Let's be real for a second. When And Just Like That HBO first dropped its teaser with the clicking of Carrie’s heels and the familiar chime of the theme song, we all collectively held our breath. It felt like seeing an old friend after a decade of radio silence. But then, things got weird. Big died on a Peloton. Samantha Jones was suddenly a text message on a screen. Miranda Hobbes decided she didn’t actually like being a corporate lawyer—or married to Steve.
It was a lot to process.
The show hasn't exactly been a smooth ride. It’s messy. Sometimes it feels like the writers are trying too hard to apologize for the original series’ lack of diversity, and other times it feels like a fever dream where everyone forgot how to act like a normal human being. Yet, despite the cringe-worthy moments and the "Che Diaz" of it all, we cannot stop watching. Max (the artist formerly known as HBO Max) knows this. The ratings prove it. Whether you're hate-watching or genuinely invested in Seema's latest Hermès purchase, the show is a cultural juggernaut that refuses to go away.
The Samantha Jones Sized Hole in the Room
You can't talk about And Just Like That HBO without mentioning the Kim Cattrall drama. It’s the elephant in the room that has its own publicist. When the reboot was announced, the news that Cattrall wouldn't return as Samantha Jones felt like a death knell. How do you have Sex and the City without the "sex"?
Michael Patrick King and the writing team tried to bridge the gap with a plotline about Samantha moving to London after a falling out with Carrie over a business disagreement. Honestly, it felt a little petty. In the first season, it was mostly just Carrie sending "I miss you" texts into a digital void. By Season 2, we finally got that 70-second cameo where Samantha is sitting in a car, looking fabulous, and talking on the phone. It was filmed in a parking lot without her seeing any of the other cast members.
That brief moment cost a fortune and sent the internet into a tailspin. It showed that the show knows it needs that energy. Without Samantha, the dynamic shifted toward a more somber, contemplative vibe about aging, grief, and the terrifying reality of starting over in your 50s. It's less "Cosmopolitans at brunch" and more "Is this a hot flash or am I just angry?"
Miranda Hobbes and the Great Character Assassination Debate
Ask any die-hard fan about what happened to Miranda, and you’ll get an earful. The Miranda we knew was a cynical, sharp-tongued Harvard grad who didn't suffer fools. In the reboot, she’s... different. She’s fumbling through social interactions, quitting her career, and following a non-binary comedian to Los Angeles.
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Some critics, like those at Vulture and The New York Times, argued that this was a realistic portrayal of a mid-life crisis. People change. They blow up their lives. But for many who saw Miranda as their feminist North Star, it felt like the writers took a sledgehammer to her foundation. The introduction of Che Diaz became one of the most polarizing elements in modern television history. You either loved the representation or you found the "comedy concerts" physically painful to watch.
The backlash was so intense that Sara Ramírez, who played Che, eventually exited the show before the third season. It’s a fascinating example of how a show reacts to its audience in real-time. And Just Like That HBO isn't just a TV show anymore; it's a living dialogue between the creators and a very vocal fanbase that remembers every detail of the original 90s run.
Why the New Characters Actually Matter Now
In the beginning, the new additions—Seema Patel, Lisa Todd Wexley, Nya Wallace, and Che—felt like they were there to fill a diversity quota. It was clunky. Remember that scene where Miranda tries to "prove" she’s not racist to her professor? It was painful.
But as the show progressed, specifically in Season 2, these characters started to breathe. Sarita Choudhury’s Seema is arguably the best thing to happen to the franchise. She’s the spiritual successor to Samantha but with a vulnerability that feels fresh. She smokes, she wears incredible silk suits, and she refuses to settle. When she tells Carrie she can't do a double date because she’s not in a "couple" place yet, it’s the most honest writing the show has produced.
- Seema Patel: Represents the high-flying, unapologetic luxury of New York real estate.
- Lisa Todd Wexley: Brings the "Park Avenue Mom" energy but with a creative, documentary-filmmaker twist.
- Nya Wallace: Explores the complexities of fertility, divorce, and academic life.
These women aren't just "friends of" anymore. They have their own storylines that don't always revolve around Carrie. This expansion was necessary. You couldn't just have three white women in their 50s walking around Manhattan in 2024 and call it a day. The world changed, and the show had to catch up, even if it tripped over its own feet a few times in the process.
The Fashion: Still the Fifth Character
If there’s one thing And Just Like That HBO has stayed consistent on, it’s the clothes. Costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago had the impossible task of following in Patricia Field’s footsteps. They didn't just replicate the old looks; they evolved them.
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Carrie is still wearing shoes that cost more than a month’s rent in Queens. We’ve seen the return of the Vivienne Westwood wedding dress (the one from the first movie) and the Fendi Baguette. But there’s a new emphasis on vintage and sustainability, too. The show uses fashion to tell the story of where these women are. Carrie’s outfits are often a mix of grief-induced nostalgia and a defiant "I’m still here" attitude.
The production value is through the roof. Every frame looks like a million dollars, which is part of the escapism. We don't watch this show to see people struggle with their electricity bills. We watch it to see them struggle with their emotions while wearing a Moncler puffer gown.
Dealing With Real Grief in a "Light" Comedy
Killing off Mr. Big in the very first episode was a massive risk. For twenty years, the "will they or won't they" of Carrie and Big was the engine of the series. Taking him off the board changed the genre from a rom-com to a drama about widowhood.
The scenes of Carrie in her apartment, trying to figure out how to be alone again, were surprisingly grounded. Sarah Jessica Parker’s performance during the funeral episode was some of her best work. She didn't play it as a soap opera; she played it as a woman who was just... numb.
This pivot allowed the show to explore topics the original never touched:
- The awkwardness of dating after a long marriage ends in death.
- The physical reality of aging (the hip surgery storyline was a bit on the nose, but real).
- The shifting dynamics of long-term friendships when life paths diverge.
Aidan Shaw and the Power of Nostalgia
Then came the return of Aidan. John Corbett’s re-entry into the series felt like a gift to the "Team Aidan" fans who never liked Big in the first place. But because this is And Just Like That HBO, it couldn't be a simple happy ending.
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The Season 2 finale left fans divided. Aidan asking Carrie to wait five years while he raises his kids in Virginia? It felt like a stall tactic. It also raised the question: Is Carrie ever going to move forward, or is she destined to keep dating her past? The "five-year" twist was a classic cliffhanger, designed to keep people talking during the long hiatus between seasons.
What to Expect Next and How to Prepare
The show has been renewed for a third season, and the stakes are weirdly high. With Che Diaz gone and the ensemble cast finally finding their rhythm, the writers have a chance to lean into what works—the friendships—and move away from the "learning moment" dialogue that plagued the early episodes.
If you’re looking to get the most out of the series, here’s the move:
- Stop comparing it to the 90s: The original show was a product of its time. This is something different. It’s "Sex and the City" through a mid-life lens.
- Follow the "And Just Like That" Costumes Instagram: It gives you the breakdown of every brand, which makes the viewing experience more interactive.
- Watch the documentary: HBO released a "Behind the Scenes" special that shows the sheer amount of work that goes into the sets and costumes. It actually makes you appreciate the show more when you see the craft behind it.
- Revisit the old episodes: Sometimes, watching an episode of Season 3 of the original series right after an episode of the reboot helps you see the through-lines in the characters’ DNA that you might have missed.
The reality is that And Just Like That HBO is exactly what it needs to be: a polarizing, expensive, fashionable, and occasionally frustrating look at life's second act. It’s not perfect. It’s often deeply weird. But in a world of cookie-cutter TV, there’s something admirable about a show that’s willing to be this messy.
Whether Carrie ends up with Aidan, a new man, or just her cat Shoe, we'll all be there, remote in hand, ready to live-tweet the whole thing. The "City" might have changed, but our obsession with these women clearly hasn't. Keep an eye on Max for the Season 3 premiere dates, which are expected to drop in late 2025 or early 2026. Until then, we’ll just have to keep debating if Miranda and Steve were actually soulmates or if we were all just projecting.