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10 Must-Watch Shows Like Sex And The City: Your Ultimate Guide To Fashion, Friendship, And Modern Dating In 2025

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The enduring appeal of Sex and the City (SATC) has never waned, even in the current television landscape of late 2025. The iconic HBO series, which followed Carrie Bradshaw and her three best friends navigating career, fashion, and dating in New York City, set the gold standard for the modern romantic comedy-drama. While the sequel, And Just Like That..., continues the story, many viewers are searching for new, fresh series that capture the original show's unique blend of glamorous city life, candid conversations about sex and relationships, and, most importantly, the unbreakable bond of female friendship.

The good news is that the spirit of SATC lives on in a new generation of shows that explore the complexities of millennial and Gen Z life, from the cutthroat world of publishing to the nuances of modern dating apps. We've compiled the definitive list of the best shows like Sex and the City that you need to stream right now, focusing on the ones that bring the most up-to-date and relevant storylines about love, ambition, and fabulous fashion in major metropolitan hubs.

The New York Legacy: Shows from the SATC Creator and Spiritual Successors

No list of shows like Sex and the City would be complete without highlighting the work of its original creator, Darren Star. His subsequent projects perfectly channel the energy, high-stakes career drama, and fashion-forward aesthetic that made SATC a global phenomenon. These series keep the New York City vibe alive while introducing new, compelling characters.

1. Younger (2015–2021): The Age-Defying Romantic Comedy

Created by Darren Star, Younger is arguably the most direct spiritual successor to SATC, trading the world of newspaper columns for the high-stakes, glamorous world of New York publishing. It expertly balances career ambition with complex romantic entanglements, all while showcasing incredible New York style.

  • Main Cast: Sutton Foster (Liza Miller), Hilary Duff (Kelsey Peters), Debi Mazar (Maggie Amato), Miriam Shor (Diana Trout), Nico Tortorella (Josh), Peter Hermann (Charles Brooks).
  • Why It's Like SATC: The show centers on Liza Miller, a 40-year-old divorced mother who pretends to be 26 to get a job in the cutthroat publishing industry. It features a fantastic group of female friends (Liza, Kelsey, and Maggie) who regularly discuss sex, career moves, and the challenges of dating in New York. The fashion is impeccable, and the central love triangle provides a constant source of drama.
  • Key Entities: Liza Miller, Sutton Foster, Hilary Duff, Kelsey Peters, New York publishing, ageism, love triangle, Darren Star.

2. The Bold Type (2017–2021): Fashion, Feminism, and Friendship

Set in the offices of a global women's magazine, The Bold Type is the perfect choice for fans who loved the career and fashion elements of SATC, especially Carrie’s life at Vogue. It brings a distinctly modern, intersectional feminist perspective to the familiar tropes of city life.

  • Main Cast: Katie Stevens (Jane Sloan), Aisha Dee (Kat Edison), Meghann Fahy (Sutton Brady), Melora Hardin (Jacqueline Carlyle).
  • Why It's Like SATC: The series follows three best friends—Jane, a writer, Kat, a social media director, and Sutton, a fashion stylist—as they navigate their careers and personal lives while working at Scarlet magazine. The show is highly topical, tackling modern issues like sexual identity, political activism, and workplace dynamics, all while featuring stunning fashion and a powerful bond of friendship.
  • Key Entities: Jane Sloan, Kat Edison, Sutton Brady, Scarlet magazine, fashion industry, modern feminism, Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy.

Global Glamour: The International SATC Spirit

Part of SATC's allure was its aspirational, glamorous setting. These shows take that aspirational element and transplant it to other stunning international locations, providing a fresh take on the 'single girl in the city' trope with a focus on high fashion and cultural clashes.

3. Emily in Paris (2020–Present): Fashion, Romance, and Cultural Clashes

Another creation from Darren Star, Emily in Paris is perhaps the closest in aesthetic and tone to the original SATC, but with a vibrant, modern twist. It is the ultimate escapist fantasy for fans who crave high fashion and European romance.

  • Main Cast: Lily Collins (Emily Cooper), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Sylvie Grateau), Ashley Park (Mindy Chen), Lucas Bravo (Gabriel).
  • Why It's Like SATC: Chicago marketing executive Emily Cooper moves to Paris for a dream job, bringing her American perspective to a French firm. The show is packed with over-the-top fashion, complex love triangles (the new Big vs. Aidan dilemma), and the central theme of a woman finding herself in a glamorous, foreign city. It’s a bright, bubbly, and highly bingeable modern romantic comedy.
  • Key Entities: Emily Cooper, Lily Collins, Paris fashion, Savoir marketing agency, Mindy Chen, Gabriel, Sylvie Grateau, Lucas Bravo.

The Modern, Unflinching Look at Dating and Friendship

While SATC broke ground with its candid discussions, the next wave of shows offers an even more realistic, diverse, and often raw look at what it means to be a single woman in a major city today. These series are essential viewing for anyone who appreciates the honest, unvarnished look at relationships and personal growth.

4. Insecure (2016–2021): The Modern, Diverse Friendship Saga

Issa Rae's groundbreaking HBO series, Insecure, is often cited as the spiritual successor to SATC for the millennial generation, specifically focusing on the black female experience in Los Angeles. It tackles the awkwardness and reality of modern life with brutal honesty and humor.

  • Main Cast: Issa Rae (Issa Dee), Yvonne Orji (Molly Carter), Jay Ellis (Lawrence Walker), Natasha Rothwell (Kelli Prenny).
  • Why It's Like SATC: Like Carrie and the girls, Insecure focuses on the close, evolving friendship between two women, Issa and Molly, as they navigate career struggles, relationships, and the search for self-identity in their late 20s and 30s. The show is masterfully written, featuring witty, relatable dialogue about "situationships" and the anxiety of adulting, making it a powerful, modern cultural touchstone.
  • Key Entities: Issa Dee, Molly Carter, Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Los Angeles, situationships, Lawrence Walker, Kelli Prenny, HBO comedy-drama.

5. Girls (2012–2017): The Raw and Unfiltered Millennial Experience

Lena Dunham's Girls is the anti-glamour version of Sex and the City, focusing on the messy, financially struggling, and often cringe-worthy lives of four female friends in their early 20s in Brooklyn. It’s for the SATC fan who appreciates the emotional honesty over the Manolo Blahniks.

  • Main Cast: Lena Dunham (Hannah Horvath), Allison Williams (Marnie Michaels), Jemima Kirke (Jessa Johansson), Zosia Mamet (Shoshanna Shapiro).
  • Why It's Like SATC: While stylistically different—trading Upper East Side chic for Bushwick realness—the core theme of four friends relying on each other through chaotic dating lives and career false starts remains the same. Girls redefined the conversation about female sexuality and friendship for the millennial era, making it a critical, if polarizing, successor.
  • Key Entities: Hannah Horvath, Lena Dunham, Marnie Michaels, Jessa Johansson, Shoshanna Shapiro, Brooklyn, millennial life, Adam Driver, HBO.

More Shows That Capture the SATC Vibe

If you've already streamed the top five, these additional series offer varied perspectives on the themes of female friendship, dating, and career ambition, ensuring your watchlist remains full of stylish, witty, and relatable content.

6. Broad City (2014–2019)

This series centers on two Jewish-American women, Abbi and Ilana, navigating their 20s in New York City. It's less focused on glamour and more on the hilarious, absurd realities of low-wage jobs and true, platonic female soulmates. It’s the funniest and most chaotic take on city friendship.

7. Sex and the City: And Just Like That... (2021–Present)

You can always return to the source! This direct spin-off/sequel catches up with Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte in their 50s, dealing with widowhood, non-binary relationships, and the complexities of aging in a modern world. It’s essential viewing for any SATC devotee, despite its polarizing reception.

8. Harlem (2021–Present)

This Amazon Prime Video series follows four stylish and ambitious best friends in their 30s living in Harlem, New York. It’s a fresh, funny, and culturally specific look at dating, career goals, and the challenges of being a black woman in contemporary New York, making it a natural companion to Insecure and SATC.

9. Dollface (2019–2022)

Starring Kat Dennings, this show is a surrealist comedy about a young woman who must re-engage with her female friends after being dumped by her long-term boyfriend. It’s a whimsical, visually engaging exploration of the importance of female bonds in a world often dominated by romantic relationships.

10. Why Women Kill (2019–2021)

While not a romantic comedy, this dark comedy anthology series from Darren Star (yes, him again!) explores the lives of three different women across three different decades—the 1960s, 1980s, and 2019—all dealing with infidelity in their marriages. It offers a stylish, dramatic, and often shocking look at the complex lives of women, with high production value and incredible fashion.

Finding Your Next Obsession: The Enduring Themes

The shows listed above prove that the legacy of Sex and the City is not just about a specific city or a specific shoe designer; it's about the universal themes it championed: the freedom to discuss sex openly, the pursuit of a fulfilling career, and the foundational role of female friendship in a woman's life. Whether you prefer the Parisian glamour of Emily in Paris, the publishing world drama of Younger, or the modern realism of Insecure, there is a show ready to fill the void left by Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha.

As television continues to evolve in 2025, these series offer a contemporary and diverse lens on the romantic comedy-drama genre. They provide the perfect blend of escapism and relatability, making them essential viewing for anyone who believes that true love may come and go, but a great pair of shoes—and your girlfriends—are forever. Start streaming your next obsession today and find your own modern-day Carrie Bradshaw and her crew.

shows like sex and the city
shows like sex and the city

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