HBO’s comedy series Sex and the City was a cultural reset, with the story and characters still very much beloved by generations of fans. After a third SATC movie was scrapped, the story continued with a new spinoff series titled And Just Like That. Season 2 just wrapped up, including Kim Catrall’s long-awaited cameo. Both seasons have been the subject of a ton of discourse online, and creator/showrunner Michael Patrick King recently spoke about the “love hate” relationship fans have with the show. And of course, the strong feelings about the infamous Che Diaz.
And Just Like That managed to become water cooler talk with its first episode, which shockingly killed off Mr. Big. The past two seasons have been full of discussion about its contents, especially Sara Ramirez’s newcomer Che. Michael Patrick King spoke to Variety about the strong reactions to the show, saying:
You know how Steve talks about the roller coaster? They come and they go, and they love and they doubt and they hate and they love — and then they begrudgingly say, ‘Is this good?’ I mean, it’s the most hilariously aggressive love-hate relationship, as a cosmos. Even on the scary parts of the roller coaster, they’re like, ‘Oh, now we like it! Now we hate it again. Now we like it!’ It means it’s alive and kicking. It’s not dead, and it’s certainly not a reboot: It’s a new chapter with new energy — things that you love or don’t love. And it really is interesting to do something that people own. They own it.
That seems like a great attitude about reactions to the show from the public. While there’s an element of hate watching out there for And Just Like That, the fact that it’s getting such a strong reaction and so much discourse online is ultimately a boon. There are countless reboots or nostalgic properties that simply can’t hold the attention of the public. That’s clearly not the cast with the Sex and the City spinoff.
So much chatter is happening about And Just Like That partly because the show feels so different from its predecessor. Those with a Max subscription watch 3 out of the 4 original ladies as they’re older and facing challenges that come with being a woman of a certain age. We’ve also been introduced to a ton of new characters, some of which fans have responded to better than others (long live Seema!)
Speaking of newcomers, it’s hard to talk about And Just Like That without discussing Che Diaz. Played by beloved Grey’s Anatomy icon Sara Ramirez, this new character was turned into countless memes throughout Season 1. There’s been a ton of chatter about Che not being likable, and their relationship with Miranda… which has finally ended. In the same interview King addressed the Che of it all, saying:
Every time people say they don’t like Che, I go, ‘You mean you don’t like standups!’ I mean, you’re standing on stage asking people to think you’re art. It’s a lot, that character. The audience got to see other sides, which is all you’re supposed to be doing if you get more than one season. I thought they responded to it the way it was written. And then hopefully, at the end, they’re like, ‘Good they’re not together, and they never will be.’
Once again, King has a great attitude on some of the hate that’s come toward AJLT. He seems to think that the audience just doesn’t like the archetype of Che, rather than the character themselves. And after they and Miranda broke up for good, he thinks the audience will feel some relief. Instead, the second half of Season 2 was about Che and Carrie continuing their friendship.
As previously mentioned, And Just Like That was renewed for a third season on Max, so the online chatter should continue for the foreseeable future. Although writing hasn’t begun due to the ongoing strike, so it’s unclear when it’ll return to the small screen. But one thing is clear: people are going to be talking about it.
And Just Like That is streaming in its entirety on Max. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
