Maybe it’s the upcoming release of And Just Like That Season 3, or maybe it’s the nostalgia wave we’re riding, but my TikTok feed has never been more obsessed with Carrie Bradshaw. Fan edits are everywhere, her voice constantly echoing from my phone and lingering in my thoughts. This neurotic, self-absorbed Vogue columnist—who can’t resist emotionally unavailable men and always steers conversations back to herself—has somehow become Gen Z’s latest “It” girl.

“She’s so real for that,” one commenter wrote under a clip of Carrie dramatically declaring, “We’re so over… we need a new word for over.”

But loving Carrie hasn’t always been the norm. When Sex and the City premiered in 1998, the show was celebrated for its sharp take on dating and gender dynamics, along with its witty writing. Yet as the series progressed, Carrie’s antics started to wear thin. “For years, it remained a lovable, rewatchable romp,” wrote The Guardian’s Hannah Verdier. “That was until Carrie began to grate. Even with later seasons offering plenty to enjoy, viewers couldn’t help but wonder if Bradshaw was just too annoying for TV.”

Though I was too young to watch the original run, I remember my mom and her Gen X friends rolling their eyes at Carrie. She wasn’t as bold as Samantha, as sharp as Miranda, or as sweet as Charlotte. Despite being a sex columnist, she was oddly prudish, frequently judgmental, and laser-focused on her own drama. For a while, hating Carrie was practically a pastime—there’s even a blog called Carrie Bradshaw Is the Worst dedicated to dissecting her flaws.

But Gen Z doesn’t seem to mind her imperfections. In fact, they love her because of them. “People who hate on Carrie just don’t get her,” one fan argued under a fan edit, while another added, “A lot of people won’t understand this kind of freedom.” Others relate to her chaotic energy, with comments like “No one gets her like I do” under clips of Carrie chain-smoking. Her revival mirrors the way audiences reevaluated Girls’ Hannah Horvath—though Carrie, let’s be honest, is way cooler.

Older generations were taught to be the “chill girl”—unbothered, easygoing, never “too much.” But Gen Z embraces messiness. They idolize artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Rey, and Gracie Abrams—women who wear their heartbreak and neuroses on their sleeves. So it makes sense they’d adore Carrie, flaws and all. Plus, with her iconic ’90s and 2000s wardrobe, she’s the ultimate fashion muse. Stylish and unhinged? No wonder 21-year-olds think she’s a legend.

Even Sarah Jessica Parker has always defended Carrie, much like her new fans. “Her friendships were complicated, and she failed—just like we all do,” she once said. Maybe that’s the real appeal: Carrie isn’t perfect, and that’s exactly why she’s so relatable now.On the show’s 20th anniversary, she told HBO, “You fail at love, you let down your friends and yourself. We never shied away from Carrie’s flaws—they were shown often and honestly. Some people criticized her for them, but I was always proud to tell those stories because that’s what made her real. That’s why people connected with her.”