Long after the ladies of "Sex and the City" sipped their final cosmos, the show remains beloved for its portrayal of female friendship, its high sense of style, and its frankness regarding women and sex. Networks have tried to recapture the magic of "Sex and the City" with varying degrees of success ever since its premiere in 1998. While it can never be duplicated, there are television series out there that capture the elements that made the show so special. From their strong female characters to their wit to their bold storytelling, the following five series will satisfy any "SATC" fan looking for the next Carrie Bradshaw.

'Girls' (2012 - )

"Girls", which follows four 20-somethings in New York City, is the natural successor to the "Sex and the City" throne. It also helps that they share a network in HBO. The New York City of "Girls" is darker and grittier than the candy-colored fairy-tale Manhattan of "SATC." Hannah Horvath and her girlfriends are quite a bit more cynical than Carrie and company. Despite those surface differences and the generation gap, the core DNA of "Girls" and "Sex and the City" is the same. Both explore the complicated layers of female friendship, sex, and basic adult survival in the big city, and both shows are fiercely and unapologetically feminist.

'The Mindy Project' (2012 - )

If you're looking for a heroine as complicated and messy as Carrie Bradshaw, look no further than "The Mindy Project's" Mindy Lahiri. Mindy is self-absorbed and shallow when you meet her in the pilot, and her journey toward self-awareness is at the crux of the series. "The Mindy Project" revels in playing with romantic-comedy tropes, such as a rendezvous on the observation deck of the Empire State Building gone awry. Its whip-smart dialogue keeps viewers on their toes as it tears through one pop-culture reference after another. Plus, Mindy's wardrobe full of bright colors and bold patterns may be the closest thing to Carrie Bradshaw's outrageous style these days.

'Desperate Housewives' (2004 - 2012)

What happens when you mix the four archetypes of "Sex and the City" with a seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood where everything is not as pristine as it seems? You get "Desperate Housewives," one of the seminal soaps of the past decade, filled with enough wicked humor and OMG moments to satisfy any "SATC" fan. Fans of Charlotte York will immediately connect with prim and proper Bree Van de Kamp, the model housewife who is obsessed with maintaining appearances, no matter the cost.

'The Golden Girls' (1985 - 1992)

Also known as: What would happen if the SATC ladies all retired and moved to Miami. Much like "SATC" and its bold attitude about sex, "The Golden Girls" was considered revolutionary when it premiered, thanks to its plot centered around the lives and loves of older women -- proving that the fun doesn't stop once you pass 50. You can easily picture sharp-tongued Miranda Hobbes aging into the acerbic Dorothy and Samantha Jones still having a revolving door of men like Blanche. "Thank you for being a friend ... " indeed.

'Jane the Virgin' (2014 - )

You may not think a show with the word "Virgin" in its title would have anything in common with "Sex and the City." When you look closer, though, the fundamental elements that made "SATC" so compelling are alive and well in "Jane the Virgin." The show masterfully balances zany comedy and heartfelt emotion, a style that "SATC" perfected over the course of its run. "JTV" is driven by strong female performances, from Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez's effervescent Jane to Yael Grobglas' spoiled trophy wife, Petra. There's even a narrator for those who lived for Carrie's voice-overs! And if you loved debating the merits of Aiden vs. Big, the love triangle of Jane torn between dependable Michael vs. reformed playboy Rafael will hook you immediately. (#TeamMichael all the way!)