The Biggest Tragedy of ‘And Just Like That…’ Wasn’t Big’s Death, It Was the Death of Carrie’s Apartment
And Just Like That… will come to an end with a series finale that most fans aren’t excited about. While original Sex and the City fans bemoaned the reboot and the way the characters were depicted, many still find themselves sad to see the series come to an end. As we reflect on everything that transpired over three seasons, we can’t help but acknowledge the tragedies associated with the show. Mr. Big’s death in the show’s first episode, followed by the fumbling of Carrie’s grief in seasons 2 and 3, was tragic. Still, the loss of the man once compared to the Chrysler Building wasn’t the biggest tragedy of the reboot. Lisette completely destroying Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment hit us harder than expected.
Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment was the most important location in the original series
Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone apartment is more than a backdrop in Sex and the City. For six seasons, two movies, and a good portion of the reboot, it was her home. The rent-controlled Upper East Side one-bedroom, with its signature turquoise walls and overflowing closet, along with her three pals, was the most stable thing in her life for many years. It’s where she wrote her columns, sought out love, confided in pals, and processed her biggest heartbreaks. It’s also the place she ran back to every single time she needed to feel safe.
Fans of the character and the beloved series took solace in the space, too. Sure, it’s just the set of a fictional show, but for fans, it embodied the very spirit of the series. When Carrie moved out, once and for all, fans largely appreciated that the home was in the hands of Lisette. Someone who seemed like she might be the next generation’s Carrie Bradshaw. That appreciation is over.
Lisette destroyed the unit and its legacy
There have been many sad moments in And Just Like That…, but the saddest might have come in episode 11 of season 3. In the episode, Carrie returns to her iconic brownstone for a party. There, Lisette, the new owner, shows her around the space, which looks nothing like the apartment it once was. Lisette, fearing she would die alone and no one would find her, added walls so she could rent out part of the unit. The choppy, subpar construction job, complete with unfinished drywall, made the once-light and airy apartment feel like a depressing dorm. The dark paint didn’t help it feel less forboding, either.
We are sure the team behind the series had a reason for the storyline. We are sure it’s supposed to be symbolic. For Carrie, letting go of the physical space, insisting you “can’t go home again,” might be freeing. After ending her on-again-off-again romance with Aidan Shaw for the last time, the iconic writer seemed lighter, no longer anchored by nostalgia. The destruction of her beloved apartment was surely meant to suggest Carrie was giving up her tendency to look in the rearview mirror. Still, they didn’t have to punctuate the end of an era in such a traumatizing way. Fans of the beloved series have suffered enough.
HBO Max and the team behind And Just Like That… will have a chance to redeem themselves with a series finale on August 14. If we are being honest, we are not confident Carrie’s beloved brownstone will revert back to the spacious studio fans grew to love.
