The Final Verdict: 7 Shocking Truths From The 'And Just Like That...' Complete Series Review

Jan 10, 2026 • minute read

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The polarizing journey of And Just Like That... has officially come to an end. As of late 2025, the divisive sequel series to Sex and the City has wrapped its run, concluding after a three-season exploration of Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte navigating life in their 50s. The final reviews for the complete series are in, confirming that the show remained a baffling, beautiful, and often frustrating experiment right up to its final moments.

The entire run of AJLT was a masterclass in critical and fan division, attempting to reinvent a beloved franchise for a new, more socially conscious era. While it delivered on fashion and heart, it often stumbled hard on character development and plot coherence, leaving behind a legacy that is as complicated as a New York City relationship status update. This is the definitive, complete series review.

The Complete Series Retrospective: From Grief to 'Fizzle'

The premiere of And Just Like That... in 2021 was defined by a single, seismic event: the death of Mr. Big (Chris Noth). This bold, yet critically panned, opening set the tone for a series that sought to strip away the comfort of the original and force its characters—and the audience—into uncomfortable new territory. Season 1 was a raw, often clumsy meditation on grief and the introduction of new, diverse friends like Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), Lisa Todd Wexley (LTW, played by Nicole Ari Parker), and Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman).

Season 2 saw the return of a past love, Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), and a general attempt to recapture the lighter, more romantic spirit of the original Sex and the City. The season also featured the highly anticipated, but brief, cameo from Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), a moment many critics felt was the highlight of the entire series, despite its brevity.

By Season 3, the show was reportedly finding its footing, with some critics suggesting it finally "felt comfortable in its own skin," though others still found it "awful." Ultimately, the final season dissipated with what was described as more of a "fizzle than a bang," leaving many questions unanswered and the finality feeling abrupt following the news of the show's cancellation.

7 Shocking Truths and Critical Divides of the AJLT Era

The three seasons of And Just Like That... generated more heated debate than perhaps any other reboot in recent memory. These seven points represent the core of the critical reception and fan controversy that defined the series.

1. The Unbearable Weight of Che Diaz

No character sparked more intense criticism than Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), Miranda's non-binary love interest and a stand-up comedian. Che was intended to be a centerpiece of the show's push for modern relevance, but they quickly became a lightning rod for complaints. Critics and fans alike described Che's storyline as "bizarre," the character as "unbearable," and a "self-admitted narcissist." The entire Miranda-Che relationship, which saw Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) radically change her life and personality, was widely panned as one of the show's biggest missteps, though Season 2 did attempt to give Che a more independent, and slightly better received, storyline.

2. Miranda's Mid-Life Crisis and Redemption

Miranda Hobbes' complete pivot from a cynical, successful lawyer to a queer, alcohol-struggling, and often-clueless student pursuing a human rights degree was a major source of critical contention. While the show was praised for exploring a woman's radical reinvention in middle age, the execution felt jarring to many. The Season 2 finale, however, offered a moment of redemption as Miranda finally detached from Che and seemingly found peace, even sharing a touching moment with her ex-husband, Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), on Coney Island.

3. Carrie and Aidan's Five-Year Freeze

The highly anticipated reunion of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Aidan Shaw was the emotional anchor of Season 2. However, the finale delivered an unexpected twist: Aidan announced he needed to take a five-year hiatus from their relationship to focus on his troubled son, Wyatt, who had been involved in a car crash. This ending was widely criticized for feeling like a manufactured, frustrating stall tactic, leaving Carrie—and the audience—in a state of romantic limbo right before the series' unexpected conclusion.

4. The Triumph of the New Trio: Seema, LTW, and Nya

One of the few areas that consistently received positive reviews was the addition of the new, diverse characters. Seema Patel, the sharp-witted real estate broker, was frequently called the show's best new character, offering a modern parallel to Samantha Jones' single-woman narrative. Lisa Todd Wexley and Dr. Nya Wallace provided crucial depth and new perspectives on marriage, motherhood, and career in New York City, successfully broadening the show's scope beyond the original three.

5. Charlotte's Consistent Charm

Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) remained the most stable and arguably best-written of the original characters. Her storylines, focusing on the challenges of raising teenagers, navigating motherhood, and her unwavering devotion to her husband Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), were seen as the most grounded and relatable elements of the series. Her battles with her children's evolving identities and her attempts to be a "cool mom" provided much-needed comedic and emotional stability.

6. The Unforeseen End of an Era

The most shocking truth is the show's abrupt cancellation after Season 3. Despite its massive viewership and cultural footprint, reports indicated the series was "murdered" and ended "without warning." This news reframes the entire final season, suggesting that the creative team, led by Michael Patrick King, may have been forced to rush or alter their planned conclusion, resulting in the "fizzle" that many critics noted in the final episodes. The series finale, therefore, serves as an accidental, rather than intentional, conclusion to the narrative.

7. The Samantha Jones Cameo: Too Little, Too Late

Kim Cattrall's brief, telephonic appearance as Samantha Jones in the Season 2 finale was a fan-service moment that temporarily broke the internet. While it was a welcome return for the beloved character, many reviews noted that the scene simply highlighted how much the show missed Samantha's presence and sharp wit throughout the three seasons, underscoring the creative gap left by her absence.

The Legacy: What 'And Just Like That...' Leaves Behind

And Just Like That... will be remembered not as a perfect sequel, but as a fascinating cultural experiment. It struggled immensely under the weight of its predecessor's legacy, attempting to course-correct decades of cultural criticism in just three seasons. The show's attempt to be "woke" often felt forced, leading to the creation of characters like Che Diaz that alienated the core audience. However, it did successfully evolve the fashion narrative, introduce compelling new characters like Seema and LTW, and, most importantly, explore the complex realities of female friendship and sexuality in middle age.

The final reviews of the series are a mixed bag: a show that was "wildly incoherent," yet somehow "blissful" for its dedicated viewers. It may have ended with a whimper rather than the bang of an original Sex and the City finale, but it successfully got people talking about its characters, its fashion, and its flaws right up until the very end. The journey of Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte is now complete, leaving a complicated, but undeniably memorable, footprint on television history.

The Final Verdict: 7 Shocking Truths From The 'And Just Like That...' Complete Series Review

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