NEW YORK: (L-R) Nicole Ari Parker, Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarita Choudhury and Cynthia Nixon attend Max Original’s “And Just Like That” Season 3 Photo Call at Crane Club on May 21, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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I tried in season one. I was hopeful in season two. By season three, I was back with my rose-colored glasses, wishing for a spark of that old Sex and the City gusto. But after three largely uneventful seasons, I can’t say I’m upset that follow-up And Just Like That… is concluding on HBO Max. And no – my unfortunate assessment isn’t simply about Kim Cattrall’s decision to sit this one out.
Yes, there were moments worthy of that old watercooler banter. Rosie O’Donnell as a nun losing her virginity to Cynthia Nixon’s Miranda this season? A riot. Kristin Davis navigating life with two teenagers? Always fun to watch. And Sarita Choudhury as Samantha-clone Seema was the one new character who fit in.
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 20: Sarita Choudhury and Sarah Jessica Parker are seen on the set of “And Just Like That…” in Washington Square Park on May 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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But my main complaint – speaking as someone with plenty of snow on the proverbial roof – was the show’s inability to capture the true essence of these women now hovering near 60. The characters felt more like people clinging to their 30s than aging with any sense authenticity.
Yes, there was still plenty of sex in this city. But Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend Aidan (John Corbett) while barely acknowledging she was ever married to “Big” never felt realistic. Miranda temporarily living with Carrie – who seemed lost in that massive residence – was equally absurd. And did we really care about Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker) developing a crush on her new editor, Marion (Mehcad Brooks)? That felt more like a plot line from Beverly Hills, 90210.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: Sarah Jessica Parker, as Carrie Bradshaw, and John Corbett, as Aidan Shaw, on location for ‘And Just Like That’ on March 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
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The million dollar question: Would And Just Like That… have been better with Kim Cattrall’s sexpot Samantha? Naturally, yes. But would Samantha – gulp! – now pushing 70, also have evolved? And was I the only viewer who felt the writers mishandled the passing of Willie Garson? Sending his character to Japan in season one to work with a TikTok star client, ultimately leading him to become a Shinto monk in Kyoto, felt bizarre. I mean, wouldn’t Mario Cantone as husband Anthony have mentioned him every now and then?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 24: Mario Cantone, Sarah Jessica Parker and Willie Garson seen on the set of “And Just Like That…” the follow up series to “Sex and the City” at the Lyceum Theater on July 24, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
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Personally, I’m not sorry the gang of three returned for a revisit. But like any reboot, it’s never as good as the original – which is how I would summarize And Just Like That…. Aside from small moments of humor, the main trio mostly rehashed their glory days instead of exploring new, realistic challenges for women in their late 50s and 60s.