And Just Like That, the Sex and the City spinoff series, is returning for a third season, and the next episodes are already causing a buzz.
The original series, which aired on HBO from 1998 to 2004, followed Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her dating life in New York with her friends Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Samantha (Kim Cattrall). Sex and the City was adapted into two films before Max relaunched it in December 2021.
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And Just Like That has gotten viewers buzzing for a variety of reasons. From murdering Mr. Big (Chris Noth) off in the series opener to Samantha’s disappearance and Miranda and Steve’s breakup, Sex and the City viewers haven’t been pleased with the changes on screen.
Showrunner Michael Patrick King, however, has defended the Max show’s decision to take enormous risks.
“We did something difficult, which was to take something familiar and transform it into something new,” King told Variety in February 2022. “For better and for worse.”
King commented on some of the replies he saw on social media, saying, “I monitor in macro, not micro.” I monitor the drum beats and say, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever seen! This is the worst thing I’ve ever witnessed. Everyone should be slaughtered! I cannot live without them. The clothes are dreadful; the clothing are fantastic.’ “I’m not interested in the details of anything.”
Scroll down to find out everything we know about the third season of And Just Like That.
When Will the Show Return?
Despite being renewed for a third season in August 2023, viewers will have to wait a bit longer for new episodes. The decision came after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike over separate labor problems with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The simultaneous strikes were settled by the end of the year, however And Just Like That’s launch date has been pushed back to 2025.
Where Did the Main Story Lines Leave Off?
Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) broke up in the second season finale, which aired in August 2023, after rekindling their romance for the third time. It remained unclear whether Carrie and Aidan would reunite once his sons had grown up. Regardless of the separation, Carrie moved out of her renowned apartment and into a new home with a cat.
Miranda, meantime, made amends with Steve (David Eigenberg) and vowed to remain friends after their divorce. She later met paths with her recent ex Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), and the two of them got along well.
Anthony (Mario Cantone) struggled to commit to his boyfriend Giuseppe (Sebastiano Pigazzi). After learning that his ex-husband, Stanford (Willie Garson), had become a Shinto monk, Anthony was free to move on with his own life and with Giuseppe.
Nya (Karen Pittman) learned that she had been elected to the American Law Institute, but her personal life required more care. At the end of the episode, Nya ran into the Michelin chef (Toussaint Feldman) again, implying a possible relationship.
Meanwhile, Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) disclosed that she miscarried her kid and tried to cope with the loss.
Seema’s (Sarita Choudhury) voyage concluded with her decision not to accompany her filmmaker lover, Ravi (Armin Amiri), to Egypt. Instead, she promised to wait for him as he spent five months filming a movie.
Will There Be Character Departures in Season 3?
The Daily Mail stated in January 2024 that Ramirez was eliminated from And Just Like That because her character was unlikable. Ramirez did not comment on the issue at the time, but they did turn to social media to criticize the film and television business for punishing performers who have spoken out in support of Palestinians during the current war between Israel and Palestine.
Ramirez utilized the past tense in his post on their role as Che on AJLT. Max has yet to announce Ramirez’s departure or return.
Max stated in March 2024 that Karen Pittman would not reprise her role as Nya Wallace owing to commitments to Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and Netflix’s Forever.
“It has been a joy to have Karen Pittman play the smart and stunning Professor Nya Wallace on the first two seasons of And Just Like That…,” Max stated in a statement. “We have truly liked working with this lively lady, as have others. Due to her commitments to two other streamer series, it has become clear that filming three episodes simultaneously is not feasible. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts will prevent us from featuring this character in season 3 of And Just Like That. Karen and Nya will be missed, and her Max family and fans will be rooting for her in her future ventures.”
Can Fans Expect Aidan to Return in Just Like That Season 3?
After his highly anticipated return, viewers were surprised to see that Aidan would not be a consistent presence on the popular Max series. Aidan came home to Virginia with his three teenage sons in the season 2 finale, after his youngest child was involved in a car accident. Aidan begged Carrie to wait for him to make his permanent return to New York in five years.
“Aidan now believes that bad things happen when he’s not there,” King said on an August 2024 episode of AJLT’s companion podcast. “He admits to [Carrie] that he’s really the home for these three boys — and that’s who he’s always been.”
Aidan and Carrie spent the night together before he left, although it is uncertain what their future holds in subsequent seasons.
Will Samantha Be Back?
Cattrall left the Max series after six seasons of Sex and the City and two films owing to a disagreement with Parker. Cattrall stated that she had no plans to reprise her role as Samantha, but she did film a cameo for season 2.
According to various sources, Cattrall did not engage with Parker or King on set and recorded the sequence alone. This suggests Cattrall’s onscreen appearance was most likely a one-time occurrence.
What Is the Vision for Season 3?
King had teased that Carrie and Seema’s journey to Greece will provide a glimpse into the show’s next chapter.
“I knew it was going to end before anything, that Carrie and Seema would be sitting on a beach in Greece looking out at the horizon, that it would not end with Carrie and Aidan,” he remarked on the companion podcast to AJLT in August 2023. “Our only little tip to you, the audience [and] the people who are watching and wondering what we’re thinking.”
King went on, “There’s a little, tiny thread of what we’re thinking at the end, when Seema says, ‘Well, we ran at love, and where did that get us?'” And she says, ‘I’m waiting five months, you’re waiting five years.’ And Carrie says, ‘Well, I may get some time off for good conduct.’ You would only say that if you were already saying, ‘It’s not going to be five years. She’s cute, but she adds, ‘There will be others.'”
What Does the Cast Want to See?
Nicole Ari told PureWow in December 2023 that she hopes to see more of Lisa’s connection with her husband, stating, “I think we’ll see more of LTW, hopefully with Chris Jackson, who plays Herbert.”
When Does Filming Begin?
Ari Parker told Entertainment Tonight in February 2024 that she and the cast will “go back to work in May.” While the actress remained tight-lipped regarding season 3 casting, she did reveal that she had been “sworn to secrecy” about the impending storylines.
Are There New Characters for Season 3?
In May 2024, Rosie O’Donnell confirmed her addition to the cast. The actress teased her role as “Mary” by uploading a photo of the season 3, episode 1 script, which included her name at the top. “Here comes Mary,” she captioned the image, which also included a selfie taken at what appeared to be the first table.
When Did Filming Start?
Parker began filming season 3 in May 2024, dressing for a scene at Lincoln Center in a pink flared skirt and a mint shirt.
