'Sex' climaxes with 'John' and a sigh

Despite having filmed three different endings for the series finale of "Sex and the City," HBO ultimately chose the most predictable conclusion. Even with few real surprises involved in Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda's final farewell, the end was nonetheless satisfying, if, perhaps, a little too perfect.

While the show gives title space only to sex, it ended not merely with sex, but with love for each of the four women. Carrie unsurprisingly bid goodbye to her latest romantic interest, Alek Petrovsky (ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov), saying in no uncertain terms, "I am someone who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love, and I don't think it's here. "

Screams were heard from many of my all-female viewing companions as Carrie left Alek and almost immediately ran into her on-again-off-again love Mr. Big, who had followed her to Paris (where she moved with Petrovsky) to declare "Carrie, you're the one."

In spite of Mr. Big's emotionally fickle past, Rodney Deavault '07, who watched the finale at Tower, remains convinced that Big and Carrie are meant to be together.

"Carrie had to end up with Big...he grew up just like she did," he explained.

Nor were the other three women without appropriate and happy endings. Samantha overcame breast cancer and found happiness with the almost impossibly gorgeous and devoted Smith, to whom she admitted, "You've meant more to me than any other man."

The married women of the show also took steps forward. Charlotte and her husband Harry finally succeeded in adopting a baby, while the uncompromising Miranda displayed selfless love for her husband Steve by caring for his aging mother.

Lindsey Huddle '07 was relieved that "each woman was so much more mature" compared to earlier episodes.

"Before they were stereotypical...now they defy stereotypes," she said.

The final surprise of the night came from the disclosure of Mr. Big's real but surprisingly simple name: John. While I had hoped for something a little more exciting, Huddle was satisfied that "they didn't put him on a pedestal...he's just 'John,' an average guy."

While I have never been able to emotionally attach myself to "Sex and the City's" couture-outfitted stars who seemed to float from one relatively superficial relationship and life experience to the next, last Sunday I also found myself uncharacteristically touched as the credits began to roll for the last time. Although I will, of course, officially blame my mood on the 15 weepy girls surrounding me, I admit that I was also sad to say goodbye.

Despite "Sex and the City's" tendency to be superficial, it never failed to be a well-written, well-acted and entertaining show that shrewdly ended before most viewers would have wished. The series never tried to be overly deep or philosophical, but, instead, asked us to care about its characters within the limits of their admittedly fantastical "city" and lives.

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Even though the finale doles out what are, perhaps, too liberal helpings of happiness and maturity to Carrie and friends, "Sex and the City" does not forget itself. The last scene shows Carrie walking by herself in New York, wearing yet another ridiculous (and most likely exorbitantly-priced) outfit with a Manolo Blahnik shopping bag slung over her arm. Although "Sex and the City" gave viewers the happy endings we didn't admit we were hoping for, the series-and Carrie herself-still ended on its own terms.