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‘And Just Like That…’ Ends With Thanksgiving Finale as Showrunner Reframes Self-Love

Showrunner Michael Patrick King designed the finale to foreground self-empowerment over romance as a modern echo of the original series

Overview

  • The series concluded its three-season run with a two-part finale built around a Thanksgiving celebration intended to tie up the main characters’ journeys
  • Critics faulted the finale for overt humor and clumsy plotting that undercut the show’s earlier thematic ambition and subtlety
  • The absence of an updated Samantha Jones throughout the revival remained a glaring creative gap that shaped critical and audience reactions
  • King explained that he crafted the ending to emphasize Carrie’s self-love rather than a traditional romantic payoff, linking it symbolically to the 2004 Sex and the City finale
  • Renewed debate over the sequel’s legacy has emerged as fans and critics reassess its modern take on grief, parenthood and evolving social norms