Top 10 Times Mr. Big Was the WORST

In this second season episode, Big inexplicably buys Carrie a jeweled duck purse that is so far outside of her style that she is left speechless. Well, not exactly... rather than telling him how much she hates the purse, she tells Big she loves him. When they go to a snooty party later, she notices all the upper-class women there carrying bags just like hers. This goes to show how little Big actually knows Carrie, even if he redeems himself by the end of the episode by saying those three little words she so badly wants to hear.

Carrie becomes emotional when she finds out Big is undergoing heart surgery and takes it upon herself to take care of him. When he’s weak and vulnerable after getting back from the hospital, he finally opens up to her and tries to initiate a conversation about their relationship. He soon falls asleep, though, and by morning he’s back to his usual emotionally detached self. This moment was as crushing for viewers as it was for Carrie because we finally got a glimpse of just how great things could be before having it taken away.

In this Season Four episode, Carrie and Big are out together on a “non-date” and end up heading to a jazz club. One of the musicians starts flirting with Carrie despite her being there with another guy, and she returns his attention. Big of course begins to act totally irrationally, getting in the way of their interaction and generally acting possessive of Carrie. Since these two aren’t actually together at this point, his actions are totally unjustified. It’s clear that Carrie needs to set boundaries with Big, but she just doesn’t seem capable of doing so.

Despite the fact that he told her he loved her just one episode earlier, Big seems to have a problem with Carrie leaving anything at his place for when she stays over. That means she’s carrying her underwear around the city with her and isn’t able to get ready there in the morning. He even goes as far as to act like she forgot her things there by mistake! When they eventually discuss it, Big makes it clear that he wants to keep things separate when it comes to their belongings. This issue never gets resolved, but Carrie gets over it after finding a picture of her in his drawer.

Everything seems to be going pretty well between Carrie and Aidan until this shocking Season Three episode. When they attend a furniture show, they run into Big and his wife Natasha. Big gets drunk and belligerent, going as far as telling Carrie that his marriage is over. As if that wasn’t enough, he also asks her if she “knows anyone who’s interested.” This scene is so cringe-worthy and she’s obviously put off by his behavior, and yet the episode ends with them lying in bed sharing a cigarette. Oh, Carrie!

After Carrie and Big break up, she runs into him just a few episodes later at a party in the Hamptons. She’s shocked to see that he’s already dating someone else, and that she happens to be quite a bit younger than him. Just one episode after that, Big tells her that they’re actually engaged. Carrie is understandably shocked, because he had always been so fearful of committing to her. So the fact that he became engaged to someone he had only known for a couple of months felt like a real slap in the face.

Even after their affair ends, Big still manages to insert himself into Carrie’s life in problematic ways. After his famous girlfriend dumps him, he tries to go crawling to Carrie for emotional support. She isn’t available, though, because she’s spending time with Aidan at his country house. Big comes all the way out there anyway, and Aidan is understandably upset. Big clearly has no regard for how his actions will affect Carrie, and only cares about his own problems. If this episode proves one thing, though, it’s that Aidan is a good guy.

Carrie and Big are at the height of the first iteration of their relationship in Season Two when he drops the bomb that he might be moving to Paris. He tells Carrie casually, as if it’s a decision that wouldn’t affect her at all. It’s clear by his flippant attitude that he isn’t nearly as invested in their relationship as she is. She is, of course, devastated by this news, but tries to regroup and approach the situation with a positive attitude, even suggesting she go with him. His response makes it obvious that they are totally not on the same page.

Both Carrie and Big are to blame for the affair that starts between them while both are in other relationships. We’re definitely not pinning this one solely on Big, but he definitely gets some additional points docked because he’s actually married. He shows very little regard for his wife’s feelings throughout the process and is equally disinterested in how his actions may be affecting Carrie. It’s really troubling that this period is one of the only times that Big actually let Carrie in and wasn’t withholding with his affection for her.





Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.



When He Casually Informs Carrie He Was Married Once

“Three's a Crowd”



When He Insists on Smoking his Cigar in the Restaurant

“Old Dogs, New Dicks”





When He Keeps Dating Other Women

“The Monogamists”

While the rest of the entries on our list came from the TV show, our number one pick just had to go to something from the movie. After their happily ever after at the end of the series, Carrie and Big are finally poised to tie the knot in the 2008 film. Big has a change of heart or a case of cold feet at the last moment, however, and doesn’t show up for their big New York City wedding. You’d think this would be simply unforgivable, but despite her devastation (and humiliation!) Carrie still takes him back in the end. Will she ever learn?