Sex and the City (1998 – 2004)

Tomorrow is my ex-wife’s birthday, and as that memory surfaced my mind played some rapid word association and went directly to Sex and the City, without passing Go or collecting $200. It was one of her favourite shows, and something we watched together quite regularly.

It’s often wrongly perceived as a show for women, but that’s both narrow-minded and inaccurate. If a joke makes me laugh it doesn’t really matter who its target demographic is, and Sex and the City made me laugh a lot.

Sex and the City followed the escapades of four (initially single) best friends. Carrie was the emotional core of the show; Miranda was the cynical one who always told it straight; Charlotte was the demure and (usually) reserved one; and Samantha was the catalyst for most of the outrageous sexual encounters.

The show was very adult in nature, and not for the easily-offended. Even by today’s relaxed standards it feels a little edgy. Its life was extended by a couple of movies, but taking their varying successes and failures out of the equation, the story told throughout the original ninety-plus episodes was cleverly written and well performed. Despite its overtly sexual tone, Sex and the City was a show that – to use an unfortunate pun – never really had any dry spots either.

And yes, I’ve been on the Sex and the City tour in New York – it was fabulous!