Sex and the City is one the list of HBO shows that got people talking, especially as it was airing at the same time as The Sopranos (both of which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription). Carrie Bradshaw and her friends have been part of the pop culture landscape for decades after its run ended, thanks to two movies and a spinoff series. And Just Like That is ending after Season 3, and I blame all the fans that hate watched and complained about it online.
The trio of And Just Like That leading ladies penned sweet tributes about the show ending, thanking the audience for their support. But fans also hate watched AJLT, especially certain characters like Che Diaz. And I've got to assume that the constant barrage of complaints online factored into Michael Patrick King's decision to wrap things up after just three seasons on the air.
The constant hate at And Just Like That might have influenced its short run.
Hate-watching is a unique trend with TV and film, and it's unclear if hurts or helps these project. And Just Like That was constantly dunked on throughout its three seasons on the air, which I thought was at least a sign that people were indeed watching the Sex and the City spinoff. But I have to assume that this ongoing discourse was a challenge for those actually creating the HBO Max show.
The spinoff got off to a bang, as And Just Like That started by killing off Big. This broke the internet and even affected the stocks for Peloton. Ever since then the show consistently goes viral... but usually it's not kind words coming from the fandom. Perhaps if we were a bit kinder to the show we could have gotten a fourth season.
I've always enjoyed And Just Like That, sometimes because of the ways it can be rough around the edges. We simply don't get to see stories about women of a certain age, let alone an update from Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda themselves. In Michael Patrick King's announcement about the show ending, he said:
While I was writing the last episode of And Just Like That... Season 3 it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop.
This message makes it clear that he didn't start Season 3 intending for it to be the last, and that King came to that conclusion throughout the course of the show. In podcast appearances, the showrunner confirmed that he sees the online discourse about And Just Like That. That's why I think the constant jabbing at the show ultimately didn't serve it well.
The tenth episode of Season 3 left us with a ton of cliffhangers, which will thankfully be addressed in the two-part finale to come. But that's why the show ending came as such a massive surprise. Brady got a girl pregnant, Carrie and Duncan finally hooked up, and Giuseppe and Anthony moved in together. I need answers!
And Just Like That Season 3 is on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV schedule, and there are two episodes still to come. And for fans of the original series, that's also available to stream.
