Nearly a decade after Girls (2012) aired its final episode and two decades since Sex and the City (1998) wrapped, the iconic HBO shows are experiencing irrefutable resurgences among Gen Z audiences. Despite their differences, the latter offers a glamorous take on friendship and love, while Girls presents a painfully self-aware exploration of life’s struggles. These series continue to captivate viewers who were very young when they first aired. What is it that makes these millennial-targeted shows evergreen?
- The Aesthetic Appeal
-
Gen Z’s love for the Y2K and 2010s aesthetics has absolutely been a factor in the resurgence of Sex and the City and Girls.
Fashion plays a key role in this, despite the polar opposite nature of the clothing within the shows. Sex and the City has bold, designer looks curated by costume designer Patricia Field to inspire and empower, almost providing a vision board for a Gen Z dream closet. In Girls, the thrifted, messy aesthetic aligns a little more realistically with what the everyday girl wears.
- Painfully Relatable Protagonists
-
Gen Z has embraced flawed, often cringey protagonists, making these shows more relevant than ever. Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath are self-absorbed, impulsive, and sometimes downright insufferable. This feels refreshingly real compared to the overly polished leads of modern TV. It’s a reminder that women don’t have to fit a perfect mold to be interesting and that being a flawed human is normal.
Rather than idolizing these protagonists, Gen Z enjoys dissecting their questionable choices on social media, turning their worst moments into genuine thought-provoking conversations. One fantastic example is the Girls Rewatch Podcast, hosted by two Gen Z comedians who assess each episode and character with an analytical, yet human, eye.
Darren Starr Productions/HBO Entertainment - The Romanticization of City Life & “Delusional” Ambition
-
New York City isn’t just the setting of both of these shows, it’s a character itself, fueling Gen Z’s ambition and desire for independence.
Carrie’s glamorous Manhattan life, complete with unrealistically expensive designer wardrobes and boozy brunches, embodies the ultimate main character idea many Gen Zers fantasize about.
Meanwhile, Hannah’s struggling writer existence in Brooklyn, filled with financial insecurity and impulsive career moves, feels more like a Gen Z fever dream of delusional confidence.
Both characters dive headfirst into their ambitions, often ignoring setbacks or common sense, a trait younger audiences find equally amusing and inspiring.
While the world has changed since these shows first aired, their portrayals of navigating independence, self-discovery, and the complexities of relationships are timeless and still resonate with today’s audience.
Ultimately, Sex and the City and Girls continue to captivate Gen Z because they perfectly capture the tension between aspiration and reality. Most of all, no matter how messy things get, there’s always a story worth telling.