One Of The Most Influential Shows on Television Started 28 Years Ago On HBO

And just like that, nearly 3 decades have passed since Sex and the City began.

Whether it came up while flipping through HBO's programming, a coworker asked who was a "Carrie" or a "Samantha" around the water cooler, or if it was a go-to Sunday night guilty pleasure show (no shame in that), Sex and the City has made an impact in the 28 years since it first premiered.

Sex and the City first aired on HBO on June 6, 1998. Based on Candace Bushnell's real-life column and book, the show starred four women in New York and focused on their friendship, romances, careers, and fashion.

Sarah Jessica Parker played sex columnist Carrie Bradshaw, the central character and narrator. Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall, is the most confident and independent of the four. Cynthia Nixon's Miranda Hobbes is an ambitious and witty attorney, and Charlotte York, played by Kristin Davis, is a timid and traditional art curator. The four women are the core four of Sex and the City, navigating life and love in New York for six seasons.

Sex and the City was an adult show that didn't shy away from sex or relationships; the show was on HBO, so it did not have to be as censored as broadcast television. Even if not all the jokes and commentary are relevant or politically correct by today's standards, the show holds a special place in the cultural zeitgeist. Sex and the City memes are popular to this day, mainly about Carrie's on-again-off-again relationship with Chris Noth's Mr. Big.

Although Sex and the City was not dark and gritty like The Sopranos or The Wire, the dramedy held its own amongst the other prestige television HBO was producing. Both TIME and Variety have Sex and the City listed among their "100 Best TV Shows."

Sex and the City was huge for HBO and earned the subscription service over 50 Emmy nominations and seven wins, including their first win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. HBO aired Sex and the City on Sundays because traditional broadcast television left the slot empty. After finding success with this method, HBO also aired The Sopranos on Sundays.

Multiple films and spin-offs were spawned from Sex and the City. Two films were made after the show ended. A prequel, The Carrie Diaries, ran on the CW for two seasons. And Just Like That…, the sequel series, aired on HBO Max in 2021 and ended with its third season in 2025.

Sex and the City is currently available to watch on HBO Max and Netflix. Netflix is removing all seasons of the show at the end of June.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 6:00 AM.