Top 10 Pairs of Movies that are the Same Movie

Greetings, reader!

Time for one of my more unserious posts! I've always enjoyed pointing out when a movie is similar to another movie, especially if it isn't in a totally obvious way but rather a specific conclusion you have to arrive at after a certain thought process. Here are ten pairs of movies that are more or less the same movie when you really think about it, ranked in a whimsically arbitrary fashion!

10. Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

In this dramatic conclusion to an epic saga, we pick up from the high-stakes cliffhanger we left on in the previous film - but after the stakes are laid out, we hang back as the heroes accomplish a bunch of side-quests to pad the runtime and build up that inevitable final act. When the final act arrives, things look bad - our main hero is standing alone against an unbeatable-looking villain, while the small army of good guys right behind them is looking vastly outnumbered. Luckily, (SPOILER ALERT) a whole bunch of reinforcements arrive right at the nick of time, as we suddenly see the scene being swarmed by an assortment of various allies, cameos and other fan-service good guys. And this gives our main hero the strength to fight the bad guy with more drive and win!

9. The Usual Suspects and Se7en

In this critically acclaimed crime thriller from 1995, we follow a battle of minds between law enforcement officials and a criminal mastermind who keeps one-upping them. Known especially for its layered villain, as well as the mega-quotable and utterly devastating plot twist at the end, this film is such a modern classic - but a weird one to re-watch, due to the unfortunately aged casting of Kevin Spacey as the aforementioned villain.

8. Freddy Vs. Jason and King Kong Vs. Godzilla

In this crossover event, two icons of a specific horror subgenre are seen together on the big screen for the first time. The film begins as if it's switching between two different films, writing its own separate stories for the two legendary characters before their narratives start to intertwine. The film makes most of its crossover premise: we see the monsters teaming up, for a moment, but we also get the big fight between them as the "Vs." in the title promises. The fight is long and entertaining, and instead of a conventional ending, things are left on an ambiguous note as the other party, deeply injured but still alive, descends mysteriously into the ocean.

7. The Lion King and Hamlet

Ah, I love that movie about the young prince whose life spirals into self-doubt and chaos after his father, the King, dies under suspicious circumstances. It even turns out that the King's brother conspired to off him, so that he could be King! The young prince is so wrecked with guilt that he leaves the country, goes on all sorts of sidequests - and then decides to make an epic return to make things right. You know the one?

6. The Lion King and Black Panther

The double appearance of The Lion King on this list is pretty hilarious, because somehow, Hamlet and Black Panther are not very similar at all, even though both of them are basically the same film as The Lion King. You see:

In this movie, we follow a hero who has a great deal of potential but is still learning to control his naive ways from his wise father - and this is upended when a charismatic usurper takes the power, killing the father in the process. Our hero goes on a transformative journey, almost losing himself in the process, but eventually learning to communicate with his deceased father and other ancestors in the great beyond.

The villain, who is partially humanized by showing his fleshed-out motives stemming from old bitterness, has transformed the hero's home into a bleak and tyrannical place, when the hero returns and there's a big old fight. The supporting good guys fight the supporting bad guys while an epic score fused with African traditional music motifs plays, while the main hero has a dramatic conversation with the main villain about their differences and similarities while fighting him. The whole thing ends in a deeply bittersweet and ultimately poetic manner.

5. Thor: Ragnarok and Frozen II

In this sequel, the dark past of a seemingly benevolent ruler is revealed, in what can be seen as a metaphor for how our history is written by the victors and the West often glosses over its colonial treatment of Indigenous people. In the thematically deep final act, the main fantasy kingdom seems to be in more and more danger - until, in an eye-opening plot twist, one of the main heroes realizes that the main fantasy kingdom should be sacrificed under the apocalyptic circumstances, and that the mere place doesn't actually matter all that much as long as the people survive.

Also, there are cool-looking rock creatures.

4. Fast & Furious and Mission Impossible III

In this turning point for the popular franchise, the people behind the movie series clearly made the conscious decision to plan their instalments in a long-term manner, instead of winging it one movie at a time. Therefore, after the odd grouping of films that came before this one, we're suddenly introduced to a larger supporting cast that would go on to stay throughout the next films, instead of having totally new people support the protagonist in each film.

We also get glimpses of a larger story, one that will be continued in the next film. This film has its growing pains and isn't as good as the few that would follow it, but it's still an undoubtedly important one, as it sets the blueprint that the rest of the franchise would go on to follow!

3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Brokeback Mountain

I have to make a disclaimer that this isn't my original joke - I just like to spread its joy whenever possible:

In this critically acclaimed masterwork, two men journey up a mountain and destroy a ring in the process.

2. The Godfather: Part II and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!

Is this film a sequel or a prequel? Short answer: yes.

You see - about half of this film's runtime is devoted to a flashback storyline, where we follow a young version of the main parent character from the first film, played here by a different actor in a brilliant casting choice. The rest of the film follows up from the events of the first film in the present-day narrative. The prequel and sequel elements complement each other in a clever fashion, as the light shed on the parent character's backstory in all its atmospheric Mediterranean glory has tons of parallels to their offspring's present-day situation.

1. The Community Movie and Bando Stone and the New World

A mythical upcoming release, starring Donald Glover and hyped up to the maximum, that has been delayed in production so many times that I'm starting to wonder if it'll ever see the light of day. If this film gets made, it'll probably be the greatest movie of all time, but looking at the state of the eternity project, that's a big "if".

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I go *way* out of my depth and begin "Culinary Month" with the first of four posts that I'm profoundly under-qualified to write: the top 10 coffee drinks/variations.

Top 10 Mo Salah moments

Greetings, reader!

Well, the time has come - the 2025/26 Premier League season ends this week, and with that, my favorite club is saying goodbye to one of its all-time legends. Words can't describe how important Mohamed Salah has been to Liverpool FC, how many lives he has changed both on and off the pitch, and how bittersweet it is to say goodbye now that his time has come to move on. From the nine truly special years he spent at the club, these are my favorite Mo Salah moments.

Here are my honorable mentions: Congratulating Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane like a true gentleman right after losing the AFCON final between Egypt and Senegal; Letting Bobby Firmino take the penalty to ensure his first Premier League hattrick; The general brilliance from the Mane-Firmino-Salah attacking trio in the golden days.

10. The historic six-minute hattrick in the Champions League

In October 2022, Liverpool was playing Rangers in the Champions League group stage when Salah came on in the 68th minute. Within seven minutes, he had scored - and the man was just getting started. The Egyptian King scored again in the 80th minute, and again in the 81st, breaking the all-time record for fastest-scored hattrick in the Champions League. Scoring three goals in the span of 6 minutes and 12 seconds, in a tournament for the best of the best, is one of many examples for what a one-of-a-kind maestro of the sport we're dealing with here.

9. His whirlwind of a debut season

Rival fans call Salah a "one season wonder" every now and then, which is utterly ridiculous when you look at the stats - each and every one of the nine years he has spent with Liverpool has resulted in a plethora of goals, assists and MOTM performances. To be fair, the argument that the haters use does stem from the fact that Salah hasn't quite managed to replicate the exact numbers of his debut season in most subsequent seasons - but that's just because his first season with Liverpool was such next-level wizardry that no other player could replicate it either.

After being bought from AS Roma for 34 million pounds, Mohamed Salah spent his first season as a Red scoring 32 goals in 26 league games, winning the Golden Boot (which he would go on to win another three times), and playing a crucial role in helping a still-improving Klopp-era Liverpool reach 4th place in the Premier League, as well as the Champions League final. That's one hell of a way to arrive at your new job.

8. Every single high-pressure penalty, but especially That One

Salah has scored thirty-five penalty kicks, out of fourty-one attempts, for Liverpool FC - that's a pretty dynamite record. Some players freeze under pressure, but not this guy - it has often seemed that the higher the stakes, the more likely it is for him to keep his nerve and give his everything from the spot. Us Liverpool fans will certainly miss the feeling of having such a dependable penalty taker in the squad - and obviously, when reminiscing this aspect of the player, one's mind goes to the Champions League final in 2019.

The pressure was on as Liverpool faced Tottenham in the biggest of tournaments, and the game got off to a wild start when the Reds were rewarded a penalty kick right in the first minutes. Salah kept himself composed, put us into the lead, and that 1-0 goal gave the whole match its dynamic as the Spurs were never able to come back from it and Origi eventually scored a second to seal Liverpool's sixth UCL championship.

7. Every time he annihilated Manchester United

Liverpool fans will be crying in the streets when Salah plays his final match for the team - but, if it's any consolation, there is a group of people who will be cheering and dancing as if a long-standing reign of terror is finally over...Manchester United fans.

Salah faced ManU eighteen times across his time as a Liverpool player, and scored a total of 16 goals against the team. The stats that highlight his legendary relationship to the Red Devils are mind-boggling: he became the first-ever visiting player to score a hattrick at Old Trafford, he's the eighth-highest goalscorer at Old Trafford in the 2020's including Manchester United players, and here's my personal favorite: since Salah joined Liverpool in 2017, he has been booked for taking his shirt off to celebrate a goal against ManU at Anfield more times than ManU have scored against Liverpool at Anfield. That's insane. And let's not forget his role in that 7-0 annihilation of 2023!

6. The "yeah, we're winning the league this year" goal

The year was 2020, Covid-19 hadn't shut the world down yet, and after years of barely lost title races between an ever-improving Klopp-era Liverpool and Guardiola's Manchester City, it was finally starting to look like it was our year. During most league seasons, it's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when it really starts to become evident who the eventual winner will be - but with that exhilarating 19/20 season, it was pretty clear. Things had looked pretty good already before that January fixture against Manchester United, but this was the match that made it crystal clear that there was no stopping Liverpool that year.

Van Dijk put the Reds 1-0 up early in the game, but things remained fairly even - until one of the most memorable goals of the Klopp era was scored. In a rare case of the goalkeeper getting an assist, Alisson Becker's pitch-perfect long open found its way to Salah's feet, and he dribbled past the ManU defense with grace and elegance to make it 2-0. The skill that went into the goal felt like an ultimate "wait - we're really winning the league this season?!" realization, and watching the celebrations as Alisson ran across the pitch to celebrate the goal with his partner-in-crime truly felt like the beginning of a much larger celebration.

5. "Never give up"

I often find myself thinking about this one. Imagine the guts, drive and sheer faith that it takes to pull a stunt like this - you play FC Barcelona, in a time when they still have Messi and Neymar and everyone, in the semi-final of the Champions League, and you lose the first leg 3-0 - and then you, the biggest star of the team, get injured and have to miss the hopeless-looking second leg.

Then you arrive in the stands to watch the game, wearing a shirt that says "NEVER GIVE UP".

Commentators saw this either as cheeky and delusional, or as a pointless gesture of as-if hope in a hopeless situation. Little did they know who would have the last laugh - Salah didn't play a minute in what I consider my favorite football match of all time, but he definitely played a part in that historic comeback. I can only imagine how the visual of the injured star, cheering the players on while sporting that hauntingly beautiful text, helped pump the team up in order to do the impossible.

4. Gifting his POTM award to James Milner

This moment from the 18/19 season is one of those instances that immediately come to mind when thinking about what a stand-up guy Salah has always been. Salah had just scored three goals in a 4-0 victory against Bournemouth - a match that marked the 500th Premier League appearance of teammate James Milner. In the post-match interview, Milner's milestone is dealt with quite quickly, after which the focus shifts on Salah's performance as he's gifted the Player of the Match award - but he wasn't having any of it.

Ever the class act, Salah's immediate reaction is to refuse the POTM award and give it to Milner instead, to commemorate his incredible career. The moment felt extra special because Milner, as good as he was throughout his career, was the type of player who hardly ever gets chosen as POTM, being such an unselfish system player who never made a fuss about himself. You can see how emotional Milner got from Salah's gesture, and how much it meant to him.

3. The displays of absolute humility

Pretty much every fact I've learned about Mo Salah, and every clip I've seen of him in the media, has only made me respect him more and more - his wholesome interactions with the fans, his diplomatic role in on-the-pitch referee dramas, beginning each goal celebration by praising Allah with the humble Sujud prayer, the list goes on...

One very telling moment was yet another post-match interview with Sky Sports, this one being after he had scored his first hattrick for Liverpool. The interviewer kept setting him up to flex with well-deserved pride with praise-filled questions, but each time, Salah would keep deflecting and pivoting the attention to praising his teammates in a genuinely humble manner. Mind you, the guy had just scored a hattrick, and he had fuck-all to say about the matter except for "my teammates all played so well and created situations so brilliantly that they really deserve the praise". What a guy.

2. Breaking pretty much every single record

The most games scored in by an individual player during a Premier League season. The most consecutive winning appearances by a Premier League player. The first player to score on Opening Day of five consecutive Premier League seasons. The most Player of the Month awards by an individual player in a Premier League season. Overtaking Didier Drogba as the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history. The most goals scored in a Premier League season, a record that was previously held by one Cristiano Ronaldo. The first player to, as an individual player, outscore three entire teams during a Premier League season.

Oh, and he has scored the most Premier League goals, Champions League goals, Premier League assists, and Champions League assists in Liverpool history. No, not a combined number - he's #1 in each statistic.

We can't f**king replace this guy.

1. Generally breaking barriers, helping reduce Islamophobia and speaking out for important causes

Some things are bigger than football - and Mo Salah making the world a better place as a Liverpool player is one of them. Studies have shown that hate crimes against Muslims in the Merseyside area have reduced dramatically in the years after Salah was signed for Liverpool, and general attitudes towards Muslims have become much more positive among Liverpudlians. A stat like that always causes mixed feelings, because obviously it shouldn’t take something like this - in an ideal world, people would know not to be Islamophobic assholes even without a Muslim scoring goals for their football team. But, with the world being what it is, it is an objectively good thing that Salah’s positive presence in Liverpool FC has switched attitudes and probably saved lives.

Salah has also used his platform to speak out for many human rights causes, and this is critically important - as much as I love the sport, I have to admit that a large chunk of British football fans often appear to be some of the densest people on the planet, and their favorite player speaking out for something might just be only possible thing that makes them listen. Not to take anything away from Salah’s magical moments and irreplacable touch on the pitch, but the #1 thing that made me respect him was always his humble, genuine and kind personality - which also seems to go hand in hand with his playing style. The man gave us Liverpool fans nine amazing years, and changed many lives both with his football playing and with his charitable actions off the pitch. We will miss him dearly.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I rank top 10 pairs of movies that are the same movie.

Eurovision week: Top 10 TV shows to watch instead of that bullshit

Greetings, reader!

Well, it's a big week for genocide enthusiasts worldwide, as people from all over the world gather to watch Israel polish its international reputation by diverting media attention from starving children in Gaza to a fun dystopian music competition for the whole family! I'm guessing that the war crime apologists all have their weekend viewing all lined up, but if anyone who doesn't want to support genocide is wondering what to watch this Saturday, here are ten recommendations of TV shows with timely messages.

10. Surrounded By Enemies (2022-2022)

This Viaplay original documentary series takes a deep look at white supremacist groups in the Nordic countries. Learning about racism is critically important for us as a people, so that we can unlearn the racist patterns deeply ingrained into us by generations and generations of systemic racism. Maybe if we all watched shows like this, we as a society would one day learn to question how come Eurovision bans Russia for its illegal occupation of Ukraine (a predominantly white country), but "isn't political" when it comes to Israel illegally occupying Palestine (a predominantly non-white country).

9. Arcane (2021-2024)

This beautifully animated series explores themes of fascism and oppression, something that we all need to understand as long as we have fascist, oppressive societies (as well as fun, colorful bread-and-circuses song competitions who happily serve as PR cleansers for such countries when it suits them). If the people running EBU (or the Finnish broadcasting company Yle, for that matter) had a fraction of the courage displayed by this show's main heroes, we'd be much better off.

8. Band of Brothers (2001-2001)

The sentiment of "Never again" is strong in the best episode of the acclaimed WWII series Band of Brothers, as Easy Company uncovers a concentration camp to their absolute shock. Watching this would serve as a good reminder of what exactly "Never again" means - the absurdity of the same exact inhumane practices still being conducted, only against a different people this time, shows how little we've progressed.

And to think that the country currently committing an ongoing genocide, parallelling Nazi Germany from the mass graves and starvation tactics to the inhumane conditions in their prison camps and the "death penalty, but only for people of a certain ethnicity" laws, is being paraded and celebrated by Europe's big song competition...shameful.

7. Community (2009-2015)

One of the many reasons to be furious at Eurovision is that while they've helped Israel artwash its reputation in the last few years, the supposedly non-political organization has been working hard to actively censor Palestinian voices and proponents of the Palestinian cause. Statements about the Palestinian cause by artists have been discouraged at best and penalized at worst, and viewers who wanted to show their support weren't allowed to fly Palestinian flags at last year's Eurovision.

If you want to steer far away from this bullshit and instead lend your viewership to media that doesn't like to deny the existence of Palestinian people, you don't need to look any further than Community - the show's best character is second-generation Palestinian immigrant Abed Nadir, and the very second episode features protagonist Jeff Winger waving the Palestinian flag as a part of a bizarre Spanish presentation.

6. The Newsroom (2012-2014)

"Oh, but it's just a fun singing competition, it's not that deep, Eurovision is about music and not politics" - oh, if only that were true. If one follows the news surrounding Eurovision, it becomes abundantly clear how little the current situation has to do with music; Israel only sends artists who are 100% of supportive of their government's atrocities to represent them, and very clearly uses the competition as a venue to polish its reputation in the West, so that people would associate Israel with a fun singing competition and not Palestinian babies with bullet holes in their heads. The fact that people can't recognize this, not even when Israel pays millions for ads in favor of their Eurovision representative in every country participating in the event ahead of the finals, really points to the media literacy crisis we're currently in.

And hence, The Newsroom.

This amazing Aaron Sorkin series pinpoints everything wrong with modern western media, from the censorship by corporate sponsors and capitalist incentives against speaking certain truths all the way to the inherent cowardice in many major news organizations who should be holding our leaders accountable. Watching this series, and its portrayal of what journalism should look like, will pump you full of inspiration and help you realize how important it is to hold on to our critical thinking and media literacy skills, no matter how complacent the powers-that-be want you to remain.

5. Ramy (2019-)

We (as in privileged white people in the West) really need a much better understanding of the Arab world. There's a reason that a building full of civilians getting bombed in a Western country gets 24/7 media coverage, statements of condemnation from everyone with a platform and months of attention, while a building full of civilians getting bombed in an Arab country is quickly shrugged off as an inconvenience - and that reason is that no matter how much we pretend to have moral superiority, our society still is one defined by ignorance and racism. We are raised to care more about white victims than brown ones, and that needs to stop.

Obviously, a lot of work needs to be done, more than just watching a TV show. But educating yourself via a particularly informative TV show can definitely be one of the many pathways to self-improvement for anyone who wants to do their part to make the world better, and I can't think of a better TV series for that cause than Ramy Youssef's Ramy. The show shines a complex, genuine and eye-opening light on the Muslim experience, and could help many viewers understand the culture that our leaders insist on demonizing and dehumanizing on a daily basis.

4. Black Mirror (2011-)

Totally unrelated from this week's Eurovision and its political implications, I just really want to discuss this series and how it has many fascinating episodes. There's season 1's Fifteen Million Merits, where the ruling class tries to keep the working class distracted from the real issues by bombarding them with colorful bread-and-circuses TV competitions, and season 2's The Waldo Moment, where a cartoon character runs for office and does really well because the people care more about the mindless entertainment they see on TV than they do about the actual issues in the world, and season 3's Men Against Fire, where modern technology and media is used to seemingly take away the humanity of an entire culture because we're at war with them...the list goes on.

3. Andor (2022-2025)

The Star Wars prequel Andor, and its second season in particular, feels oddly relevant at the moment. On one hand, there's the stuff that parallels the shit we see on the news, like the storyline of the Ghorman people being massacred at the behest of the Empire.

And on the other hand, there's the stuff that painfully reminds us of what we don't see on the mainstream news, because they don't like showing it to us, like the machinations of the Empire manufacturing consent for the Ghorman genocide by painting the planet's natives as dangerous terrorists while leaving them without a voice. And then there's the stuff that reminds you of what you would wish to see on the news, like the scene where a powerful politician calls a genocide what it is instead of cozying up to the forces committing the atrocities.

2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

I really like Major Kira's line "Nothing justifies genocide". And the whole storyline with the Cardassian Union's occupation of the planet Bajor, and how the violent colonizers are clearly portrayed and treated as the f**king bad guys while empathy is showed to those who just want to live in their homeworld. And how the Federation actually takes a goddamn stand against the Cardassians, at the risk of political fallout, and aids the liberation of Bajor, instead of simply sitting on their asses and inviting Cardassia to their singing competitions while Bajor burns.

Not to mention how I can't imagine a scenario where Starfleet would constantly be arming Cardassia with more and more bombs to slaughter Bajorans with - that would only happen in the Mirror Universe, so I'm pretty sure that that's the timeline we're in!

1. Mo (2022-2025)

Watching any given episode of Mohammed Amer's series Mo will make the very idea of wasting your time and attention on this year's Eurovision song contest feel bleak and absurd. Shining a light on the Palestinian refugee experience, this series pulls no punches and really underlines the grit of the Palestinian people after all they've had to endure.

I think a big part of why so many westerners don't give a shit about Israel's ongoing war crimes is that they don't see Palestinian civilians as fully human, but rather as mere numbers (or, worse, "the kids are just future terrorists" and other propaganda talking points) - and that's why watching shows like this one could be so beneficial. Following the experiences of one Palestinian and his family reminds you of the complexity and heart that goes into being a human - and then you remember that over seventy thousand of these humans have been killed in the past two and a half years, and the country doing the slaughtering is a staunch ally who our governments don't dare to criticize.

But, hey, who cares, because it's just a non-political song competition, right? Y'know, since art isn't inherently political or anything? Who cares about hospitals and refugee camps being bombed and children being systematically starved to death when you can just shut your critical thinking down and enjoy a carefree song competition, where the biggest sponsor just happens to be a company from the country committing these atrocities, and that isn't even in Europe, but gets to use this platform to parade performers who proudly stand by Netanyahu's genocide machine year after year, and spends millions to pinkwash its international reputation with stunts like this so that the west will stay complacent and send them more bombs?! No, that's not rhetorical, I'm legitimately asking - who cares? Because I'm hoping that many of us do. And boycotting this f**king joke of a genocide-apologist festival is the absolute least we can all do.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for a football-themed post, as I commemorate Mohamed Salah's career ahead of his imminent departure from Liverpool FC, by ranking the top 10 Mo Salah moments.

Top 10 Sex and the City episodes

Greetings, reader!

I recently finished watching HBO's Sex and the City for the first time! Between the magnificent dialogue, brilliant character dynamics and ahead-of-its-time portrayals of feminism and sex positivity, this was a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience, and I'm currently diving deep inside the rabbit hole with the movie sequel, the other movie sequel, the reboot series, the prequel series, the animated series and the Broadway musical (okay, I made the last two up). Anyways, while I was watching the series, I couldn't help but wonder - what are its best episodes?

Here are my honorable mentions: La Douleur Exquise! (Season 2 Episode 12), Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda (Season 4 Episode 11), Just Say Yes (Season 4 Episode 12), One (Season 6 Episode 12), Splat! (Season 6 Episode 18).

15. The Real Me (Season 4 Episode 2)

As anyone who has ever seen me pick an outfit can tell you, I've never really gotten fashion. While the fashion aspect of Sex and the City was quite an illuminating and educational dive into a strange new world for me, I couldn't help but see it as a slightly less interesting counterpart to all the completely fascinating relationship material. I'm sure that the fashion aspect is among the show's big selling points for many viewers, and I'm guessing that for them, The Real Me is a top 3 episode.

Even I really liked the NY fashion show episode, no matter how out of my depth I am when it comes to understanding that world. The vibes are immaculate, the episode stands out in a mostly formulaic series due to its specific setting, and the guest performances by Alan Cumming and Margaret Cho are pure gold. There are also some great moments with Stanford (Willie Garson), one of the many amazing supporting characters in the show's tapestry.

14. Critical Condition (Season 5 Episode 6)

Unlike many of my favorite shows, Sex and the City never did any gimmick-y concept episode, huge plot twists or massively deep tear-jerkers - therefore, most of the show's best episodes are very typical ones, but ones where everyone just has an exceptionally interesting storyline.

Such is the case here! Samantha (Kim Cattrall) has some brilliant character growth, as she initially doesn't get (or care) Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) need for help from her friends with her newborn kid, but eventually comes around and shows up like a true friend. Meanwhile, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) faces the consequences of her actions as she has to reckon with how she hurt Aidan (John Corbett). And, best of all, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) meets one Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) for the first time, setting the stage for the show's greatest love story!

13. Unoriginal Sin (Season 5 Episode 2)

This episode is a pretty standard one otherwise, but Carrie and Charlotte's storyline, and particularly its conclusion, is absolute perfection. The ending, where Carrie decides to dedicate her book to all single women, but particularly her friend Charlotte, "the eternal optimist", really got to me and is honestly one of the most moving moments in the entire series. I'm a sucker for sweet displays of true friendship!

12. I Heart NY (Season 4 Episode 18)

The season 4 finale, released not long after 9/11, contains some beautiful New York imagery and ends with a dedication to "Our city of New York...then, now, and forever". I Heart NY does its job as a season finale, but is especially memorable due to this tasteful tribute to the city that truly is the show's fifth main character.

11. The Agony and the Ex-tacy (Season 4 Episode 1)

The first episode of season 4, right in the midst of the show's prime, is undoubtedly the best season premiere that Sex and the City ever did. The opening montage is wonderfully atmospheric, the bulk of the episode is classic SATC material, and the episode ends on a beautiful note - Charlotte comforting herself and her friends by asking "What if we're each others' soulmates?".

As someone who often found the male love interests in the show to be overrated, and the show's portrayals of friendship between the main women to be the most engaging relationship storytelling, this line hit hard.

10. Ex and the City (Season 2 Episode 18)

First of all, if I were to rank the show's episodes purely based on the episode title, this season finale would be in the very highest tier and possibly be beaten out only by A Woman's Right to Shoes. But the episode's brilliance goes far beyond its title - the tone is just more-dramatic-than-usual for it to feel like a proper season finale, while still keeping within the fluffy-comfort parameters as to not feel too overdone. All of the main characters run into figures from their past, leading to all sorts of reflection, and the balance of comedy and drama is as eloquent as ever.

9. The Cheating Curve (Season 2 Episode 6)

As one can surmise from the title, this episode tackles the phenomenon of cheating and its many forms, from many different perspectives. It's classic SATC, with the magnificent dynamic of the main quartet on full display and the dialogue as entertaining as ever. Miranda calling Samantha's sexy gym instructor a "very personal trainer" is maybe my favorite line from the entire series.

8. The Big Journey (Season 5 Episode 7)

The penultimate episode of season 5 is a fun one - and a lot of that has to do with the show's most infamous male character, Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Say what you will about his likability - one cannot deny that he's a deeply entertaining character, and one that you can't imagine the show without. Every time that things are in the slightest danger of becoming boring and/or complacent, this f**king guy shows up to stir the pot in Carrie's storyline. Towards the tail end of the series, the writers had really learned to make the most out of the character by treating him like the larger-than-life concept that he is, and out of his many dramatic return-entrances across the series, this episode has my favorite.

From thereon out, it's fantastic stuff - you see, this is the episode where Carrie's book has just come out, Big has read it, and he's legitimately realizing what an absolute tool he had been in the show's first seasons. Only, the thing is - at this exact point in the show's trajectory, it's Carrie who's not looking for anything deeper for once, and just wanted a night of carefree fun with her star-crossed jackass. Based on this episode, I definitely want to see more of the "unfortunately timed character growth" trope in TV, because very few things are as hilarious as Big finally growing a heart and trying not to hurt Carrie when she just wants a plain-and-simple hook-up.

Also, Charlotte's storyline in this episode continues her love story with the then-new love interest Harry, and their romance continues to dazzle with electric chemistry and a magical feel. Love it!

7. Frenemies (Season 3 Episode 16)

I absolutely love the main storyline in this episode - Samantha and Charlotte have somewhat of a falling-out, after both have been themselves a bit too extremely, so they take some time off the main group as Charlotte hangs with an old friend group while Samantha goes to town with a new acquaintance.

Hanging with her old friends, Charlotte realizes that they are such next-level prudes that she is "the Samantha" of that group, which helps her understand her friend a bit better - and the same happens on the other side, as Samantha's new friend is so sex-crazed that she feels like "the Charlotte" compared to her. It's a funny and cleverly written storyline, but also quite deep in how it deals with empathy, reflection, and the relativity of any given personality trait.

6. My Motherboard, My Self (Season 4 Episode 8)

One of the very few episodes in the show's run to be legitimately different from the usual formula, this one focuses on Miranda after her mother has passed away, and she leaves town to attend her funeral. It's an emotional episode, particularly in showing how the main friend group do a brilliant job emotionally supporting their friend and being there for her when it matters the most. This episode fleshes Miranda's character out, while strengthening the show's emotional core in an impressive manner.

5. Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women (Season 2 Episode 17)

There is so much to love here - the quirky and conceptual opening scene giving a backstory to the beach house in the Hamptons, the guest performance by a young Anson Mount, the beach setting making the episode stand out while the cliffhangers make it work as the season's penultimate episode, and all the drama and entertainment value with Big's return and other hijinks being afoot! No notes.

4. Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Season 3 Episode 12)

When it comes to Charlotte's long-term love interests, even the most diehard Kyle MacLachlan fan (and I should know, as he is me) must admit that her romance with Harry was a thousand times better than the one with Trey. That being said, there is one thing where Trey takes the win for better or for worse - out of Charlotte's two wedding episodes in the show's run, her wedding with Trey definitely made for even better television!

First of all, it's not just about the main storyline - Carrie has interesting drama going on with Aidan, Miranda's 'lawyer vs. stewardess' social experiment makes for a fascinating and well-aged feminist take, and Samantha is pure Samantha as she hooks up with Trey's cousin and hijinks ensue. But the wedding at the center of it all is the main point of interest, in both the good and the bad - there are sweet and romantic moments, but also some absolutely fascinating drama with the pre-wedding reveal of a sexual issue that would go on to color a large chunk of Charlotte and Trey's marriage.

3. An American Girl in Paris (Season 6 Episodes 19-20)

The series finale hits pretty much all the right notes, with my main takeaway being "wow, for a show that was supposed to be relatively mindless entertainment, it ended up being much deeper than I anticipated".

The trajectory of Carrie's love life remains suspenseful until the very end, as can be expected - and while her ultimate choice to get back with Big was a bit hard for me to swallow, it did ultimately make sense as he had grown and she genuinely loved her after all the years of drama and heartbreak. But my favorite thing in the culmination of her storyline wasn't the direction of her love life, or even the Big name reveal (although that was a delicious bit of fan service) - it was that final narration, about a person's most important relationship being the one they have with themselves. This is a valuable lesson, both for Carrie within the fiction (thank God she finally figured it out), and for many viewers as well.

Everyone else has their storyline neatly tied up as well, ending things on just the right note - Miranda is happy with Steve (David Eigenberg) and their baby, Samantha has beaten breast cancer and is living the high life with Smith (Jason Lewis), and best of all, Charlotte and Harry finally catch a break in their quest for a baby as they get a letter of approval for adoption. All in all, it's a beautiful ending that feels just final enough while still leaving room for a whole bunch of unserious sequel material!

2. Easy Come, Easy Go (Season 3 Episode 9)

The very best SATC episodes aren't like the very best episodes of most shows - they won't blow your mind with insane plot twists, make you a blubbering mess of tears with heavy emotions, or make you laugh your ass off with impeccably written comedy. Mind you, the show has its strong moments of compelling plotlines, emotional moments and delightful hilarity, but the very strongest episodes are simply the typical SATC episodes that convey the show's essence in the most perfect manner. And Easy Come, Easy Go, right from the middle of the show's best season, is the perfect archetypical Sex and the City episode.

Carrie has some true vintage drama with both Big and Aidan! Charlotte's storyline explores the potential of a blossoming romance as she and Trey get engaged, while Miranda's storyline explores the bitterness of a romance's end when she and Steve break up in a realistic and logical yet gripping fashion! And, as is often the case, Samanta's storyline brings the humor and entertainment value (as well as the rambunctious sex-positivity)! The legendary "funkiest tasting spunk" line, coupled with Charlotte's reaction, is the hands-down funniest moment in the show's entire run.

1. Are We Sluts? (Season 3 Episode 6)

And here, in yet another season 3 banger, we have the show's formula in its full potential! This isn't even a case of every character having an individually fascinating storyline, as it was in my #2 pick - this is even more in the veins of the show's premise, as the episode explores an overarching topic in a fascinating manner and everyone's storyline ties into it neatly. The topic in quesion is, well, what you can expect from the episode's title, and the social conversation around the topic.

For a series that didn't always age well (the bisexuality episode told me that I'm somehow unfairly greedy, simply confused, in denial on the way to full gayness, and having a weird phase all at once), Sex and the City managed to be way ahead of its time on many occasions, and this episode is chief among them - after tackling the "slut" conversation from many angles, from "how many is too many" to "old-fashioned romance vs. modern hookup culture", the episode finds a strong and conclusive takeaway: slutshaming is both dumb and morally wrong. I especially appreciate how it tackled the ridiculous double standards that were especially prevalent then but can be still seen in our media today: the man who has sex with many women is a glorified stud, while the woman who has sex with many men is all sorts of nasty words that I don't even feel like typing here. A thoroughly entertaining and compelling episode, ending on a strong feminist note!

And just like that, the post is over. Tune in next week for a list where I celebrate Eurovision week by recommending 10 TV shows to watch instead of that bullshit!