Sex and the City author, Candace Bushnell, reacts to Carrie’s storyline in And Just Like That. During the late ‘90s, Bushnell’s Sex and the City novel was scooped up by show creator Darren Star to become a groundbreaking, award-winning, legendary series for HBO. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, and Kim Cattrall, Sex and the City follows four friends – Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha – as they navigate life, relationships, and love in New York City.
In December 2021, HBO Max debuted And Just Like That, which explores the lives of Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte (sans Samantha Jones) as they embark on a new decade of their lives. Helmed by Michael Patrick King, And Just Like That shocked its audience in episode 1 when Carrie’s husband, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), dies from a heart attack. Featuring storylines of life-changing revelations, divorce, alcoholism, and ageism, And Just Like That has received mixed reviews from viewers on the choices made by the characters. Now, the original Carrie Bradshaw opens up about And Just Like That.
Per Variety (via The New Yorker), Bushnell reveals she was “really startled” by the decisions made in And Just Like That. Bushnell, who penned the Sex and the City essays based on her life, said she couldn’t relate to the lead characters in the reboot series and felt they were out of touch with cultural changes and gender norms in their storylines. Speaking on Carrie, Bushnell expressed a disconnect from the character and said, “Carrie Bradshaw ended up being a quirky woman who married a really rich guy. And that’s not my story.” Check out what else Bushnell said about And Just Like That below:
I’m really startled by a lot of the decisions made in the reboot. You know, it’s a television product, done with Michael Patrick King and Sarah Jessica Parker, who have both worked with HBO a lot in the past. HBO decided to put this franchise back into their hands for a variety of reasons, and this is what they came up with.
Indeed, it appears Bushnell is still interested in the Sex and the City franchise by making a point to watch And Just Like That. However, the author seems to have severed emotional ties to the series and stated the character of Carrie no longer resembled herself after the earlier seasons of Sex and the City. Bushnell declared, “I’ve said this, but when the character of Carrie sleeps with Mr. Big after he’s married to somebody else — that’s when I felt like the character’s becoming something other than myself.”
Longtime viewers of the iconic series have taken to social media to voice their criticism for the HBO Max limited series. These complaints claim that And Just Like That fails to deliver Sex and the City’s comedic timing, poignant one-liners, and potent chemistry between its main characters. Bushnell seems to have sided with viewers who were startled by the plotlines featured in And Just Like That season 1. At this time, it remains to be seen if Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda, will all return if the Sex and the City reboot is renewed for another installment.
Source: Variety (via The New Yorker)
About The Author
