Ever since news of Kim Cattrall’s cameo on And Just Like That… was leaked, fans have been waiting with bated breath for the return of the Sex and the City queen. The pending appearance of Samantha Jones has been made all the more splashy thanks to tabloid-esque rumors of a long-standing feud between cast members. But the gossip mill took a backseat, with the thought of another moment with Catrall’s character proving enough of a thrill for fans.
HBO’s Samantha-free reboot of the show has been criticized for reasons beyond the absence of this one character, but each analysis is largely, implicitly underscored by “Samantha could have made this better.”
And that’s exactly what Twitter has to say today, with the series finale finally airing and the reappearance of Samantha beyond casual mentions, showing up for a moment that can only truly be described as short and sweet. A few spoilers ahead!
For both seasons of And Just Like That…, Samantha’s absence has been explained by her moving to London, only appearing in Season 2 through a photograph in Charlotte’s collection. In the Season 2 finale, the episode wastes no time in introducing Cattrall in person, possibly because the 10 episodes prior to “The Last Supper Part Two: Entrée” formed a very long waiting game.
Samantha’s cameo consists of a warm phone call with Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw, a faux British accent, and a reference to Annabelle Bronstein (refer to: SATC Season 6, Episode 10). Samantha calls to bid adieu to Carrie’s iconic apartment, which has been sold, also revealing that she had tried to orchestrate a surprise appearance for Carrie’s Last Supper event, but ran into logistical issues. For Carrie, it seems enough that Samantha still holds this much fondness, for both the place and for her.
Carrie, all smiles, talking to Samantha.
Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/Max.
The brief comeback was orchestrated with ease. With her signature Samantha charm, wit, and styling all in check, Catrall makes this moment feel like one of the more nostalgic fragments of the reboot. As Cattrall has said, Samantha will always be a part of her. And of the experience itself, the actor described the four-hour-long process glamorously: “It felt like dipping my toe back in time and having a wonderful afternoon. And then a great martini.”
Fans (for the most part) were not disappointed with her reprisal. The moment really was for the original SATC viewers – and this was not lost on the AJLT audience at all.
