John Corbett is tall. He’s charming. He wears a lot of turquoise jewelry in real life, and for some reason, people cannot stop talking about his portrayal of a fictional furniture designer from the nineties. When we first heard about Aidan Just Like That—the massive, internet-breaking return of Carrie Bradshaw’s "second best" love interest—the reaction was split right down the middle. Some people screamed. Others groaned. It’s been decades since Sex and the City first aired, yet the shadow of Aidan Shaw hangs over the revival series like a well-tailored linen shirt.
He’s back.
But why?
The return of Aidan wasn't just a cameo. It was a structural shift in the DNA of And Just Like That... season two. After the seismic (and controversial) death of Mr. Big in the series premiere, the writers had a choice. They could let Carrie navigate the murky waters of widowhood and modern dating, or they could retreat into the comfortable, flannel-clad arms of the past. They chose the latter. It felt inevitable.
The Jacket That Launched a Thousand Memes
Let’s talk about the coat. You know the one.
When Aidan first appeared on screen in the revival, he wasn't wearing the rugged denim or the "granola-chic" vests of the original series. No, he arrived in a belted, high-collared, somewhat militant Belstaff jacket. It was a choice. Fans on TikTok and Twitter immediately went into a frenzy. Was he a different man? Had the rustic charm of the guy who hand-crafted chairs been replaced by a sophisticated, international traveler?
Honestly, the fashion choice signaled exactly what the show wanted us to know: this isn't the guy who sat on the floor of a half-finished apartment. He’s wealthy now. He sold his company to West Elm. He’s "evolved."
But the core of the Aidan Just Like That controversy isn't just about what he’s wearing; it’s about the "Aidan-ification" of Carrie’s grief. Critics, including many long-time viewers, argued that bringing back a former fiancé felt like a regression. It suggests that women of a certain age can't find new paths, only retread old ones. Sarah Jessica Parker and John Corbett have undeniable chemistry, sure. It’s palpable. You can see it in the way they walk through the streets of New York, but chemistry doesn't always equal good storytelling.
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Sometimes, it’s just nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
The Problem with the Five-Year Plan
The most polarizing moment of the entire revival wasn't the return itself, but how it "ended"—at least for now. If you’ve watched the season two finale, you know the deal. Aidan, ever the devoted father, decides he can't be with Carrie in New York because his youngest son, Wyatt, is struggling back in Virginia.
His solution? A five-year wait.
Five years.
It’s a bizarre narrative pivot. We’re expected to believe that these two adults, who are supposedly more mature and "ready" than they were in their thirties, would hit the pause button for half a decade. Most fans felt cheated. It felt like the writers wanted the "win" of bringing Aidan back without the responsibility of actually integrating him into the show's permanent cast. It’s the ultimate "it’s not you, it’s my kids" move, wrapped in a romantic bow that feels suspiciously like a trap.
What Most People Get Wrong About Aidan Shaw
We tend to remember Aidan as the "good guy." He was the antithesis of Big. Big was cold; Aidan was warm. Big was elusive; Aidan was present. But if you go back and re-watch the original run—specifically season four—Aidan wasn't always the saint he’s made out to be.
He was passive-aggressive.
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After Carrie cheated on him with Big, Aidan took her back, but he spent months punishing her for it. Remember the "Stop hurting me!" scene? It was raw and uncomfortable. He pushed her to marry him when she clearly wasn't ready. He tried to buy her apartment to force a sense of permanence. He was a man who wanted to "fix" her, while Big was a man who simply accepted her flaws (mostly because he shared them).
In the context of Aidan Just Like That, the show tries to scrub away that friction. They want us to see a refined, peaceful version of their love. But can you really erase the fact that she broke his heart twice? Or that he basically disappeared for years? The show banks on the audience's collective amnesia, hoping we’ll just be happy to see John Corbett’s dimples again.
The "Big" Shadow
You can't talk about Aidan without talking about the man who isn't there.
The ghost of Chris Noth’s Mr. Big looms over every scene Aidan and Carrie share. In one of the most controversial lines of the revival, Carrie actually wonders aloud if Big was a "big mistake."
Think about that.
After six seasons and two movies of "Will they or won't they," the writers had Carrie question the love of her life just to make room for Aidan. It felt cheap. It felt like a betrayal of the original series' stakes. For many, Aidan Just Like That represented a rewrite of history that wasn't earned. It was a way to cater to "Team Aidan" fans while ignoring the complex, messy reality of Carrie’s long-term marriage to Big.
The Production Reality
Behind the scenes, the decision to bring back Aidan was likely as much about logistics as it was about lore. John Corbett is a massive fan favorite. When the first season of And Just Like That... aired without him, there was a literal outcry. Corbett even teased fans in interviews, jokingly saying he’d be in the first season, which turned out to be a ruse.
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When he finally did sign on for season two, it was a major marketing win. It gave the show a "hook" that season one lacked. It wasn't just about three friends navigating their fifties; it was about a legendary romance being rekindled.
But showrunner Michael Patrick King has a specific vision. He knows that if Carrie and Aidan get their "happily ever after" too quickly, the show loses its tension. Hence, the five-year gap. It’s a classic television stalling tactic. It keeps the door open for season three (and beyond) without committing to a domestic suburban life for Carrie Bradshaw, which would essentially kill the show's vibe.
Is It Actually About Virginia?
One of the more interesting aspects of the return is the shift in location. Aidan refuses to step foot in Carrie’s apartment. He can't do it. The "bad vibes" are too strong. So, they spend their time in a rented Airbnb or in Virginia.
This is a huge departure for a show that has always treated Manhattan as its fifth lead character. Seeing Carrie Bradshaw in a farmhouse is like seeing a cat in a bathtub—it’s inherently wrong, yet fascinating to watch. This geographical tension highlights the fundamental problem: Aidan is a country guy, and Carrie is a city girl. Twenty years later, that hasn't changed. He still wants the quiet life, and she still wants the pavement.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans Navigating the Revival
If you're struggling with the direction the show has taken, or if you're just here for the nostalgia, here is how to process the current state of the SATC universe:
- Separate the Actor from the Character: John Corbett is a delight, and his performance is top-tier. It's okay to love seeing him on screen while still hating the writing choices.
- Re-watch Season 3 and 4: To truly understand the Aidan dynamic, go back to the source. Look for the power imbalances. It makes his return in the revival much more nuanced and less "fairytale."
- Acknowledge the Genre Shift: Sex and the City was a rom-com. And Just Like That... is a dramedy about grief and aging. The rules have changed. The "happily ever after" isn't the goal anymore; survival is.
- Don't Hold Your Breath for the Five Years: In TV time, five years can pass in a single "time jump" between seasons, or it can be ignored entirely. Don't take the finale's timeline as gospel.
The legacy of Aidan Shaw is complicated. He represents the path not taken—the "safe" choice that Carrie rejected for the "thrilling" choice. Bringing him back is a way for the audience to explore the "What If?" of their own lives. We all have an Aidan. We all have that one person we wonder about when our current lives feel heavy or stagnant.
Ultimately, his return isn't really about him. It’s about Carrie’s inability to be alone. It’s about her need to fill the void left by Big with something familiar, something that smells like sawdust and expensive leather. Whether that's a healthy choice or a tragic one depends entirely on which side of the "Team Aidan" fence you sit on.
Next steps for viewers? Keep a close eye on the production news for season three. The "five-year" deal is the biggest cliffhanger the show has ever produced, and how they handle it will determine if the return of Aidan was a brilliant second act or a desperate ratings grab. Pay attention to filming locations; if John Corbett is spotted in New York City during production, that "wait" might be shorter than we think.