‘Sex and the City’ Creator Believes the Series Finale Betrayed the Show
Sex and the City is one of the most iconic TV shows of all time. The show brought to life characters such as Carrie Bradshaw and Samantha Jones, created a superstar out of Sarah Jessica Parker and introduced a variety of popular catchphrases into everyday conversation. Even now, many years after the show went off the air for good, fans continue to binge-watch the show, reconnecting with all their favorite characters. Still, not everyone was happy with the way that Sex and the City ended — including the show’s creator, Darren Star.
When did ‘Sex and the City’ debut on television?
Sex and the City first premiered on HBO in 1998, based on the book by author Candace Bushnell. The show followed the adventures of New York-based writer Carrie Bradshaw and her trio of close female friends, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbs, and Charlotte York.
Together, the four women navigated the perils of life, love, and careers in an often-tough world. The show often reinforced the value of friendship over dating relationships, and many times, the friends found themselves turning to each other for support rather than any male companions.
Fans were instantly drawn to the premise of Sex and the City. With Parker in the leading role of Carrie Bradshaw, the show became insanely popular, and thousands of viewers tuned in to watch Carrie’s extravagant outfits, Samantha’s witticisms, and Miranda’s casual putdowns. For nearly seven years, Sex and the City was one of the single most popular shows on television.
When was the last season of ‘Sex and the City’?
During its run on television, Sex and the City earned a lot of critical acclaim and received multiple awards, including seven Emmy Awards and eight Golden Globe Awards. The show made multiple best-of lists and even to this day is considered to be one of the most groundbreaking shows ever to air.
Still, like all good things, Sex and the City had to come to an end, and the final season aired in 2004. The final few episodes of the show focused on Carrie Bradshaw and the resolution of her longtime on-again, off-again romance with Mr. Big, a wealthy yet emotionally distant businessman.
Although Carrie and Mr. Big had previously decided to end their romance, Carrie’s abrupt move to Paris caused Mr. Big to realize the extent of his feelings for Carrie, and the two tied up loose ends in an extravagantly romantic fashion.
What did creator Darren Star say about the finale of ‘Sex and the City’?
Carrie and Mr. Big’s story has continued over the years since the show ended, primarily through two full-length movies. To fans, their love story is one of the greatest ever produced.
Still, show creator Darren Star opened up in 2016 about how he really didn’t love the way that the series ended. In fact, Star admitted that he believes the show’s ending “ultimately betrayed what it was about, which was that women don’t ultimately find happiness from marriage.”
He went on, claiming that “the show initially was going off script from the romantic comedies that had come before it. That’s what had made women so attached. At the end, it became a conventional romantic comedy.”
Still, Star did admit that even though it isn’t the ending he personally would have chosen, the only way to ensure that his vision remained consistent would have been to “write every episode” himself. Ultimately, there had to be some give and take, which is why viewers ended up with the finale that they did. To many, it is the perfect ending for Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big — just not to Star.
