Fans Are Fuming About And Just Like That. Here's Why
One of the big question marks surrounding the "Sex and the City" reboot "And Just Like That" was how the show would explain the absence of Kim Cattrall's Samantha Jones. In the past, the actor made it clear that she had no interest in reprising her role as the demure publicist. Leading up to the premiere of the series, Chris Noth — who fans know as Mr. Big — revealed he regretted tension that arose between Cattrall and series lead Sarah Jessica Parker. "I just wish that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable," he told The Guardian on December 6.
In 2017, Cattrall addressed her feud with Parker while defending her decision to step away from her "SATC" character. "We've never been friends," Cattrall said to Piers Morgan on his "Life Stories" show (via BBC) while describing her relationship with the other cast members. The actor said that money was not a motivating factor for her decision to walk away from the beloved franchise. "I played it past the finish line and then some and I loved it," Cattrall added.
With tensions high between Cattrall and Parker in real life, fans wondered how the show would handle Samantha's departure. Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte York, assured fans it would be handled delicately. "There is respect for Samantha," she said while appearing on "Today" on December 7. "We would never disrespect Samantha," she added. Contrary to Davis' words, some fans believed that is exactly what the show did.
Why Samantha's fate upset fans
Before "And Just Like That" aired, showrunner Michael Patrick King confirmed that none of the "Sex and the City" characters were killed. "Nobody's dead ... Nobody," he told The New York Times on December 3. Instead of killing Samantha off, the show decided to move her to London. Apparently there was a rift between Samantha and Carrie Bradshaw when the writer fired her. This was revealed in a discussion between Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie and Cynthia Nixon's Miranda Hobbes in the reboot's first episode.
"I told her that because of, you know, what the book business is now, it just didn't make sense for me to keep her on as a publicist," Carrie told Miranda (via Entertainment Weekly). "She said fine, and then fired me as a friend," Carrie added. "You know Samantha — her pride got damaged," Cynthia responded. This trite explanation of Samantha's departure did not sit well with fans as they noted her loyalty. "Put more respect on Samantha Jones. She was the most understanding friend in that group," one viewer tweeted. "samantha would never ghost carrie over work, money or anything else like that ... it's sloppy writing," another added.
Several fans noted that it appeared the show not only disrespectfully dismissed Samantha, but it seemed to take shots at Cattrall. "Almost breaking the fourth wall here with how they're explaining Samantha's absence & hating on Kim Cattrall at the same time," one viewer noted. "Shady way to write out @KimCattrall both she and Samantha deserve better," another wrote.