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Sex and the City was (and is) a cultural monolith. The HBO classic that introduced viewers to Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte covered the ins and outs of dating in New York - and, of course, dressing for it. With the reboot, subtitled And Just Like That…, confirmed and filming, ardent fans have probably already rewatched the entire series on HBO Max three times. Luckily, while viewers are waiting for the official release date of the 10-episode reboot, there’s plenty of movies and shows like Sex and the City to hold them over. Here’s 11 of them.
The Devil Wears Prada
Perhaps an obvious choice, but The Devil Wears Prada is just too good not to mention. The romantic dramedy follows Andy (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring journalist who accepts a job as personal assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the demanding editor-in-chief of the high-profile fashion magazine Runway. The Devil Wears Prada premiered in 2006, but the iconic quotes and costumes continue to live on in the cultural zeitgeist (and in plenty of memes). Patricia Field designed the costumes for both Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada, so fans will undoubtedly appreciate the impossibly chic outfits worn by Andy, Miranda, and their co-workers. In addition to Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, the movie also stars Emily Blunt as Emily, Andy’s work rival, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel, the art director of Runway.
Stream The Devil Wears Prada on Starz.
Rent The Devil Wears Prada on Amazon.
Gossip Girl
Another series that recently got a reboot, Gossip Girl follows Serena (Blake Lively), Blair (Leighton Meester), Dan (Penn Badgely), Nate (Chase Crawford), and Chuck (Ed Westwick), a group of wealthy teenagers going to school in New York’s Upper East Side. The show is narrated by an anonymous blogger who goes only by ‘Gossip Girl’ (voiced by Kristen Bell). Gossip Girl has many of the traits that made Sex and the City so popular. Insanely good 2000’s style? Check. Romantic, soapy drama? Check. The aforementioned fashion and drama taking place in New York City? Once again, check.
Stream Gossip Girl on HBO Max.
The Bold Type
The Bold Type has drawn comparisons to Sex and the City as well as The Devil Wears Prada, and for good reason. The Freeform original series follows a group of best friends who work at a fashion and lifestyle magazine in the Big Apple. Sounds familiar, right? While Sex and the City is a veritable time capsule of the early 2000’s, The Bold Type feels distinctly modern. In addition to featuring a more diverse cast, the series has a bisexual main character, Kat, and depicts her romantic relationships with women in the same way it does the heterosexual relationships. Any LGBTQ characters in Sex and the City tended to come off as stereotypical, so The Bold Type is a refreshing change of pace for viewers seeking a similar show with updated sensibilities.
Insecure
HBO has been criticized for sidelining female creators of color in favor of white voices. Lena Dunham’s sitcom Girls was called out for featuring a mostly white cast, despite the fact that the show was set in New York. Insecure, created by and starring Issa Rae, is a step in the right direction. Issa Rae plays Issa Dee, a 29-year-old woman navigating life and love in Los Angeles alongside her best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji). Like Sex and the City, Insecure doesn’t shy away from frank discussions about sexuality and relationships. The show is billed as a comedy, but Insecure’s honest portrayals of issues like racism and sexism will keep you thinking long after the laughter has died down.
The Carrie Diaries
A must-watch for Sex and the City fans, The Carrie Diaries imagines what Carrie Bradshaw’s life would have been like as a teenager. It follows everyone’s favorite magazine columnist as she navigates life, love, and choosing the right pair of shoes. The series takes place in the 1980’s adding a fun retro vibe. Although the CW series only lasted for two seasons, AnnaSophia Robb’s charming performance as a young Carrie Bradshaw makes it well worth the watch. Her co-stars include Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Ellen Wong (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, GLOW), Katie Findlay (Nancy Drew, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), and Doctor Who alum Freema Agyeman.
Stream The Carrie Diaries on CW Seed.
Buy The Carrie Diaries on Amazon.
Good Girls
Good Girls seems wildly dissimilar from Sex and the City on paper. Beth (Christina Hendricks), Ruby (Retta), and Annie (Mae Whitman) are three down-on-their-luck suburban mothers who decide to rob a grocery store. Of course, the operation goes wrong, and it catapults the three women into the world of organized crime. So what exactly does this have to do with Sex and the City? A main draw of that show was the positive relationship between Carrie and her friends. Good Girls is also predicated on the friendship of its main characters. Viewers who enjoy the easy rapport between the Sex and the City cast will find an equally compelling portrayal of female friendships in Good Girls.
Jane The Virgin
When Carrie Bradshaw wasn’t scoping out the latest Manolo Blahnik sample sale, she was navigating the rocky seas of romance. Jane the Virgin, a satirical telenovela, chronicles the dramatic personal life of Jane Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez), a religious young woman who becomes pregnant via accidental artificial insemination. Naturally, this leads to major drama with her boyfriend Michael (Brett Dier), as well as a newfound romance with the unwitting sperm donor Rafael (Justin Baldoni). If debating whether Carrie should end up with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) or Aidan (John Corbett) was a brunch highlight, the romantic drama of Jane the Virgin is sure to please.
Stream Jane the Virgin on Netflix.
Buy Jane the Virgin on Amazon.
Confessions Of A Shopaholic
Carrie Bradshaw’s obsession with Manolo Blahniks was well-documented on Sex and the City. In the Season 4 episode ‘Ring a Ding Ding’, Miranda estimated that Carrie had spent over $40,000 on shoes since moving to New York. The fashionably-inclined fans of Sex and the City will find a similar heroine in the 2009 rom-com Confessions of a Shopaholic. Isla Fisher (Blithe Spirit, Godmothered) stars as Rebecca Bloomwood, the titular shopaholic whose spending habits have landed her in a huge pile of debt. When dashing magazine editor Luke (Hugh Dancy) offers her a job, sparks (and shoes) fly. While Confessions of a Shopaholic isn’t going to win any Oscars, it’s a fun, bubbly movie perfect for a girls’ night in.
Rent Confessions of a Shopaholic on Amazon Prime Video.
Younger
Younger is the brainchild of Sex and the City creator and producer Darren Star, so it’s likely SATC viewers will find a lot to enjoy. The show is based on a simple conceit: recent divorcee Liza (Broadway veteran and Tony Award winner Sutton Foster) lies about her age to get a job at a publishing company. In trying to keep up with her lie, Liza finds herself the center of some wonderfully juicy drama. The plot thickens when Liza gets involved with a twenty-something college dropout and starts to become friends with her younger (no pun intended) co-workers. Audiences will love the growing friendship between Liza and book editor Kelsey (a vibrant Hillary Duff), as well as the humorous intersection of Gen-X and millennial culture.
Ugly Betty
Yet another show about twenty-somethings who work at a fashion magazine in New York City? Maybe so. But if you’re looking for chic shenanigans and drama, the ABC dramedy Ugly Betty may be for you. The story follows Betty Suarez, a brace-faced college graduate who snags a job at a luxury fashion magazine (a la The Devil Wears Prada). In addition to America Ferrara (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Superstore) as the titular fashion disaster, the quirky supporting cast includes Eric Mabius (Resident Evil; Signed, Sealed, Delivered) Michael Urie (Younger, Swan Song), Ana Ortiz (Love, Victor), and Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater, the deliciously villainous creative director.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Some might say that Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) is the original Carrie Bradshaw. A chic young woman living in a New York apartment she’d realistically never be able to afford? Sounds about right. The 1961 hit, based on the novella by In Cold Blood author Truman Capote, is a staple among the fashion set for its impeccable style and compelling love story. Co-starring George Peppard as Holly’s love interest Paul, Breakfast at Tiffany’s will satisfy anyone looking for a Sex and City-esque drama with a classic twist.
Rent Breakfast at Tiffany’s on Amazon Prime Video.
All 6 seasons of Sex and the City are now available to stream on HBO Max. While And Just Like That… doesn’t have a set premiere date, it may be hitting the small screen sooner than we think. You can keep up with us here at CinemaBlend for future updates on all things Sex and the City.
