Kristin Davis Reveals ‘Sex and the City’ Used Real-Life Criticism in Its Storylines
In a recent episode of her podcast Are You a Charlotte?, Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte York in Sex and the City, shared how the show’s creators cleverly incorporated criticism into its storylines. Speaking with guest Molly Price — who appeared in several episodes — Davis recalled how comments from early critics were intentionally woven into the script by creator Darren Star and showrunner Michael Patrick King.
Davis highlighted a moment from the episode “The Awful Truth,” where Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) questions relationship boundaries — a direct response to critics who claimed the show lacked propriety. “Michael Patrick — and Darren wrote this one — and both of them, I think, included criticism of the first season into the writing,” Davis said.
She referenced how Season 2 opens with Miranda questioning the group’s constant talk about men and sex, echoing one of the show’s most prominent early criticisms. “It was a big criticism of the show in the beginning,” Davis explained. “Like, ‘Why are all these women sitting around talking about men all the time?’”
Davis also addressed how some viewers claimed the show’s dialogue didn’t reflect how women really talk. “I don’t think that’s true. I do think women talk about these things,” she said, although she acknowledged the stylized language used in the show.
Molly Price chimed in to note that the series was a comedy, not a documentary. Davis agreed but noted, “Critics don’t care. They’re going to find something.”
Concluding, Davis praised the creators’ strategy: “They’re putting in the things people threw stones at us about. Like, we’re just going to use it — which is smart.”
