Sex and the City ruled again at the 59th Golden Globe Awards, in its fourth year on the air. The popular show walked away with two wins and one nomination at the ceremony on Sunday, January 20, 2002, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The moment the Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Golden Globe was announced, none of the actors and producers thought they would continue their winning streak. Series creator Darren Star seemed genuinely surprised when he went on stage accompanied by the cast.

Martin Sheen presented the prize for Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy to Sarah Jessica Parker, after joking that it was going to his son Charlie Sheen. In her acceptance speech, Parker thanked “the city of New York, who is really the fifth girl.” It was her third win in a row for the same role.

John Corbett, everyone’s favorite Aidan, got a nomination for Best Supporting Actor the same year. Overall, the show had eight wins (including three consecutive years, from 2000 to 2002, for Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy, plus Kim Cattrall winning Best Supporting Actress in 2003) to go along with 16 additional nominations across six seasons, which makes it one of the most successful comedy series in history. And not just in the United States.

How did the series become so immensely popular all over the world? One explanation is that it pushed boundaries in a way that had never been done before. Others say, somewhat snidely, that it was the mix of raunchy sex scenes, its service as a love letter to New York, and the fashion: those Manolos, Jimmy Choos, and Louboutins that Carrie seems to wear like slippers even while she is chasing after Aidan’s dog or running out of Mr. Big’s apartment; that pink tutu on the bus; the see-through dresses. Others hail the show as a celebration of female singlehood, the somewhat vengeful idea that men are disposable making a statement on feminism.

Everyone, it seemed, had their favorite character. In the United States, girls wanted to be Carrie, women connected with Miranda, and some took to the sweet innocence of Charlotte. In Europe, Samantha was by far the best-liked of the four friends, free of the sexual repression and prudishness of which non-Americans sometimes make fun. And who can ever forget that scene where her much younger lover eats sushi off her naked body?
We were all invested in who Carrie would finally end up with. It just had to be Big — even if some favored Aidan and even the volatile Russian played by the legend Mikhail Baryshnikov. When it all ended after six seasons, we missed it. We continue to have binge-watching parties, accompanied by Cosmopolitans. At its core, Sex and the City still represents a part of our lives – growing up. If one word could sum up its lasting success, it would be nostalgia.