And Just Like That’s Shocking Death Was Planned For Sex and The City 3

Warning! SPOILERS for And Just Like That episodes 1 & 2

The first episode of And Just Like That… features Mr. Big’s death, a shocking move that was originally planned for Sex and the City‘s cancelled third movie. More than a decade after the theatrical release of Sex and the City 2, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and friends have returned in And Just Like That…, a soft reboot and continuation of the original Sex and the City TV series. With the premiere of the first two episodes, it seems like a large portion of the series will focus on Carrie grieving and moving on from Mr. Big.

And Just Like That… finds Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte in a whole new chapter of their lives. Samantha has moved away and found success in London after a spat with Carrie, Carrie is escaping her comfort zone on a new diverse podcast, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is invested in her children, and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is returning to school. The most significant and surprising development, apart from Kim Cattrall’s absence as Sex and the City‘s Samantha, is the reveal that Mr. Big (Chris Noth) dies from a heart attack in the closing moments of the first episode.

While Mr. Big’s death certainly tracks with a cardiac scare he had back in season 6, he was actually supposed to be killed off in the third Sex and the City movie, as James Andrew Miller explains on his podcast. Sex and the City 2 was panned by critics, so it seemed unlikely that the series would continue on the big screen. Though a third Sex and the City film was teased a few years back, production did not move forward when Kim Cattrall opted out of returning as Samantha. Miller says that Mr. Big’s death plot point “and the narrative surrounding restoring heroine Carrie Bradshaw’s heart yet again – was a big reason Kim Cattrall (who played Samantha Jones) didn’t want to sign onto the film.” He went on to to say that the script followed Carrie’s evolution as she grieved Big, rather than on the four characters as a whole.

Carrie’s story has always taken precedence in the films. It makes sense, considering she narrates her and her friends’ romantic romps through her sex column in the show. The first Sex and the City movie did center a little more around her narrative than the other women, especially in relation to Mr. Big, who left her at the altar. While that event supported the toxicity of Big and Carrie’s relationship, And Just Like That… shows Big and Carrie are fostering a loving and supportive marriage.

It will be interesting to see how And Just Like That… portrays Carrie in future episodes, especially as she learns to navigate life without Big. Though the third movie was cancelled, And Just Like That…, in episodic format, offers more freedom in terms of character development, narrative arcs, and pacing. Hopefully, with more time, the show will be able to give every character the wrap-up they each deserve.