“And Just Like That: A New Chapter of Sex and the City” is a series worth checking out, if you enjoyed “Sex and the City”. Watch it with your own open mind and not listen to the others. Make your own decisions and be entertained. It may not be for everyone, but it may be a series that you will come to enjoy.
Click here to purchase “And Just Like That: A New Chapter of Sex and the City” on Amazon
TV SERIES: And Just Like That: A New Chapter of Sex and the City
YEAR: 2021
DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital English 5.1, Subtitles: English SDH
DURATION: EPISODE 1-10 (397 Minutes)
RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2022
Based on the Book “Sex and the City” by Candace Bushnell
Created by Darren Star
Developed by Michael Patrick King
Directed by Michael Patrick King, Gillian Rebespierre, Nisha Ganatra, Anu Valia, Cynthia Nixon
Written by Michael Patrick King, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, Rachna Fruchbom, Keli Goff, Samantha Irby
Executive Producer: Kristin Davis , Michael Patrick King, John P. Melfi, Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky
Co-Executive Producer: Rachna Fruchborn
Producer: Teddy Au
Co-Producer: Michael Berenbaum, Chris Collins, Jonathan Ferrantelli
Supervising Producer: Marsy Robinson
Associate Producer: Leah Winkler
Music by Aarobn Zigman
Cinematography: Tim Norman
Edited by Michael Berenbaum, Sheri Bylander
Casting by Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Production Design by Miguel Lopez-Castillo
Art Direction: Sam Bader
Set Decoration: Carol Silverman
Costume Design: Molly Rogers
Starring:
Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw
Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes
Kristin Davis as Charlotte York
Sara Ramirez as Che Diaz
Mario Cantone as Anthony Marentino
Evan Handler as Harry Goldenblatt
Sarita Choudhury as Seema Patel
Cathy Ang as Lily Goldenblatt
Alexa Swinton as Rose Goldenblatt
Niall Cunningham as Brady Hobbes
Nicole Ari Parker as Lisa Todd Wexley
Karen Pittman as Dr. Nya Wallace
Cree as Luisa Torres
David Eigenberg as Steve Brady
Bobby Lee as Jackie Nee
LeRoy McClain as Andre Rashad Wallace
Chris Jackson as Herbert Wexley
Ivan Hernandez as Franklyn
Alexander Bello as Henry Wexley
Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch
Jon Tenney as Peter
Erina Anderson as Ainsley
Shirley Roeca as Veronica
Chris Noth as Mr. Big
Julie Halson as Bitsy Von Muffling
The Max Original AND JUST LIKE THAT…,the new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series “Sex and the City,” follows “Carrie” (Sarah Jessica Parker),”Miranda” (Cynthia Nixon) and “Charlotte” (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. The ten-episode, half-hour series is scheduled to begin production in New York this summer.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of this DVD, which I am reviewing in this blog post.
The opinions I share are my own.
For many people, “Sex and the City” was a series which many people grew to watch and enjoy from 1998 to 2004.
With a total of 94 episodes and six seasons, many people wanted more and so the first “Sex and the City” film was released in 2008 with great applause, and a second “Sex and the City 2” with an outrageous story which many hardcore fans not even acknowledging it as part of canon.
Nevertheless, the series was ahead of its time, where sex and romance centered around four stylish women in New York, it’s a beloved the series.
But a lot has changed since the ’90s and ‘2000s.
The world has changed.
And the TV series sequel to “Sex and the City” titled “And Just Like That…” developed by Michael Patrick King, who was instrumental in writing and directing the TV series and the two films was on helm to create these series centering on three of the four cast members.
Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes and Kristin Davis as Charlotte York Goldenblatt would return, sans Kim Cattral (as Samantha Jones) in a well-documented spat involving Cattrall and her fellow cast members.
And the ten episode series which would mention Samantha Jones in certain scenes, would move on without her.
As mentioned, time has changed since the original series and there are episodes which many people feel are inappropriate for this day and age.
And in this day and age, the writers wanted to take on topics involving the characters in today’s world and not shy from it. Also, to remind people who grew up with the series, these women are no longer in their 30s, they are in their 50s. The world has changed, and so have they.
In the first episode alone, we have Carrie Bradshaw as a weekly columnist for “Sex and the City” for the “New York Star”. Now, she is involved in a LGBTQ-friendly, sex-oriented podcast hosted by Che Diaz (portrayed by Sara Ramirez) and Jackie Nee (portrayed by Bobby Lee). She is married and enjoying life with her husband, Mr. Big/John James Preston (portrayed by Chris Noth).
Miranda Hobbes is married with a young adult son who is on drugs and has his girlfriend over and has loud sex that she and her husband, Steve (portrayed by David Eigenberg) have to deal with it. Miranda is a lawyer, but went back to school and befriend her African American professor Dr. Nya Wallace (portrayed by Karen Pittman) and learning to behave around those of color.
Charlotte York Goldenblatt is heavily involved with her children’s activities, but also being a good wife to Harry Goldenblatt. And both she and Harry learn to have friends who are not White.
And as soon as the first episode is done, life changes immediately for Carrie and also how life is also affected for her other friends.
[SPOILER TIME: So don’t read further if you don’t want to be spoiled…
When I say the lives of these three women change, it does change.
Carrie Bradshaw who goes out with Charlotte to watch a performance, looks forward to seeing her husband and going on a trip with him. But after working out, he collapses and dies of a heart attack. The death of Mr. Big sets forward a storyline of Carrie trying to move on after the death of her husband, her one true love. From the planning of a funeral, to finding out who he included in his will and more.
Miranda, as she spends time with Carrie, she gets to meet her podcast boss, Che Diaz, a lesbian entertainer who captivates Miranda. Making her realize that she may not be straight. And because of how she feels, she’s not happy in her marriage and becomes an alcoholic.
Charlotte meanwhile discovers that her daughter thinks of herself as a boy and not a girl. She identifies as non-binary and her Rose now wants to be known as “Rock”.
JUDGMENT CALL:
During the holidays, while I was watching “And Just Like That”, I shared with people that I am watching the series and to my surprise, it really started a topic of discussion.
I know that my wife, who was a hardcore person who absolutely loved the original series, did not want to watch this sequel. Not because of the progressive storytelling but mainly because without Samantha, the series would not be the same. For me, I’m a bit more open to watching it as I also watched the original series along with her, even before we were married and enjoyed it.
But listening to people chime in on it, I think that the series was too progressive, or in some cases, some people used the word “woke” when describing the new series. That writers changed things too much. While there were a few who were happy that things changed and did something new that fit today’s modern times.
The original “Sex and the City” was defying in many ways. Similar to how many wondered how the characters in “Friends” could live in such an apartment. The same thing could be said about “Sex and the City” and how a columnist could afford expensive clothing and shoes. The women lived a life of luxury.
The original series was also criticized for its lack of diversity. Most characters were all white, lesbians were depicted as mean people, Samantha made fun of trans women, the show made fun of Jewish Harry. So much criticism, in fact, many people would create #WokeCharlotte memes of Charlotte who was not like the way she was during “Sex and the City”. She was a woke Charlotte of today!
So, “And Just Like That” writers made those changes that the original series were criticized over.
Now, the series features diversity. The women have friends now of all cultures and when they are not hanging out with each other, they hang out with their friends of color.
As mentioned, times have changed and when “Sex and the City” was a series, Nixon was dating and had children with a man. In 2009 she married a woman and identified herself as bisexual in 2012 and now identifies as queer.
Like her real life, for the character of Miranda, she has been with a man, but she now found love with a woman.
And as for Charlotte, she is a person that had to grow. Focusing on her Jewish culture, growing up with her new friends (her very good friend is African American) away from Carrie and Miranda and now accepting and loving her daughter who is non-binary.
And as for the main protagonist, Carrie Bradshaw, she’s a woman that lost her one true love, but now has to continue on life without him. Can she find love again?
“And Just Like That” is no doubt going to piss a few people off who followed these characters and expect the same women they saw in the TV series and the movies. But our world has changed a lot in the last ten years and I think there are people who are going to embrace this series for its change.
These are women who are now in their 50s that have matured a lot since their ’30s and I would expect many of you who grew up watching the original series, have also had changes in your life.
As mentioned, I grew up with this series, so I acknowledge the series as part of life and it’s a true reflection for many of us from the ’90s to the present. We all get older, we lose love ones. We all have changes in interests, some have changes in the people they were once in love with but found love elsewhere. People who deal with racial situations, those who have family or friends who are LGBTQ.
The original series showcased love but “And Just Like That” is a series that tells people to go beyond that love and accept and love people no matter if the embrace a lifestyle different than yours or the upbringing that you were told what to do and what to think but feel differently.
There is nothing wrong with that.
But I do understand, not everyone can or will accept change.
“And Just Like That: A New Chapter of Sex and the City” is a series worth checking out, if you enjoyed “Sex and the City”. Watch it with your own open mind and not listen to the others. Make your own decisions and be entertained. It may not be for everyone, but it may be a series that you will come to enjoy.
Click here to purchase “And Just Like That: A New Chapter of Sex and the City” on Amazon
