Warning! SPOILERS For And Just Like That Season 3, Episode 12, “Party of One”
There’s one pressing reason that the finale ofAnd Just Like Thatcan’t be the franchise’s closing chapter, even if it’s the end of the revival show. Ahead of the last few episodes,the head creators ofSex and the Cityand its revival announced thatAnd Just Like Thatwas ending after season 3.
The series wrapped up with a two-part finale, officially concluding on August 14. Most ofAnd Just Like That’s characterswere given proper endings. That includes theoriginalSex and the Citycast membersgetting some of their best storylines ever. Still,one of the original show’s most important characters was left out.
And Just Like That’s Series Finale Completely Ignores Samantha
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) have all gotten proper send-offs before, includingSex and the City’s final season and the franchise’s movies. Yet,And Just Like Thatseason 3, episode 12, says goodbye to them again.
Michael Patrick King’s statement said that“The ongoing storytelling of the Sex and the City universe is coming to an end.”Therefore, it looks likeAnd Just Like That’s finale could be the ultimate conclusion for Carrie and her friends, and, for the most part,And Just Like Thatwas right to end in season 3.
Despite Charlotte’s story being a mess in season 3, things ended on a high note for her. She finally got intimate with Harry (Evan Handler) after his prostate surgery. More than anything, season 3 has confirmed what Charlotte’s ideal home life looks like, despite a few road bumps.
Miranda has had herSex and the Citystory completely rewritten inAnd Just Like That.She divorced her husband, Steve (David Eigenberg), in season 1, and navigated a queer romance in season 2.
Carrie got her happy ending, too, although that doesn’t include falling in love and living happily ever after with someone, like at the endofSexand the City.Instead, Carrie embraced that she’s on her own, evoking her sentiment from the original series:“the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.”
That said, theend ofAnd Just Like That,the potential end of the franchise, completely ignores Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). While she wasn’t a regular figure in the revival, Samantha Jones was one of the most prominentSex and the Citycharacters.
Samantha’s name came up throughout the series, and Kim Cattrall had a cameo as Samantha Jones at the end ofAnd Just Like Thatseason 2. Carrie even mentioned Samantha in season 3, texting her about Duncan (Jonathan Cake), her new neighbor from London.
When all is said and done,though, there’s not so much as a peep about how Samantha’s story will continue after the supposed end ofSex and the City.Sure, Jones didn’t appear often, but since the revival keeps her memory alive, they should have included Samantha in its ending.
Sex And The City’s Overall Story Can’t Properly Be Wrapped Up Without Involving Samantha
For the most part,And Just Like That’s finale felt conclusive. Miranda and Charlotte’s stories could have continued for several seasons. Still, the finale gives the women positive endings that honor both theirSex and the Citystories and what has happened to them inAnd Just Like That.
Still, without concludingSamantha Jones’ story,the end ofAnd Just Like Thatdoesn’t feel like proper closure forSex and the City.Cattrall wouldn’t have necessarily had to make an appearance. Even just mentioning Samantha would have been an adequate nod.
For instance, Samantha comes up in a meaningful way inAnd Just Like Thatseason 1’s finale. When Carrie travels to Paris to scatter Mr. Big’s (Chris Noth) ashes over the bridge, Bradshaw exchanges texts with Jones, which imply that Carrie is meeting up with her girlfriend to top off the season.
A similar send-off to Cattrall in season 3, such as a brief mention or a glimmer of the character, would have been enough. Without mentioning Samantha Jones, though,the series finale ofAnd Just Like Thatfeels like another end of an era, not the conclusion of the whole franchise.
Why Kim Cattrall Didn’t Return In And Just Like That’s Finale
Cattrall isn’t a regular in the revival, and Samantha doesn’t appear frequently. The originalSex and the Cityactor only appeared once in the revival’s three seasons, and she didn’t even appear on-screen with any of the other characters, just on a FaceTime call with Carrie.
Ahead of the third season, Cattrall revealed that Samantha Jones wouldn’t be returning forAnd Just Like Thatseason 3. That said, it’s no surprise that Jones didn’t feature. However, Carrie should have at least mentioned her missing link if the finale was meant to be the end ofSex and the City,not solelyAnd Just Like That.
