Here's What A Man Thinks About The Four Protagonists Of 'Sex And The City'

If it weren't for my fiancée, I would have very little knowledge of "Sex and the City," aside from the fact that the series revolves around four middle-aged women navigating Manhattan's dating scene through rose-colored glasses, courtesy of very liberal Cosmopolitans.

Back when the show was new and not solely viewed on legal/illegal streaming services, I admit there was part of me that wanted to see what it was all about. I was younger at the time and the show had “sex” in the title. As a young man at the height of his sexuality, I was very intrigued.

However, due to unfair perception courtesy of gender norms, I felt the show wasn't meant for me or I'd be made fun of if I gave it a shot. So I didn't -- until I met my fiancée. Her entire family were frenzied fans of the show and her mom had the entire series on DVD. So we “borrowed” it.

On our nights in, we would watch episode after episode and, slowly but surely, I was hooked. The show is incredible. I'm a big fan and I have no shame in admitting it. The show is smart, funny and, as an added bonus to male viewers, insightful.

Guys, hear me out: If you haven't watched "Sex and the City," you're missing out big time. Brilliant writing aside, you witness a LOT of nudity in the show; it's almost on par with "Game Of Thrones." So if nudity is what I must promise to get you to watch, so be it.

Anyways, as a result of this consumptive viewing, I've developed my own “strong” opinions on the protagonists of the series. I mean, most of us have. But since male opinion is something that is rarely associated with the show, I've offered a male perspective on its four main characters: Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and the dreadful, dreadful Charlotte.

Carrie

I'm a tad indecisive about Carrie, which is ironic because Carrie seems indecisive about everything. Well, this appears to be true when regarding something that may not directly benefit her. With that rather catty remark, I guess I am decided about Carrie: I don't like her much.

Carrie is selfish (as many writers can be) and she only seems to care about herself. Her column, week after week, talks about her and her immediate friends' experiences with various metropolitan men. She muses on and on about her own opinions (which I'll admit, are gold) week after week and gets paid an unheard amount of money to do it, because THE Carrie Bradshaw would have it no other way.

Her apparent hobbies -- brunching, shopping, cocktails, love triangles and attending luxe parties -- are totally self-serving and for a grown woman, she's pretty immature.

I mean, she racks up ridiculous debt buying frivolous items like designer clothes and shoes and she has a tendency to call her friends in the middle of the night to discuss various aspects of her life. Essentially, the character of Carrie is the embodiment of society's dislike for Millennials.

Samantha

I love Samantha. She's the only character on the show that is fiercely, unapologetically herself. Sure, she's brash, a nympho and not exactly refined, but she owns it and she owns it so hard, you respect it.

At least when Samantha's selfish, she admits it. And she's so comfortable with herself she can give those who seek attention -- like Carrie and Charlotte -- exactly what they want without expecting anything back. This quality is also reflected in the fact that she does this kind of thing professionally through PR.

Besides, am I the only one who thinks her advice trumps the other girls? Her advice is usually along the lines of “Whatever, fuck that guy” and if that's not evidence of a strong, independent woman, I don't know what is. She's no drama and that quality alone is one of the most appealing qualities of “wifey material.” The downside being Samantha doesn't want to get married.

Even when diagnosed with cancer, Samantha remained her authentic self (more or less) proving that her uniqueness is not an act. You don't find many people like Samantha Jones in this world, which is why she appeals to me (and men in general) on so many levels.

Miranda

I like Miranda as well. I don't understand why nobody wants to be “the Miranda” of their group because she's probably the most relatable. Miranda's a realist -- which, sure, means she can be pessimistic at times -- but she's human. She says things she shouldn't, she can treat good people poorly (like Steve. Poor Steve), but she always comes around at the end, pushes her pride aside and apologizes.

Like most lawyers, she's grossly overworked and has paved a lucrative path for herself in a male-dominated industry. So yeah, outbursts come with the territory. On top of that, she has a kid, a kid who was born into a then-tumultuous, uncertain relationship.

Granted, she does have help. But Miranda's most admirable quality is her and Steve's progressive relationship, one where traditional gender roles don't apply. Miranda is the breadwinner and she most definitely wears the pants in the relationship. Steve, on the other hand, is happy to support her and assist where he can. For baby boomers, this is incredibly rare.

Good on you, Miranda and Steve.

Charlotte

Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte. If Miranda is the realist of the group, that would make Charlotte the un-realist. At first, I really liked Charlotte and thought she was the sweetest fictional woman on the planet. But as I was better familiarized with the character, my distaste for her grew and it grew to the point to where I hated Charlotte. I almost loathed her.

The woman actually told her husband that she's too hot for him. ARE YOU KIDDING? Her pursuit of perfection and approval from others is just too much. If things don't go according to plan, Charlotte will suddenly turn from the sweetest woman you've ever met to a total Stepford nightmare.

She also has a tendency to react like a toddler when things don't go her way. And it would appear her daughter -- who was directly responsible for ruining Carrie's original wedding -- is following in her path.

She's also that woman who needs to bring her kids everywhere. Like, it isn't news that your lady friends talk about adult topics at brunch, so don't ruin a respected tradition with your girls by dragging your daughter along.

I'm willing to bet she'd be that nauseating mom who posts bi-weekly Norman Rockwell portraits of her family with hyperbolic quotes on social media, too. I could go on, but I won't. I don't want to further offend anybody who may identify with her character.

So there you have it, folks, the unsolicited male opinion on the famous cast of "Sex and the City" characters. Sure, this might be over a decade too late, but better late than never, right? Since I'm sure there are much bigger fans of the show than I, I want to ask: How did I do? Do you agree or disagree with my summaries?

If you are a fan of Charlotte, please let me know why in the comments. I could use a little optimism for her character.

Signed, A guy who likes "Sex and the City"