Michael Patrick King Reveals the Lasting Effect the Series Premiere of ‘And Just Like That…’ Had on Production for Season 2
Patricia Field, the costume designer for Sex and the City, once revealed that it was difficult to get designers on board with the show during its first season. Still, after season 1 garnered mass attention, designers were knocking down the doors to get their garments on the show. When HBO Max announced And Just Like That… brands lined up to appear on the show. During the filming of season 2, showrunner Michael Patrick King found himself with a much different problem. Brands were suddenly suspicious of the reboot, and it’s all because of the show’s season 1 Peloton storyline.
Michael Patrick King revealed that brands had some serious questions about their products’ involvement in the series
The media circus surrounding Mr. Big’s death and its effect on Peloton has not been forgotten, especially by brands and designers that Michael Patrick King and the And Just Like That… team hoped to work with for season 2. The famed showrunner revealed that the “Peloton effect” was in full force while filming the show’s sophomore season.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, King revealed that he had a hard time getting the buy-in from designers and brands until he explicitly explained how their products would be used in the show. He said, “This season, every time we wanted to use a product name, people were like, ‘And how are they gonna use it?’ In short, brands insisted on ensuring no one would die because of or while sporting their products.
Despite some hesitancy, it looks like the series will have plenty of product placement and seriously gorgeous designer outfits. During the filming, the costume design team shared numerous sneak peeks on Instagram. We know there will be plenty of Manolo Blahnik shoes and a touch or two of Valentino. We have yet to see another Peloton, though.
Season 2 of And Just Like That… has a premiere date of June 2023. The season promises to return to its roots with a lot more laughter. The reboot’s inaugural season was lambasted by fans for its heaviness.
‘And Just Like That…’ season 1 featured a Peloton bike and sent the company’s stock plummeting
Some brands’ hesitancy to participate in And Just Like That… season 2 is understandable. After all, episode one utilized a Peloton bike in Mr. Big’s death scene. Following the beloved character’s death after a strenuous spinning class, stocks for the fitness brand plummeted. The stock price dropped to an all-time low in the immediate aftermath of the shocking death.
In response to the series premiere, Peloton issued a statement, insisting that Mr. Big’s unhealthy lifestyle and not their fitness equipment led to his untimely demise. The brand revealed that while they had agreed to the product placement, they were unaware that the bike would be used in Mr. Big’s death storyline. The company also released a commercial that suggested Mr. Big was not, in fact, dead and rather had run off with his instructor.
