‘And Just Like That…’ Is Finally Over — And Honestly? We’re Free
And just like that, we are hate-watch hostages no more. We are free.
The series ended in a big, steaming pile of crap, literally—which, honestly, feels like the perfect metaphor for the entire viewing experience.
It’s been three seasons of tonal whiplash, character assassination, random subplots that go nowhere, and more bathroom humor than any Sex and the City offshoot should ever contain. But now it’s over. And I have complicated feelings—relief, mostly, but also that strange pang you get when something you’ve invested time in, even something you can’t stand, finally ends.
So let’s talk about this finale.
Carrie Bradshaw: Clueless at a New Age Restaurant
We open with Carrie at a new age-y restaurant, acting like she’s never set foot in a restaurant before. “Um, you tell me what to order. Um, how does this work?” You’ve been a columnist in Manhattan for decades. You’ve probably eaten at every overpriced, overly lit “concept” eatery in the city. Why are you suddenly playing the role of a lost tourist in your own zip code?
Lisa’s Editing Room Groundhog Day
Lisa resurfaces in the editing room—because where else would she be? It’s been her character’s Groundhog Day all season long. And after all the teasing about her chemistry with the hot editor, she decides… not to sleep with him. All that build-up, all those lingering glances, for absolutely nothing.
Pee Discourse at the Bridal Fashion Show
Next, the girlies hit a bridal fashion show and talk of marriage comes up. That morning the gardner told Seema he doens’t want to get married… while peeing. Mid-stream. Why this needed to happen in a bathroom, I’ll never know.
She’s having mixed feelings about thisand asks Carrie why she got married… and finally, for the first time all season and acknoeledgment of Carrie’s relationship with Big! And Carrie’s answer, to my shock, was actually a bit insightful. She said: “Because it meant I was chosen.”
It was perhaps one of the show’s rare moments of truth. That is Carrie in a nutshell. It was never about love with Big—it was about what he represented. We barely knew the man. We didn’t even learn his name until the final episode of Sex and the City. We didn’t know his job, his hobbies, or even that many redeeming qualities. What we did know was that he was always just out of reach—and that distance kept her spinning for years. But, in typical reboot fashion, they offer a glimpse of insight and then let it fizzle into nothing.
Charlotte and Lisa also talk about marriage—Lisa seems to absolutely despise her husband, but is going to suck it up and try to endure him. Charlotte, still an optimist, believes in marriage and love and we love that for her!
Later, Carrie wonders aloud if she’s destined to end up alone. Charlotte tells her that won’t happen.. and she may be on to something because in this fantasy-land literally every man who crosses Carrie’s path is immediately bewitched and smitten by her so finding a new one shouldn’t be too hard!
She also says that after Big died she thought, “Maybe Aidan” and I’m sorry what???? I think this was an attempt to convince us that she and Aidan had some sort of soul conneciton to justify making us suffer through a third itiration of their relationship.
The reboot tried to position their reunion as romantic, but it was anything but. He refused to set foot in her apartment because of “bad memories” from 20 years ago, so she bought a mansion for him and his kids. Then he decided they shouldn’t speak for five years. Then he changed his mind. Then he slept with his ex-wife. Then he told Carrie she wasn’t giving enough to the relationship. It was exhausting to watch.
It would have been way more satisfying to see Carrie actually go out there and date as a 50-something but no, can’t do anything interesting here!
Harry’s Erection and the Toilet Explosion
Meanwhile, Harry finally gets an erection—good for you, king—but can we go a single episode without discussing his penis? Apparently not.
Then comes the big Thanksgiving scene. Baby Mama Mia shows up with friends, one of whom, Epcot, is lactose intolerant but eats cheese anyway. Predictably, this leads to an extended bathroom situation. Enter Mr. Andrews from Titanic—because apparently he wanted to be part of another sinking ship—just in time for the bathroom to explode. Literally. Poop bubbling up through the toilet, splattering everywhere.
Why? WHY?! Why did the writers think we needed this? Was there a bathroom humor quota to fill before the season wrapped?
Montage of “Meh” and a Decent Final Line
In the last few minutes:
- Carrie twirls around her townhouse
- Lisa grimly tolerates her husband
- Charlotte enjoys her picture-perfect family
- Miranda and Joy seem happy even though there’s no WAY this relationship is made to last
- And Carrie finishes the epilogue to her book with: “Maybe the woman wasn’t alone, she was on her own.”
I actually liked that line. But it’s bittersweet—Carrie never wanted to be “on her own.” Still, in this alternate Manhattan, she’ll be fine.
And then they play the Sex and the City theme song. The audacity! This reboot has none of the original’s wit, energy, or character depth. It was sloppy, lazy, and often boring, with characters who felt like hollowed-out versions of their former selves. Playing the original theme song was just a ploy to get us to feel something and… well it kind of worked but I still don’t appreciate the emotional manipulation!
Why I’ll Miss Hate-Watching
As much as I’ve dragged it, I will miss the ritual of recapping this disaster. Hate-watching is its own kind of bonding experience. Carrie Bradshaw was one of my earliest inspirations—I became a relationship writer and coach because of her. As a teenager watching Sex and the City, I thought, “I want to do that job.” And I did.
The original show meant a lot to me, which is why it’s sad to see it crash and burn like this. It could have been good. But instead, it felt like they spent the budget on clothes, then handed the scripts to interns—or to people genuinely convinced they were making something brilliant.
Farewell, And Just Like That. You were terrible. But strangely, you will still be missed.
