Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon) had some pretty memorable quotes in Sex and the City. Throughout the show’s six seasons and two movies, the series’ leading personalities had plenty to say about their experience working and dating in New York City. Although these quotes hail from the late 90s and early 2000s, they stand the test of time.
Some of the best, most quotable moments from the show were off-the-cuff banter between Sex and the City‘s main characters, and others were words that Carrie wrote about her relationships for her column. Her thoughts on love and life make for some of the most memorable takeaways from the show. Whether it was dialogue that happened over brunch or Carrie’s intimate thoughts, here are the 20 best quotes from Sex and the City, ranked.
In Sex and the City season 5, episode 6, “Critical Condition,” Carrie is obsessed about an interaction that leaves a bad taste in her mouth. She can’t get the interaction out of her head, and in an effort to comfort her friend, Samantha offers this bit of advice to Carrie. Although Carrie gets a lot of advice from her friends throughout the series, Samantha is her most trusted advisor.
Stanford was always there for Carrie, but he was also always there for the drama. In season 4, episode 2, “The Real Me,” Carrie is recruited to walk in a fashion show that features models and real New Yorkers and, in an effort to be as tall as the models, she insists on wearing ridiculously high heels. To everyone’s horror, Carrie falls to the floor on the catwalk, prompting this iconic line from Stanford.
This memorable quote is classic for Charlotte’s character. Season 3, episode 1, “Where There’s Smoke,” finds Charlotte aggressively hunting for her romantic partner. Charlotte is at her best when she’s not overthinking and letting things come to her naturally, and that’s how she meets her life partner Harry. However, Charlotte is caught in a passionate moment where she is being loud and proud about her expectations, and it’s one of Charlotte’s best Sex and the City quotes about love.
“It’s like seventh grade with bank accounts.”
This quote from season 2, episode 1, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” speaks for the whole show. Although the women have plenty of things to balance out their lives, they spend a lot of their time talking about their boyfriends. The And Just Like That spinoff sees the women evolve throughout their lifetime, but the characters’ relationships with each other and with their life partners is central to the narrative.
This quote comes from season 3, episode 12, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The episode is an emotional ride for the characters. Charlotte gets married to Trey after finding out the night before that he is impotent, and Carrie finally confesses to Aidan that she’s been having an affair with Big. With the girls experiencing painful realities in their relationships, Carries ends the episode with this gratitude for her friends.
This quote from season 4, episode 2, “The Real Me,” is on brand for Miranda. Since she’s used to attracting people with her personality, Miranda can’t believe it when a guy at the gym calls her “sexy,” when she’s wearing her sweats and working out. Miranda wins over her partners with her personality, and this quote embodying that core trait for Miranda makes it stand out.
This quote from season 3, episode 2, “Politically Erect,” sees Samantha flaunt her political stance. One thing that’s true about Samantha is that she rarely takes anything too seriously. When Carrie is dating a politician, Samantha’s general disregard for discussing more serious topics includes talking about politics. This quote gets to the heart of Samantha’s character.
This quote comes from the iconic first season of Sex and the City in episode 2, “Models and Mortals.” After spending the episode comparing the lives of models to the lives of her and her friends, Carrie decides that beauty is fleeting, and she’s happy with herself and her life the way it is. Although Carrie would end up in a runway show later in the series, she’s right that a rent controlled apartment is one of the most coveted things in the city.
Miranda stays true to form in this quote in season 6, episode 14, “The Ick Factor.” In discussing plans for her wedding, it’s important for Miranda to stay true to herself and that includes not virtue signaling with her wedding dress. It’s refreshing that while the show often concerns itself with keeping up appearances, Miranda keeps it real. That’s why Miranda’s quotes hold up.
Samantha says this memorable breakup line twice in the Sex and the City series to her two loves. She said it first when she said, “I love you, too, Richard, but I love me more.” Then, she says it to Smith at the conclusion of their relationship when she is getting ready to leave California. This line is so iconic for her character that Samantha repeats it, and it’s one of Samantha’s best quotes about dating.
This quote comes from season 2, episode 18, “Ex and the City,” as Carrie contemplates her on-again-off-again relationship with Mr. Big. Carrie wants to be friends with Big, but when he tells her that he’s engaged to Natasha, the news sends her spiraling. The quote is memorable for her character because it comes at a time when she is processing one of the most difficult moments in Carrie & Big’s relationship.
This quote from season 4, episode 1, “The Agony and the ‘Ex’-tasy,” showcases everything that makes Charlotte special and is a memorable bonding moment for the women. The group vows to be soul mates to each other, rather than continuing to expect men to complete their lives. This quote is special for the series because while Charlotte is usually pushing their romantic relationships, here she takes a moment to appreciate that they have enough in one another.
Big says this in season 1, episode 2, “Models and Mortals,” and it’s his best, most genuine quote throughout the series. Big delivers this quote to Carrie in response to her questioning him throughout the episode about dating and models, and he comes back with this charming anecdote. In the end, Big finally follows his own advice and marries Carrie, who was the one who could make him laugh.
This heart-wrenching Carrie quote comes from season 6, episode 20, when Carrie is with Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) in Paris. Carrie is finding that her current love is falling short of the love she has envisioned for herself, and she pleads that she wants more. It’s clear that Carrie is looking for love, but to hear her say it so strongly feels necessary and inevitable.
One of the best parts about Miranda is her wit, which also comes with an unhealthy dose of self-depreciation. In season 3, episode 15, “Hot Child in the City,” Miranda is undergoing a brief experiment with braces. The quote is one of the best because it shows just how much Miranda can laugh at herself, and it’s one of the most memorable instances of her doing so.
Charlotte delivers this perfectly Charlotte sentiment in the Sex and the City pilot. If there’s one thing that Charlotte stays true to throughout the series, it’s her belief that true love is real and that people can live happily ever after. Charlotte’s pursuit of love and determination to be optimistic pays off when Charlotte falls in love with Harry, and lives out the happiest, most supportive relationship on the show.
In season 4, episode 8, “My Motherboard, My Self,” Carrie shares these words of wisdom that reflect the current state of her relationship. She finds herself needing to reboot from her relationship with Aidan, and it parallels Carrie’s computer crashing and her having to replace it. It’s a powerful quote for the series, because it’s a simple reminder to take a deep breath and reset, whatever the situation.