And Just Like That Might Recast Samantha
By
Kate Bove
Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones smiling in Sex and the City with Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Samantha (Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) laughing at a bar in SATCCustom Image by Kate Bove
Summary
It's very clear that Kim Cattrall is never returning to the Sex and the City franchise as a series regular, so it's time to either recast Samantha or move on.
And Just Like That... has struggled without Samantha — and the show has done a disservice to its new characters by giving them Samantha-like plotlines and scenes.
Cattrall's firm decision not to return confirms the need for a fresh approach in And Just Like That... season 3.
With Kim Cattrall not returning for And Just Like That... season 3, I think it's time for the Sex and the City sequel to recast Samantha Jones — or move on entirely. Despite And Just Like That's star-studded cast, Michael Patrick King's revival of the hit HBO series has been uneven at best and downright cringe-worthy at worst. While I was thrilled to see Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw, Cynthia Nixon's Miranda Hobbes, and Kristin Davis' Charlotte York Goldenblatt return for And Just Like That, I always felt uneasy about the idea of forging ahead without Cattrall's Samantha.
When it comes to Sex and the City characters, the foursome has always formed the backbone of the show. As Charlotte points out, her friends are her soulmates. Despite an alleged feud between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker, all four stars returned for two SATC films. Honestly, that gave me some misguided hope about And Just Like That resolving any friction and reuniting the beloved leading ladies. In the wake of Samantha's glaring absence in season 1, And Just Like That season 2's Samantha cameo felt like a goodbye. Like Cattrall, I think we all need to move on.
It's Time To Recast Samantha In And Just Like That (Or Move On)
Recasting Iconic Characters Is Always A Challenge
When I heard that Cattrall debunked the latest rumor about Samantha's return, my first thought was that, sadly, it's more than time for And Just Like That to move on from the beloved character. Others have suggested Samantha be recast for the upcoming season of the SATC revival series, but that seems pretty risky to me. A fan-favorite personality on Sex and the City, there's also no denying that Samantha Jones is one of TV's most iconic characters. I think it's hard to imagine even the most gifted actor replacing Cattrall and joining Parker, Davis, and Nixon's brunch table.
I could see King and the AJLT writer's room wanting to keep the door open to Cattrall's future return.
Cattrall's very firm decision to steer clear of the Max series definitely confirms my worst And Just Like That fears in some ways. I could see King and the AJLT writer's room wanting to keep the door open to Cattrall's future return. After all, the first season saw an estranged Samantha sending Carrie flowers after Big's (Chris Noth) untimely death-by-Peleton and, ultimately, reconnecting with the New York City writer via text. While recasting Samantha would be difficult, it's clear that dancing around the narrative obstacle just isn't working. And Just Like That season 3 needs a fresh approach.
Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristin Davis standing on the street in And Just Like That
Related
I Hope And Just Like That's Funeral Sighting Is A Much-Deserved Tribute To This 1 Beloved Character
I hope this funeral scene in AJLT means an iconic Sex and the City character will finally get the proper send-off they deserve after 26 years.
Two seasons into the revival series, it's become very obvious to me and other SATC fans that Kim Cattrall has no plans to return in full force. Every time the show starts filming, rumors swirl about Cattrall's return, prompting her to debunk them. To me, Samantha's brief appearance in And Just Like That season 2's ending was framed as a lowkey goodbye of sorts. Actually, I felt the whole finale had that feeling, especially since Max hadn't officially renewed AJLT for a third outing. Dubbed "The Last Supper," the two-part finale saw Carrie finally leaving her iconic apartment.
Samantha says goodbye to the apartment, and to her Sex and the City escapades.
The shoe-obsessed writer even threw a dinner party — the titular supper — to honor the end of what felt like an unending era. The reflective series finale pushed Carrie's story into new territory in many ways, and Cattrall's cameo helped tie it all together. In the brief scene, Samantha calls Carrie from London to tell her some disappointing news: She can't make her surprise flight to New York for Carrie's last supper. Samantha says goodbye to the apartment, and to her Sex and the City escapades. Honestly, it feels like a final franchise appearance for Cattrall too.
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