The final chapter of ‘And Just Like That’ recently unfolded, closing the book on an era for Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda. It also wrapped up the stories of their newer friends, like Lisa Todd Wexley, played by Nicole Ari Parker, and Seema Patel, portrayed by Sarita Choudhury. The third season finale aired on Thursday, August 14.
The episode started with Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, figuring out life on her own. She had recently split from Aidan (John Corbett) and had a brief fling with Duncan (Jonathan Cake). She felt a bit lost.
Carrie told Charlotte, played by Kristin Davis, “I might be alone for the rest of my life.” Charlotte, ever the optimist, refused to believe her. Carrie wondered who she would become if she truly was left to her own devices. “I know I’ve lived alone for a long time,” she explained, “but I’ve never done it without thinking it wouldn’t be for long.” She admitted that even after Big (Chris Noth) passed, she thought of Aidan. Even recently, when Duncan made it clear he wasn’t coming back, she still thought, “Maybe.” But now, she understood she needed to stop hoping for “maybe a man” and instead accept “maybe just me.” She called it a fact, not a tragedy. “I just have to start accepting it, period.”
This series, a spin-off from ‘Sex and the City’, won’t be returning for a fourth season. Showrunner Michael Patrick King shared earlier this month that he felt season three was “a wonderful place to stop.” He explained in a statement that he and Sarah Jessica Parker, often called SJP, held off on announcing the end. They didn’t want the word “finale” to overshadow the fun of watching the season. He thanked viewers for letting these characters into their homes and hearts for so many years.
So, how did things end for Carrie and her friends in the final episode? Let’s break down where each character landed:
Carrie Bradshaw
Early in the episode, Carrie went out for lunch alone. She found an unwelcome guest at her table: a doll. “They put a doll in front of any woman eating alone,” she later told her friends, calling it “lunch with a side of shame.” She survived it, she joked.
She also couldn’t shake a comment from her book editor. The editor apparently thought it was “tragic for women to be alone” both in the past and in the future. After attending a bridal fashion show with Charlotte, Seema, and Lisa, Carrie thought about her marriage to Big. She felt good about settling down because she was finally “chosen.” She eventually came to terms with the idea of being alone for the rest of her life.
Thanksgiving dinner at Miranda’s apartment turned into a mess. Carrie went back to her Gramercy Park home with a pie in hand. She turned on the karaoke machine left over from a party. As she admired her new place, she put on a song and ate spoonfuls of dessert without shame. Later, Carrie picked up her novel manuscript. She deleted the epilogue she had been working on. In its place, she wrote, “The woman realized she wasn’t alone. She was on her own.”
Miranda Hobbes
Miranda met up with her ex-husband, Steve (David Eigenberg), before Thanksgiving dinner. She was still reeling from the news that their son, Brady (Niall Cunningham), was having a baby with a girl he’d “maybe been with twice.” Steve asked about the girl, Mia (Ella Stiller). Miranda wondered, “How can I put this kindly?” She worried Mia was “a vengeful idiot” who told Brady that Miranda “profaned her aura.” Brady then stopped talking to Miranda, calling her bipolar. “Babies having babies,” Miranda sighed. Steve admitted he shouldn’t have “blown up” at Brady. He promised Miranda they would figure it out as a family. “There’s no way our grandchild isn’t going to know us,” he said.
Beyond the baby drama, Miranda feared her partner, Joy (Dolly Wells), was lying about missing Thanksgiving dinner because of a sick dog. Miranda thought Joy was upset about a big fight with Brady over inviting Mia to celebrate. Carrie encouraged Miranda to call Joy. She found out the dog crisis was real.
While Brady cooked, Miranda rushed to meet Joy at the animal clinic. She left Carrie to greet Mia and her eccentric friends, one named Epcot, after the Disney park, a joke repeated often. When Joy saw Miranda at the clinic, she became emotional. Luckily, the dog was fine. The Thanksgiving turkey, however, was not. Miranda’s guests had to settle for side dishes and a cheese platter. After everyone left, Miranda faced a huge mess. Mia’s friend Epcot had ruined the bathroom. A “plumbing accident” got a lot of screen time. As Miranda scrubbed the bathroom floor, Joy appeared at the door. “You spent the holidays with my family,” Joy told Miranda, “I can spend them with yours.”
Charlotte York Goldenblatt
At the bridal show, Charlotte and Lisa opened up about how their marriages had changed. Charlotte admitted her husband, Harry (Evan Handler), was “devastated our love life isn’t the same” after his cancer diagnosis. Things took a sharp turn when Charlotte got home to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Harry walked into the kitchen and announced he was “hard,” so they quickly went to the bedroom.
Later, Charlotte dropped off stuffing at Miranda’s house. She forgot that she had set up a potential date for Carrie there. Mark Kasabian (Victor Garber) was happy to keep Carrie company, but Carrie wasn’t thrilled. “I hated that you thought there isn’t a man out there for you,” Charlotte told her friend. “There’s a man… He has a plane!”
Lisa Todd Wexley
Lisa continued to work on her docuseries. She got a message from a friend of Marion’s at the Obamas’ production company. The friend said that while Michelle Obama was “too well-known to be a subject,” the former First Lady might “consider narrating.” Overwhelmed, Lisa hugged the handsome editor Marion (Mehcad Brooks). He suggested they celebrate with dinner. Despite their “work romance,” Lisa declined. “We can’t go out for a drink, or dinner, or anywhere out of this editing room,” she explained. “This has to be work. Only work. And we have to get back to whatever this is. It has to be work.” Marion agreed, saying being more than colleagues would “ruin everything for both of us.”
At the fashion show, Lisa thought about the ups and downs of lifelong commitment like marriage. “Someone should tell these sweet, innocent girls that marriage is much more than a beautiful dress,” she said, watching the models. “It’s about confusion, not knowing how to help, and shutting up.” Back home, Lisa reminded her husband, Herbert (Chris Jackson), that she would always be there for him, until death parted them.
Seema Patel
The businesswoman kept getting closer to Carrie’s attractive landscaper, Adam (Logan Marshall-Green). But she was put off by his opinion that weddings were “ridiculous” and a “waste of time.” Chatting with Carrie at the fashion show, Seema said, “Adam just stood there, literally, peeing all over the idea of marriage.” He didn’t believe in it at all. His mother never married, so he had no reference point. He thought it was all a joke.
Seema explained her own view on marriage was different. “Since I was little, I’ve been groomed for it… It’s something I dreamed of,” she said. Then she wondered, “Do I really want it, or am I just programmed for it?” Carrie, ever the supportive friend, later asked Adam about his intentions with Seema. While he might not be the marrying type, he insisted his connection with Seema was special and could last “a lifetime.”
