And Just Like That: Cancellation Secrets & Character Arcs from Sex and the City to Now
What We Know About the Cancellation
On August 1, 2025, showrunner Michael Patrick King announced that season three would be the last for “And Just Like That…”. Even the series’ biggest critics were surprised; this always felt like a show that could withstand anything, maybe even more so than the audiences who tuned in each week for their comfort hate-watch. One thing most of us could agree on: whatever that “it” was that made “Sex and the City” so compelling for six seasons was as gone as Carrie’s strappy Manolos that time she was robbed in the street. Yet this new series was like watching a car crash in slow motion; we wanted to look away, but couldn’t.
So what happened? Had HBO finally pulled the plug? Apparently not. Ratings had dropped since “Sex and the City” fans first tuned in to see what the fab four (now three) were up to. According to Samba TV, the series ranked among HBO’s most-watched when it premiered, pulling in 1.1 million households across the US alone. However, by season two, that number had more than halved, and slipped even further by season three. So while MPK says the ending was on their terms, not everyone’s convinced HBO didn’t have a say.
But before we say goodbye to these characters once again, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane, from when we first met these soulmates to where we’ve left them now.
Samantha
“And Just Like That…” may have tried to make us forget about Samantha, but we never could! Without her, the show might as well be called “And the City.” From episode one, Samantha was the fearless, sex-positive boss lady who owned every room. She crushed her job, loved casual relationships, and wasn’t big on getting attached. But as the series went on, she showed more layers. She was loyal to a fault and faced her own struggles with aging, intimacy, and health. She taught us the biggest lesson: no matter how much you love someone else, you gotta love yourself first.
Her cancer storyline in the final season remains one of the show’s most powerful moments. The movie added yet another side to her as she tries to balance a serious relationship with staying true to herself, culminating in that iconic line: “I love you, but I love me more.”
We all know the behind-the-scenes drama that kept Kim Cattrall from reprising the character, even though she’s a fan favorite. She’d said she was done with Samantha, sure, but that doesn’t excuse the ugly way the revival slandered her character. For a while, Samantha existed only through texts on Carrie’s phone. Finally, she agreed to a highly anticipated cameo in season two, on a few conditions. Patricia Field, the OG costume designer, had to dress her, and she didn’t have to interact with the others. Rumor has it she earned a cool million for just over a minute on screen. What can we say? Samantha Jones knows her worth.
Charlotte
The group’s Park Avenue Princess begins as a traditional romantic, chasing the fairy-tale marriage and family life. For her, dating means finding “the one,” and she’s usually the strictest about rules around dating and sex, holding tight to traditional values. But life has other plans. She faces a failed marriage, infertility struggles, and all the hard parts of relationships. She thought Trey was her Prince Charming, but between his sexual issues and meddling mom, and her fertility battles, that marriage crumbles. Luckily, she finds real love in the most unexpected place and person. Their wedding isn’t exactly picture perfect, but their marriage feels genuine. She converts to Judaism for him, and he’s her rock through heartbreak, like when she miscarries. Honestly, watching them finally become parents warmed our hearts so much.
The movies deepen Charlotte’s growth, showing how she handles motherhood and learns to embrace it at its messiest. Sure, it’s not always easy, but it’s real.
In “And Just Like That…,” Charlotte and Harry are still going strong, especially now that they need to show a united front to their now teen (slash-pre-teen) kids. Charlotte stands by her children through Lily’s dating and Rock’s coming out. While past Charlotte dreamt of the wife-and-mom life, present Charlotte’s focused on rediscovering herself beyond those titles. Not every storyline was so strong (looking at you, forced diversity dinner and cancelled dogs), but her growth is undeniable. Maybe it took the series too long, but this arc finally shows how much she’s evolved.
Miranda
Even the most casual viewer knows Miranda had the biggest transformation between series. She began “SATC” as the no-nonsense, sarcastic, career-first realist with zero patience for fairy tales. She was always quick to call out men’s BS, and was the group’s steady anchor. Then Steve happened. It wasn’t love at first sight, but he softened her edges just enough. When Miranda unexpectedly got pregnant, she faced a huge life choice: could a baby fit into her life? She embraced motherhood, rearranging her world to make space for Brady while holding on to who she was.
As the series progressed, Miranda’s vulnerability came through. Her priorities shifted, and she allowed her worldviews to be expanded by her loved one. Her marriage hit real bumps in the first movie, but by the sequel, she had taken back control of the things that mattered to her most.
Then came “AJLT…,” and oh boy, Miranda went through a full-blown identity crisis in front of all of us. She left Steve and blew up her entire life for Che Diaz and battled an unrealistically short-lived alcohol use disorder. She ditched a prestigious internship to move to LA, only to realize she was still lost. Many fans felt these changes were totally out of character. Eventually, she circled back to what mattered most: her friendships, her family, and figuring out who she is now. Season 3 finds her a little less frantic, trying to rebuild her relationship with Steve as co-parents, find love, and find her footing again away from her hot mess era.
Carrie
Carrie’s voiceovers were “SATC’s” heartbeat. She lived for friends, fashion, and her column, often stumbling through questionable choices with a relatable inner monologue. Carrie had a talent for making every situation about her, like making herself the victim of the Big affair. That on-again, off-again relationship stretched across six seasons and two films. We watched Carrie fall for him, chase him, walk away, and eventually marry a man who, frankly, was a walking red flag.
Unfortunately, Carrie’s dating history looks like a beachfront on a stormy day. There was Aidan (twice), Berger (ugh), and Petrovsky (all wrong) each taught her little more than heartbreak. So, we’re going to spend as much time discussing them as Berger did breaking up with her. Outside of her relationships, Carrie was establishing herself as a sex and relationships columnist with often very rigid views on both. Plus she was often more focused on what was in her closet than her bank account.
Miraculously, Carrie and Big survived a runaway groom, a kiss in Abu Dhabi, and a pandemic lockdown. But then “AJLT” killed Big off in the pilot to push Carrie into a new chapter. Her iconic voiceovers were gone, too, so she’d feel more like a participant and less like an observer. If season one explored grief and moving on; season two was about rebuilding life and love after loss. Although that little detour back into Aidan-ville was just… no, thank you. That aside, season three became about her new romance with Duncan, creative closure, finding peace, embracing new beginnings, and rewriting her own story.
Some Supporting Players
Let’s just briefly talk about some of the characters who made the jump alongside Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte into “And Just Like That…”
Steve
We mentioned him earlier, but the character assassination here was brutal. This wasn’t the guy Miranda met in that bar. He’d somehow aged faster and harder than everyone else, reduced to a sad sack deemed unworthy of her. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: all we’ve ever wanted is justice for Steve.
Aidan
Some fans may have hoped Aidan would make an appearance in “AJLT,” but not like this. Originally introduced as the anti-Big, he offered Carrie a grounded, healthy relationship she apparently didn’t want. After they got back together, Aidan was basically a changed man, and it turns out Mr. Nice wasn’t so nice after all. Sadly, it took Carrie two decades to learn that about him.
Anthony
Anthony first came onto the scene as Charlotte’s wedding planner but hit it off with her, sticking around and becoming a character in his own right, even marrying Stanford in the second movie. He practically became part of the York-Goldenblatt family, although he has his own storylines, too, some admittedly better than others.
Stanford
Carrie’s sassy best friend was beloved by fans, but “AJLT” did him dirty. After Willie Garson’s tragic passing, the show wrote Stanford off by sending him to Japan to manage a social media star, then become a Shinto monk, leaving his husband and New York behind for good.
So…are you glad to see this series come to end or do you think they had a few more seasons in them? Let us know in the comments.
