The highs and lows of ‘And Just Like That’

By Dan Heching, CNN

(CNN) — As we arrive at the conclusion of this latest chapter in the almost three-decade-long story of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends, we couldn’t help but wonder: How did we get here? And why was the road sometimes so bumpy and other times so sweet?

Looking back on the legacy of original series “Sex and the City,” followed by the pair of often-panned feature-length films, “And Just Like That” – the continuation series that on Thursday comes to an end after three seasons – was almost destined to be polarizing. (HBO Max is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)

Indeed, the show has been subject to a fair share of collective complaining. At its best, the zany new show, which brought back three of the four female leads and added a host of new characters, managed to manifest a similar spark-filled energy to the flagship series truly felt like a chef’s (or lover’s) kiss. Then there was…the other stuff.

Here’s a collection of some of the most orgasmic highs and the dismal lows of “And Just Like That”:

Low

A turbulent first season, both onscreen and off

While shocking twists and surprise deaths are to be expected on TV, the decision to suddenly kill off the arguable love of Carrie’s life Mr. Big (Chris Noth) in the sequel series pilot ended up being a bit of a straw that broke the clotheshorse’s back. It unfolded in the shadow of a trifecta of bleakness: Noth’s real-life struggles, the marked absence of Samantha (Kim Cattrall) – one quarter of the fabulous foursome who made “Sex and the City” tick, due to years-long strife – and worst of all, the offscreen death of Willie Garson, a legacy cast member who was back for the new show.

In a continuation series meant to at least feel somewhat familiar, these absences were deeply felt, and while some of it couldn’t be helped, the writers’ continuous teasing of communication between Carrie and Samantha made the latter’s no-show status all the more difficult to digest. By midseason, when Carrie was seen hobbling up her staircase with an injured hip, we couldn’t help but wonder what show we were watching.

High

Carrie’s third breakup with Aidan felt oh so authentic

When Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) found themselves breaking up this season for a third time – and yet again, on the street, no less – it brought home the reality of how some relationships always come back to the same insurmountable problems, no matter how much love there might be as well.

Their sad trilogy of breakups essentially punctuate the franchise – Carrie cheating on Aidan with Big way back in Season 3 of “Sex and the City” taught us that yes, even series leads can be human, flawed and sometimes pretty awful, and the trust issues they suffer as a couple from that point on end up doing them in… two more times.

Low

Overcrowded storylines with too many characters

From the very beginning of “And Just Like That,” it was clear the writers went overboard in terms of quantity, crowding episodes with far too many characters that made it hard to focus in on the all-important interpersonal relationships between the women on screen.

It was a problem that was slowly being rectified as the show continued, with the shuttling of chaotic Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) and the unfortunately superfluous-feeling Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman).

High

The evolution of Charlotte and LTW’s friendship

Season 3 being the end of the series is all the sadder since the show was finally feeling sharpened, with fewer and more fleshed-out characters, especially with regard to two beautiful new friendships – the most satisfying being that between Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Lisa Todd Wexley (Ari Nicole Parker), affectionately known as LTW.

Well-heeled Charlotte finally met her match in LTW, an equally posh Type A powerhouse of a woman who had a similarly light-as-a-feather touch. A scene in a swimming pool in the middle of this season featured a touching exchange between the pair, when LTW comforted Charlotte as she struggled under the weight of Harry’s (Evan Handler) cancer diagnosis, but couldn’t tell anyone about it. It was a small yet powerful moment that demonstrated their meaningful connection.

More than deserving an honorable mention is realtor extraordinaire Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), who ultimately differentiated herself from the cacophony of the first two seasons to become a true confidante to Carrie… much in the same way Samantha was before her.

Low

The write-off of Stanford Blatch

We get it – it’s supremely difficult to navigate the shocking death of a cast member in real life, and no one wants to be tasked with how to address that character’s sudden disappearance in the story. But the way Stanford Blatch – Carrie’s gay bestie, who lest we forget was part of the “Sex and the City” universe from the very beginning, in the 1998 pilot – was unceremoniously written off the show via some cockamamie story about becoming a monk in Japan (?!) was too much to take. Considering his history on the show, “Stannie” deserved a more emotional and resonant sendoff – but considering the aforementioned bleakness of the first season of “And Just Like That,” it’s pretty evident why the creators were between a rock and a hard place.

High

Delightful Duncan

While we’re by no means rooting for a knight in shining armor to come sweep Carrie off her feet, we can’t help but hope just a little that this suave, handsome and charming curmudgeon of a downstairs neighbor might be “the one” that our star-crossed heroine finally ends up with. Played by the appropriately-named actor Jonathan Cake, Duncan is delectable in how he comes to win Carrie over, at first barely able to tolerate her but soon warming to her via a shared and profound connection – over their shared passion for writing.

Plus, their meet-cute – when Duncan yells at Carrie about walking around her palatial townhouse in heels – gave us ample opportunity to ogle Carrie’s famous footwear and also prompt one of the funniest lines of the show: “This is New York City. There’s noise.”

Low

The dismissal of Steve Brady

While it’s been fascinating to watch Miranda’s (Cynthia Nixon) evolution from the first series into who she’s become at the conclusion of “And Just Like That,” the show has done someone very dirty in the process: Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), Miranda’s ex and father to her son.

While viewers have had to accompany Carrie on her doomed efforts to rekindle with ex Aidan, and watch Charlotte manage health issues with her husband Harry, Steve all but left the picture in the new show, appearing in a total of only 2 episodes in the final season . It’s an unfortunate missed opportunity, considering how electric Miranda and Steve’s connection always was.

There appears to be somewhat of a reunion in the finale, judging from the preview, but the show’s impending end means that any hopes of seeing them as co-grandparents and hopefully as friends are gone…just like that.

The series finale of “And Just Like That” streams Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on HBO Max.

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