‘Sex and the City’ Reboot ‘And Just Like That’ Kicks off With Shocking Main Character Death

The new Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, kicked off on Thursday, and fans were shocked to see one of the show’s main characters die in the very first episode. The HBO Max series’ debut started like fans would expect, catching up with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. [Please Note: Spoilers Below for the Series Premiere of And Just Like That.]

Near the end of the first episode, Carrie’s husband Mr. Big (Chris Noth) shows up, and we see him contently going about life normally. However, things take a sudden turn when he is seen grabbing his shoulder and collapsing to the floor in his home. Carrie arrives home but it’s seemingly too late. Then, in the second episode, it is confirmed that Big had a heart attack and died. This is a huge surprise twist, mainly because there had initially been talk that Big would not appear in the new series at all, but the Noth was announced as having been cast, so fans were excited to see how his and Carrie’s relationship had developed.

During a recent interviewwith The Guardian, Noth also discussed his character in the franchise, and shared some insight into how he thinks of the wealthy New York businessman. “I never saw him as an alpha male, that’s so funny that you say that. But it’s true, I do get offers to play these power-broker types.” He then joked, “I know how to put on a suit, but my wife put it perfectly when she said, ‘I don’t think people realize that you’re kind of schlubby.’”

Noth later offered his thoughts on how Sex and the City had a major influence on how people saw the city of New York, expressing concern that it may have given an inaccurate, or one-sided, portrayal. “I feel a little guilty that our show became the look for what New York is. That glamour always existed, but it wasn’t the only look. It’s kind of like what the Kardashians have done to culture in America: millions of people following them because they have a thousand shoes in their closets. No, no – it’s not the same.”

He added, “Sex and the City has a lot to offer in terms of its vision of New York, because people do need a certain glamour. But many neighborhoods have changed, so it’s a love-hate kinda thing.” And Just Like That debuted Dec. 9, with the first two episodes now available to stream, only on HBO Max.