too dramatic — you know the drill.
Samantha attempts monogamy with James, which leads to the infamous micropenis storyline… enough said. She also gets the lightning bolt shave (iconic), and unfortunately, there’s that deeply uncomfortable, racist episode involving her date’s live-in maid — a low point for the series.
Charlotte leans harder into her role as the patron saint of hopeless romantics everywhere. She refuses to compromise on her vision of a happy ending, but let’s not forget her episode with “Mr. P*ssy” (truly unhinged) and those foot fetish scenes that no one asked for.
Season 2 also boasts one of the show’s best finales, “Ex and the City,” where Carrie seemingly ends things with Big on a bittersweet but empowering note. And yes, this season marks the origin of the iconic “Big is moving to Paris” chaos, which lives on in meme form.
Season Winner: Miranda. She buys her own apartment on the Upper West Side, holds down a healthy relationship (for a while), has window sex with a neighbor, and even calls the girls out for failing the Bechdel Test. Growth, feminism, and orgasms — we love a multitasking queen.
2. Season 3
Many believe Season 3 is when Sex and the City truly found its high-heeled stride.
We’ll dive into the distaste for Aidan and Carrie’s reunion in Season 4, but when they first got together? Honestly, it’s great. Aidan is one of Carrie’s true loves and a refreshing break from Big. This relationship forces immature Carrie to grow up, confront real-life relationship issues like lifestyle differences and her smoking habit, and ultimately leads to one of the show’s most defining storylines: cheating on Aidan with a married Big. Bold, messy, and iconic, it proved the writers weren’t afraid to make Carrie a flawed, occasionally unlikable protagonist.
Charlotte’s storyline with Trey MacDougal may not measure up to her real love, Harry, but Trey still delivers plenty of laughs. From almost running Charlotte over to their whirlwind engagement, the pair provides classic SATC comedy gold.
Miranda’s relationship with Steve continues to evolve this season, steadily building toward its inevitable end due to lifestyle differences.
The real downside? Samantha. By Season 3, she’s still largely episodic, reduced to a two-dimensional character whose main trait is, yes, loving sex. The writers would eventually realize her full potential, but not quite yet.
Season 3 is also when the show begins to shed its early plot gimmicks, focusing more squarely on the four women. Their friendships deepen, and it becomes clear they are each other’s ultimate support system and the heart of the series.
Season Winner: Carrie. Painful, messy, frustrating, yet brilliant. Her scenes with Natasha are electric, her dynamics with Aidan are complex, and the tension of the Big affair is palpable. A powerful, defining season for Carrie.
1. Season 4
The internet agrees: Season 4 is the best of the Sex and the City seasons. The storylines are rich, layered, and emotionally resonant, tackling everything from love and heartbreak to fertility struggles, friendship pressures, and the anxiety of growing up in New York City.
What sets Season 4 apart is its balance across the four women. Carrie gets her do-over with Aidan — doomed from the start, yes, but it asks poignant questions about whether getting back with an ex is ever a good idea. Charlotte reunites with Trey and grapples with conception. Miranda supports Steve through cancer and becomes pregnant after a one-night stand — hello, Steve-centric perfection. Samantha navigates her relationship with Richard Wright, delivering some of the show’s most iconic memes and revealing a more vulnerable side that cements her as one of television’s most beloved characters.
What really stands out this season are the intersecting plotlines. Take Miranda’s mother’s funeral, for example, where each of the four women approaches grief differently, and the show lets us feel all of it. Season 4 tackles heavy topics like abortion, infertility, sexuality, and motherhood. It wasn’t always perfect — Samantha’s relationship with Maria, for instance, is handled in a biphobic manner — but the season opens doors that had long been bolted shut in mainstream media.
This season also highlights the importance of New York City itself, particularly as its second half aired in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The city feels alive and tender, a backdrop for joy and heartbreak, loss and triumph.
Season Winner: Samantha. We watched her slowly lower her guard with Richard, only to be labeled the “crazy girlfriend,” and she turned out to be right. This season finally lets Samantha be more than just jokes and lewd comments. Special mention goes to Charlotte, whose scenes with Trey (and the mallard) earn her a close second.
