Die-hard fans of the original SATC were divided when And Just Like That hit our screens back in 2021. Ever since the finale of the early noughties incarnation, in which Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw finally found requited love with Mr Big, whose name we finally learned was John (the now-beleaguered Chris Noth), many viewers have felt that the franchise has over-egged the pudding – and then some. There have been films (universally panned). There was the rebooted series. And now, on June 22, And Just Like That season 2 is about to drop and, well, how you feel about that probably depends on whether or not you liked the first one.

View this post on Instagram


For us, as paid-up fans of the original and avowed loathers of the films, we were pleasantly surprised. There were moments the series tied itself up in knots. We could not, for example, credit the sassy and with-it lawyer Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) being so flustered by the newly woke world. And no, it wasn’t the same without Samantha (Kim Cattral) – more on which later. And yet we welcomed it, not least for the gloss and frivolity. After all, we live in a time of war, eco worries and cost of living crises. A bit of light-hearted sheen did not go amiss.

So, what do we know? As far as we’re concerned, there are just two headlines. Firstly, that the series will see the bereaved Carrie moving on post the death in Season 1 of her husband, Big (on a Peloton, no less). Don’t, however, expect a new love interest to appear; to move into the future, Carrie will be looking to the past – namely in the form of former flame, Aidan (John Corbett).

That may be fan-pleasing news, and we are fascinated to see how the dynamic of the rekindled romance plays. But, for us – and in all likelihood everyone else too, the really seismic news is the recently announced cameo appearance of Kim Cattrall, reprising her role as uber publicist Samantha Jones. In the show thus far, art has cleaved close to life, with the story being that Samantha is living in London after a falling out with Carrie (the IRL rift between Cattrall and Parker is well-documented). Now, it has been confirmed that the estranged member of the iconic quartet will have a phone conversation with Carrie – a scene for which Patricia Field also reprises her role as costume designer.

Which brings us back to our favourite thing of all about the show: the clothes. And the shoes. And the bags, the hats, the jewels et cetera. And, most stunningly of all, New York itself. It is, and always will be, worth watching for the sheer knock-out factor of her alone.

And Just Like That Season 2 will be available to watch on June 22 on Sky Comedy, Now and Amazon Prime Video.

By Nancy Alsop
June 2023