Sex and the City is a truly legendary franchise, with the flagship series being one of the HBO shows that got people talking in the early days. Those of us with a HBO Max subscription were recently treated to the spinoff, And Just Like That, which has ended after three seasons. But now that I'm binge-watching The Gilded Age, I wish one fan theory about the two shows came true. Hear me out.
Some Fans Thought Carrie Was Writing The Gilded Age In Season 3
And Just Like That ended after Season 3, while The Gilded Age feels like it's still beginning a long tenure on the network. They both star Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbs and Ada Forte, respectively. For a while there fans theorized that the novel Carrie was writing in the third season was actually going to be the basis for The Gilded Age. It's zany for sure, but I think it would have broken the internet if it came true.
There was a format change in Season 3 of And Just Like That. Carrie's narration at the end of each episode no longer included the show's title, and instead we saw Sarah Jessica Parker's character writing a novel set in the 1860's. She'd offer a sentence of two about "The Woman" who is in high society in New York City. As she described the setting and costumes, some viewers saw a connection with The Gilded Age. Add in the fact that Nixon is in both of the HBO shows, and the aforementioned fan theory was born.
What if Aunt Ada was actually based off Miranda? This was part of the chatter online, which would have found a way to bring together these two very different shows. While an actual crossover was never on the table, it would have been wild to highlight Cynthia Nixon's work in both of these iconic series.
Miranda was my favorite character in And Just Like That Season 3, and I'm still bummed that the spinoff ended after just three seasons. I loved catching up with these characters, and the Sex and the City OGs got to showcase their range of talents. Unfortunately the response to And Just Like That 's series finale was pretty brutal, in juxtaposition to how fans felt after The Gilded Age's cliffhanger ending to its third season.
While this fan theory about Carrie's novel didn't come to fruition, there is talk of a way more realistic meeting of shows. Fans are bullish to see The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey have a crossover, since they both come from the the mind of creator and filmmaker Julian Fellowes. Whether or not this ever happens remains to be seen, especially given the forthcoming release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
And Just Like That its streaming in its entirety on HBO Max. The Gilded Age Season 4 is on the way, with fans hoping it arrives sometime in 2026.
