Why Is And Just Like That… Ending? Inside the Show’s Decision Not to Return and What the Cast Has Said

After three seasons, And Just Like That… is over.

The show’s director and showrunner, Michael Patrick King, announced on Aug. 1 that the Sex and the City revival series starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis was concluding after the season 3 finale.

“And Just Like That.… the ongoing storytelling of the Sex and the City universe is coming to an end,” he wrote on Instagram at the time.

King, who also wrote scripts for Sex and the City and And Just Like That…, explained that he previously decided that it was time to wrap up the series while he was writing the final episodes of the revival.

The latest show followed Parker, Nixon and Davis’ beloved characters, Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York, respectively, as a group of friends navigating their relationships, careers and friendships in New York City two decades after fans last saw them.

The original series, which ran from 1998 to 2004, also starred Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones, but she only briefly reprised her role in the first three seasons. The revival series also featured new actors, Sarita Choudhury and Nicole Ari Parker.

Here’s everything to know about why And Just Like That… is ending after three seasons.

Why is And Just Like That… ending?

And Just Like That… showrunner King announced in a joint Instagram post with AJLT and HBO Max that the series was ending.

“While I was writing the last episode of And Just Like That… season 3, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop,” he wrote on Aug. 1. “Along with Sarah Jessica Parker, Casey Bloys and Sarah Aubrey, we decided to end the popular series this year with a two-part finale and extended the original series order from 10 episodes to 12.”

King explained that he and Parker purposely waited to share the news because they wanted to keep the focus on the latest installment.

“We didn’t want the world ‘final’ to overshadow the fun of watching the season,” King explained.

He finished his statement by thanking viewers, writing, “It’s with great gratitude we thank all the viewers who have let these characters into their homes and their hearts over these many years.”

Since news of the show’s finale broke, neither HBO Max nor the creators and stars of And Just Like That… have clarified exactly why the series will not be returning. However, Forbes previously reported that viewership for the series was at an all-time low for the season 3 premiere.

The revival series initially faced viewership lows in the midst of season 2, and it continued to decrease for the third season. The TV technology company Samba TV reported that the third season’s premiere of And Just Like That… averaged 429,000 households, which was a 7% decline from the season 2 premiere.

Meanwhile, the Sex and the City series finale in 2004 drew 10.6 million viewers and was recognized as the second most-watched show that Sunday night, per The New York Times.

In addition to the ratings dip, the revival series also faced criticism from fans over Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte’s modern lives compared to the lives they portrayed on the original series.

When did the final episode of And Just Like That… air and what happened before the finale?

The season 3 finale of And Just Like That… aired Aug. 14 on HBO Max. Prior to the grand finale, the show appeared to try and neatly wrap up all three character’s lives ahead of the emotional series finale.

After previously moving out of her beloved long-term apartment, Carrie came face-to-face with the place she used to call home and often thought about returning to. After getting invited over for a dinner by the current tenant, Carrie worried that she would instantly regret moving out.

However, after going to the party and seeing that it had been completely renovated and redesigned, Carrie realized that she had outgrown the apartment and made the right decision to move on. The closure seemed to inspire Carrie, as she returned to her new home and finished her novel.

Another major storyline of the series has always been Carrie’s love life, and season 3 was no different. Throughout the third season, Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) tried to give their relationship another try 22 years after initially calling it quits. Despite giving it their all, Carrie and Aidan broke up after he admitted to still having difficulty trusting Carrie 20 years after she cheated on him with Big (Chris Noth).

Meanwhile, Miranda and Charlotte managed their own chaotic personal lives. Miranda faced a meltdown from her son, Brady, (Niall Cunningham), after she invited the mother of her son’s future child, Mia (Ella Stiller), over for Thanksgiving dinner.

As for Charlotte, she was still learning how to treat her child, Rock (Alexa Swinton), identifying as nonbinary. She and husband Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) were continuing to balance their romantic relationship with their kids’ hectic schedules and his cancer diagnosis.

What have the cast members said about the ending of And Just Like That…?

Parker, Nixon and Davis have all shared their emotional responses about And Just Like That… coming to a close.

Parker, who had known about the decision earlier with the showrunner, posted her thoughts on Instagram shortly after the announcement. She mentioned Carrie’s “near and far” adventures, new and old homes, past boyfriends, old hairstyles, and all the men her character has loved. However, she emphasized that one thing that has never changed for Carrie was her “love and devotion to New York City.”

“She hailed cabs. She ran in heels. And danced with Stanford,” Parker continued, referring to the late Willie Garson, who played Carrie’s close friend in the series, and died following a short illness in 2021.

The actress added, “Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, there will never be better friends and what great fortune for Carrie to come to know and love Seema and LTW, most divine new connections.”

Meanwhile, Nixon also shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, reflecting on the “delight” she had working on the franchise.

“I can’t believe our wild beautiful And Just Like That ride is almost over,” she wrote on Aug. 2. “It has been such a delight from start to finish. I will miss working with these people everyday SO incredibly much but know we will always be a part of each other’s lives.”

Nixon also posted Parker’s Instagram tribute on her Instagram Stories and captioned the repost, “Thank you @sarahjessicaparker (& our gorgeous cast & crew!) for the quarter century of memories and friendships ❤️.”

As for Davis, she reposted King’s official statement on Aug. 1 and captioned it, “I am profoundly sad. I love our whole beautiful cast and crew. 400 artisans working so hard on our show with deep love. And to our loyal fans, we love you forever and ever. ❤️.”

Davis’ on-screen husband, Handler, who played Harry in both series, also reposted King’s statement and wrote, “And So it Goes.”

And Just Like That… newcome Nicole Ari Parker, who played Lisa Todd Wexley, posted several photos with her costars and called it both an “Honor and a Joy to be a part of this iconic family.” She thanked King, Parker, Davis and Nixon and producer Susan Fales-Hill for the experience and also penned, “From the first day to the last…it has been Just Like That…Amazing.”

Fellow newcomer Sarita Choudhury reposted Parker’s post on her Instagram Stories and later shared her own words, expressing her gratitude to her costars and crew.

Where can I watch Sex and the City and And Just Like That…?

The original Sex and the City franchise, both movies Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), and And Just Like That… are available to stream on HBO Max.

While the movies and And Just Like That… are only streamable on HBO Max, the original Sex and the City series is available on Netflix.