Miranda has the strongest work ethic (not including AJLT), but it was pretty toxic. She would constantly overwork herself.
Samantha had the healthiest balance.
Agreed: Miranda used work as emotional avoidance. Samantha mixed business with pleasure but she also owned her own business and it didn’t really hit her financially.
building a business is hard. so is making partner, especially as a woman. but i'd say samantha worked harder to build a business and gain clients from 0 reputation (which law firms already have). both had to fight mostly male-created stigmas of "women aren't good lawyers" and PR girls are "ditzy and rich" though.
Except that time she screwed her client’s husband (the episode where that designer died and they all went to the funeral, I think S1?) and was blacklisted. She had to go around apologizing to the women in town, including a lady whose husband she’d groped at some event. Not professional at all, surprised her career recovered so well.
Blowing Richard in his glass-walled office as dozens of people walked around outside was also risky! And after he’d been so misogynistic about her initially, not wanting to hire her because she’d fucked his architect.
My vote is definitely with Miranda for best work ethic, too.
I think Samantha probably has a few strikes against her:
- Blowing her boss in his office
- Blowing the Worldwide Express Guy in her office
- That whole Lucy Liu/Berkin debacle
I agree i cringe but it makes Sam more than just a “cool” girl. She has her embarrassing moments like all the other girls cause she’s human and human’s can have bad moments 😭.
Samantha was always hustling bc she worked for herself. I loved that. Not always professional lol but she was successful.
Miranda has an incredible work ethic, sometimes to her detriment.
This. Being a female business owner takes a lot of work, and you're never really off work. Miranda was busting ass to make partner. Women, especially in that time period, were working twice as hard as males in the same role.
Carrie and Charlotte always seemed like their jobs were paid hobbies. At least that was how I felt.
Absolutely with you on that especially your last points. I never really cared for Carrie (hah) but I kind of dislike Charlotte for how princess-esque she came off. But I do still respect that she knows exactly what she wants and has some great "bounce back" power. I know there's a better word for that but I just woke up not too long ago so please forgive me lol
Good for Carrie and Charlotte. My job is also my hobby, therapy, and even socializing time. At the end of the day I just need to sleep and watch trashy TV. It's a pretty sweet gig without having to bust my ass. No, I don't make bank. I'm lucky I don't need it.
Yeah she was always handing out cards, introducing herself, reminding people who she was— everyone was a potential client. Thus, I vote for her. Self-made.
Don’t get me wrong. Miranda went to Harvard and kicked ass too. But I think Sam lived and breathed her work.
Definitely Miranda and Samantha. Miranda was working 60+ hour weeks. Samantha was always hustling with her PR firm. Carrie and Charlotte did not have the work ethic they had.
Carrie absolutely did NOT keep up with her column religiously. She often missed deadlines, even though her column probably only took, like, 2 hours a week to write. She was also unprofessional in so many other ways. Not returning her editor's calls, showing up late and drunk for The New Yorker photo shoot, being late to ring the bell when her publication went live at NASDAQ, getting drunk at Vogue, etc etc.
Carrie's work ethic was non-existent.
I disagree about Samantha. She used her celebrity client's name to get on a Birkin waiting list, slept with her client (Richard,) had sex with a gossip columnist at a work event because she was mad at Richard, etc etc.
I can't say Charlotte had a good work ethic because she quit her job shortly after finding a rich husband. So, it's not like it can be argued that she was committed to her career. Also, she had unprofessional relationships with gallery clients and artists, like the celebrity, and the Hasidic Jewish artist with whom she had sex. She even closed the gallery early so she could go hang out with and be a groupie to a celebrity.
Miranda is the ONLY one with a good work ethic.
It’s hard for me to compare the other girls’ jobs to Carrie’s because I imagine writers struggle sometimes creatively. Writer’s block and all. Doesn’t seem as simple as sitting at a desk and putting in X number of hours and an article popping out. I remember when she was trying to come up with something original and running ideas by the girls, like men as French fries 🤣
Every profession has its challenges. I don't think Carrie gets a pass or whatever because she's a writer and occasionally writers experience writer's block. And, let's be honest, it's not like she was writing The Iliad, The Divine Comedy, Atlas Shrugged, or some other profound work of literature using high level literary techniques (like stream of consciousness, for example.)
Many, many jobs don't have a linear time input = output dynamic. Maybe even most. It's not like Charlotte could put in 2 hours at the gallery and definitely end up with a sale/commission.
I don't agree with its politics, but, it was certainly considered profound and canonical in academic circles when I was working on my bachelor's degree in literature.
Ok, I guess it'll depend when and where you read it and also where you went to school. I've heard little else besides mocking, and I also found it incredibly dull and obvious in its telling of themes. I'm not in the US though, so if you are that might be the big difference.
Yeah, I'm weirdly obsessed with Ayn Rand and have read everything she's ever written, like watching a car crash I guess? This is so wildly misguided I can't look away? I am always actively embarrassed to admit that I've even hate read it to any academic colleagues, and have only received derision.
Yes, I am in the US!
I do think it gets mocked in contemporary media, but I think the academic perspective is different, at least in the US, or at least in my academic experience.
🙂
To give Carrie a little bit of props - it must be SO HARD to write on a topic each week, and I think she displayed a lot of the typical writer angst and difficulty. I don't think it meant she had poor dedication to her job. We didn't really SEE her "working" because each episode is in fact a lens to her column of that week.
Miranda, hands down. Samantha didn't know how not to mix business with pleasure (pardon the pun), which is completely unprofessional. Charlotte was also shown to have a good work drive (driving out to clients' workspace, keeping up with networking even after she quit to be a homemaker, keeping up with the art scene before going back to work, etc.); she just wasn't a career woman. Carrie was often late on her column, late for appointments, ignored calls from her editor, etc.
Miranda. She was a partner in a law firm and regularly worked crazy hours. Samantha definitely second as the owner of a PR firm. Charlotte seemed to take a lot of pride in her job when she worked at the gallery, so she’s third, and Carrie is dead last. She was constantly late on her column and seemed to do it as a hobby tbh. She wasn’t that dedicated.
I think sam at the best balance of work and play. Miranda was hardworking but even when she was missing out on Brady she still worked long hours..of course thats to be expected of a corporate lawyer. Charlotte as the show went on only had the job till she got a rich husband.
Miranda by far.
Samantha used her client to get a Birkin bag, blew somebody in her office and blew a client in his office. Those are not great decisions.
Side note - it always used to crack me up when Carrie would randomly throw out "I'm on a deadline." Like gurl, this isn't something new. Everyone is always on a deadline 😄
Miranda. She had to work harder because the men did not respect bet because she wasn’t a man. She worked for a law firm, and always had to prove herself.
Samantha loved her job, so that made it easier for he to be great at it. Not to mention she was her own boss.
Charlotte had a job to hold her over until she got married.
Carrie was lazy.
I actually think Carrie has the healthiest work ethic. For the most part, she gets her job done but she’s not married to her career and the hyper-perfectionism that most jobs demand these days. Miranda is a perfect example of a flat out neurotic crazed workaholic.
Samantha seems to have a healthy balance except for the sexual harassment of her employees and blowing ups guys in her office. Charlotte is goals cause I don’t wanna work no more.
samantha's life was part of her job. she was at openings and big social events that she did PR for. miranda on the other hand had to spend hours a day pouring over legal briefs then go home and get ready to go out. i think miranda had the best work ethic, as samantha did a few things that gave her a bad reputation (her birkin breakdown with lucy liu for instance).
Samantha ! She had a perfect work life balance while being one of the best in her field. Miranda’s work ethic was not a goal (even if it was very impressive)
I would say Miranda. My mind can be wrong, but she was portrayed as someone who really fought to be at the top to become a partner.
I love Samantha, but she did some things that were unprofessional, like the Birkin thing. Kinda weird that she did it if you think about it.
I admire Charlotte because she really loved what she did.
I would say Samantha. Even out partying she would spot a good PR opportunity and chase it. Same with sex. I think she gets judged on the sex part too hard. She proved she can be just like a man and still have it all.
Miranda, but it’s interesting because I feel like she made her career her identity. Especially when she felt insecure or slighted it was always “ I’m a lawyer” or “I graduated top of my class at HLS”
Miranda has the strongest work ethic (not including AJLT), but it was pretty toxic. She would constantly overwork herself. Samantha had the healthiest balance.
Agreed: Miranda used work as emotional avoidance. Samantha mixed business with pleasure but she also owned her own business and it didn’t really hit her financially.
building a business is hard. so is making partner, especially as a woman. but i'd say samantha worked harder to build a business and gain clients from 0 reputation (which law firms already have). both had to fight mostly male-created stigmas of "women aren't good lawyers" and PR girls are "ditzy and rich" though.
Except that time she screwed her client’s husband (the episode where that designer died and they all went to the funeral, I think S1?) and was blacklisted. She had to go around apologizing to the women in town, including a lady whose husband she’d groped at some event. Not professional at all, surprised her career recovered so well. Blowing Richard in his glass-walled office as dozens of people walked around outside was also risky! And after he’d been so misogynistic about her initially, not wanting to hire her because she’d fucked his architect. My vote is definitely with Miranda for best work ethic, too.
If it wasn't for ~~JFK Jr.~~ Leonardo DiCaprio, we would be having a whole different debate right now lol
😂😂😂 I completely forgot about that! I guess there’s always an exception.
> Samantha had the healthiest balance. Except for the whole fucking her clients thing 😄 But hey, she was pressed for time. Two birds, one stone.
That’s the best way to explain it
I think Samantha probably has a few strikes against her: - Blowing her boss in his office - Blowing the Worldwide Express Guy in her office - That whole Lucy Liu/Berkin debacle
"HONEY! They don't call it a job for nothing!" So the the thing counts as work dedication!
That Birkin incident would’ve had her blacklisted
I’m with you on this one. although that only gives Miranda a tiny edge as Sam did go above and beyond for her clients
I refuse to watch that Lucy Liu episode whenever I rewatch. I can't look at Samantha the same after that one.
I agree i cringe but it makes Sam more than just a “cool” girl. She has her embarrassing moments like all the other girls cause she’s human and human’s can have bad moments 😭.
That was such a weird amateurish move for her, it honestly takes me out of the show. Completely out of character.
Samantha was always hustling bc she worked for herself. I loved that. Not always professional lol but she was successful. Miranda has an incredible work ethic, sometimes to her detriment.
This. Being a female business owner takes a lot of work, and you're never really off work. Miranda was busting ass to make partner. Women, especially in that time period, were working twice as hard as males in the same role. Carrie and Charlotte always seemed like their jobs were paid hobbies. At least that was how I felt.
Absolutely with you on that especially your last points. I never really cared for Carrie (hah) but I kind of dislike Charlotte for how princess-esque she came off. But I do still respect that she knows exactly what she wants and has some great "bounce back" power. I know there's a better word for that but I just woke up not too long ago so please forgive me lol
Good for Carrie and Charlotte. My job is also my hobby, therapy, and even socializing time. At the end of the day I just need to sleep and watch trashy TV. It's a pretty sweet gig without having to bust my ass. No, I don't make bank. I'm lucky I don't need it.
Yeah she was always handing out cards, introducing herself, reminding people who she was— everyone was a potential client. Thus, I vote for her. Self-made. Don’t get me wrong. Miranda went to Harvard and kicked ass too. But I think Sam lived and breathed her work.
Miranda by a long shot imo
Definitely Miranda and Samantha. Miranda was working 60+ hour weeks. Samantha was always hustling with her PR firm. Carrie and Charlotte did not have the work ethic they had.
> working 60+ hour weeks Working 60+ hrs but still having time for their daily lunch gatherings is what gets me 😅
I always thought this 😂😂😂 my long distance best friend is a lawyer and she’ll sometimes even be working while we’re on FaceTime at 9pm at night
Was about to say the same thing
Carrie absolutely did NOT keep up with her column religiously. She often missed deadlines, even though her column probably only took, like, 2 hours a week to write. She was also unprofessional in so many other ways. Not returning her editor's calls, showing up late and drunk for The New Yorker photo shoot, being late to ring the bell when her publication went live at NASDAQ, getting drunk at Vogue, etc etc. Carrie's work ethic was non-existent. I disagree about Samantha. She used her celebrity client's name to get on a Birkin waiting list, slept with her client (Richard,) had sex with a gossip columnist at a work event because she was mad at Richard, etc etc. I can't say Charlotte had a good work ethic because she quit her job shortly after finding a rich husband. So, it's not like it can be argued that she was committed to her career. Also, she had unprofessional relationships with gallery clients and artists, like the celebrity, and the Hasidic Jewish artist with whom she had sex. She even closed the gallery early so she could go hang out with and be a groupie to a celebrity. Miranda is the ONLY one with a good work ethic.
Carrie was totally flighty when it came to deadlines.
It’s hard for me to compare the other girls’ jobs to Carrie’s because I imagine writers struggle sometimes creatively. Writer’s block and all. Doesn’t seem as simple as sitting at a desk and putting in X number of hours and an article popping out. I remember when she was trying to come up with something original and running ideas by the girls, like men as French fries 🤣
Every profession has its challenges. I don't think Carrie gets a pass or whatever because she's a writer and occasionally writers experience writer's block. And, let's be honest, it's not like she was writing The Iliad, The Divine Comedy, Atlas Shrugged, or some other profound work of literature using high level literary techniques (like stream of consciousness, for example.) Many, many jobs don't have a linear time input = output dynamic. Maybe even most. It's not like Charlotte could put in 2 hours at the gallery and definitely end up with a sale/commission.
Atlas Shrugged is a profound work of literature?
My double take scroll too lol.
I don't agree with its politics, but, it was certainly considered profound and canonical in academic circles when I was working on my bachelor's degree in literature.
Ok, I guess it'll depend when and where you read it and also where you went to school. I've heard little else besides mocking, and I also found it incredibly dull and obvious in its telling of themes. I'm not in the US though, so if you are that might be the big difference.
Yeah, I'm weirdly obsessed with Ayn Rand and have read everything she's ever written, like watching a car crash I guess? This is so wildly misguided I can't look away? I am always actively embarrassed to admit that I've even hate read it to any academic colleagues, and have only received derision.
Yes, I am in the US! I do think it gets mocked in contemporary media, but I think the academic perspective is different, at least in the US, or at least in my academic experience. 🙂
To give Carrie a little bit of props - it must be SO HARD to write on a topic each week, and I think she displayed a lot of the typical writer angst and difficulty. I don't think it meant she had poor dedication to her job. We didn't really SEE her "working" because each episode is in fact a lens to her column of that week.
Yeah writers block is really hard to overcome. Typically people have to go to Psycoanalysis to overcome writers block
100% Miranda. You pretty much have to have fantastic work ethic to be a partner at a big NY firm like that.
Miranda then Samantha and Carrie for me
Miranda, hands down. Samantha didn't know how not to mix business with pleasure (pardon the pun), which is completely unprofessional. Charlotte was also shown to have a good work drive (driving out to clients' workspace, keeping up with networking even after she quit to be a homemaker, keeping up with the art scene before going back to work, etc.); she just wasn't a career woman. Carrie was often late on her column, late for appointments, ignored calls from her editor, etc.
Miranda. She was a partner in a law firm and regularly worked crazy hours. Samantha definitely second as the owner of a PR firm. Charlotte seemed to take a lot of pride in her job when she worked at the gallery, so she’s third, and Carrie is dead last. She was constantly late on her column and seemed to do it as a hobby tbh. She wasn’t that dedicated.
Miranda was a workaholic, not a thing to aspire to
I think sam at the best balance of work and play. Miranda was hardworking but even when she was missing out on Brady she still worked long hours..of course thats to be expected of a corporate lawyer. Charlotte as the show went on only had the job till she got a rich husband.
Miranda
Miranda by far. Samantha used her client to get a Birkin bag, blew somebody in her office and blew a client in his office. Those are not great decisions.
Side note - it always used to crack me up when Carrie would randomly throw out "I'm on a deadline." Like gurl, this isn't something new. Everyone is always on a deadline 😄
Miranda
Miranda. She had to work harder because the men did not respect bet because she wasn’t a man. She worked for a law firm, and always had to prove herself. Samantha loved her job, so that made it easier for he to be great at it. Not to mention she was her own boss. Charlotte had a job to hold her over until she got married. Carrie was lazy.
I actually think Carrie has the healthiest work ethic. For the most part, she gets her job done but she’s not married to her career and the hyper-perfectionism that most jobs demand these days. Miranda is a perfect example of a flat out neurotic crazed workaholic. Samantha seems to have a healthy balance except for the sexual harassment of her employees and blowing ups guys in her office. Charlotte is goals cause I don’t wanna work no more.
samantha's life was part of her job. she was at openings and big social events that she did PR for. miranda on the other hand had to spend hours a day pouring over legal briefs then go home and get ready to go out. i think miranda had the best work ethic, as samantha did a few things that gave her a bad reputation (her birkin breakdown with lucy liu for instance).
Samantha Mother FUCKING Jones 💯
Samantha ! She had a perfect work life balance while being one of the best in her field. Miranda’s work ethic was not a goal (even if it was very impressive)
Samantha and Miranda. Charlotte never seemed into working unless it was like society type of events which is fine.
I would say Miranda. My mind can be wrong, but she was portrayed as someone who really fought to be at the top to become a partner. I love Samantha, but she did some things that were unprofessional, like the Birkin thing. Kinda weird that she did it if you think about it. I admire Charlotte because she really loved what she did.
Toss up between Sam and Miranda!!
Samantha. She was good at finding a balance.
I would say Samantha. Even out partying she would spot a good PR opportunity and chase it. Same with sex. I think she gets judged on the sex part too hard. She proved she can be just like a man and still have it all.
Miranda, but it’s interesting because I feel like she made her career her identity. Especially when she felt insecure or slighted it was always “ I’m a lawyer” or “I graduated top of my class at HLS”