Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 15, 2025 · Entertainment

Carrie's Cringe Finale: Critics Slam And Just Like That for 'Blasé' Ending

Sarah Jessica Parker's last performance as the iconic Carrie Bradshaw was called 'a waste' by critics who roasted Thursday's finale of And Just Like That

The Scandalous Finale of Sex and the City: Carrie's Crushing Blow

In a shocking turn of events, the highly-anticipated finale of And Just Like That... has left fans reeling in disappointment. The three-season spin-off of the iconic Sex and the City reboot came to a close with a lackluster episode that critics are calling "a waste" of the beloved franchise.

The final installment, aptly titled "Party of One," marked the end of an era for Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), who has been navigating her life after the death of her husband Mr. Big. The episode's focus on Carrie's solo journey was met with criticism from both critics and fans, who felt that it was a far cry from the glamorous and empowering portrayal of women in the original series.

The Sex and the City reboot came to an end after three seasons and years of fan backlash over 'woke' storylines that 'ruined' the show's legacy

The episode's awkward Thanksgiving dinner party scene, where Carrie is seated alone at a table surrounded by an assortment of eccentric characters, has been labeled "cringeworthy" and "underwhelming." The plot twist, which sees Carrie come to terms with the possibility of being single for good, was met with skepticism from fans who felt that it did not align with the show's original message.

A Devastating Conclusion

As the episode progressed, viewers were subjected to a series of bizarre and cringeworthy moments, including a farcical toilet scene involving Victor Garber's character Mark Kasabian. The scene, which saw the art gallery specialist's toilet overflowing with waste, was dubbed "a little too on the nose" by Lauren Sarner from the New York Post.

And the 'cringe' and 'underwhelming' twelfth episode ¿ titled 'Party of One' ¿ didn't fare any better with critics, who called it 'blasé' and described Carrie's ending as a 'literal pile of crap'

Critics were also quick to point out that the finale lacked any meaningful scenes featuring Carrie's closest friends, Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis). Patrick Ryan of USA TODAY noted, "For a show that's long insisted that all you really need are your best girlfriends, it's disappointing that Carrie spends practically the entire episode in the company of strangers."

A Tragic Ending for a Beloved Franchise

The finale's conclusion, which sees Carrie change the epilogue of her book to read "The woman realized she was not alone - she was on her own," has been met with widespread criticism. The decision to have Carrie come to terms with being single and accepting it as fact has left fans feeling that the show's message has been lost.

In the episode, which runs for just over 32 minutes, Parker's character comes to terms with the fact that she may end up being single for good, after years of romantic ups and downs, and following the death of her husband, Mr. Big (Chris Noth)

Many have taken to social media to express their disappointment, with some even labeling the finale "a sad, heavy-handed and far too faecal farewell." Robyn Bahr from The Hollywood Reporter called the season "a waste of potential and time" and noted that Carrie "goes out with a whimper."

A Legacy Lost

The controversy surrounding And Just Like That... has been brewing for years, with fans expressing their discontent over the show's "woke" storylines and departure from the original series' core message. The decision to have Miranda cheat on her husband Steve with non-binary comic Che Diaz was met with outrage, as was Carrie's claim that Mr. Big may have been a "mistake."

'It's an episode that doesn't feel like a finale, much less a series finale,' Mae Abdulbaki from Screen Rant wrote of the finale

The finale's awkward handling of these plot points has left fans feeling that the show's legacy has been lost. As one fan noted, "I was very offended and annoyed by this. Such bs from the AJLT writers. And it’s so disrespectful to her husband of almost 20 years."

A Scandalous End

The finale's conclusion marks the end of an era for Sex and the City, which has been a beloved franchise since its debut in 1998. The show's creators have announced that they will be ending the series with a two-part finale, extended from the original 10 episodes to 12.

Critics and fans also took issue with a shockingly graphic toilet scene involving Victor Garber's character, art gallery specialist Mark Kasabian

In a statement, showrunner Michael Patrick King noted, "While I was writing the last episode of And Just Like That… season 3, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop. Along with Sarah Jessica Parker, Casey Bloys and Sarah Aubrey, we decided to end the popular series this year with a two-part finale and extended the original series order from 10 episodes to 12."

The decision has left fans feeling that the show's legacy is being lost in a sea of controversy and poor writing. As one fan noted, "It's a sad day for Sex and the City fans everywhere. The show will always be remembered as a once-beloved franchise turned woke disaster."

Sources:

The scene shows the toilet overflowing with waste, with Lauren Sarner from the New York Post calling it 'a little too on the nose'

  • Mae Abdulbaki from Screen Rant
  • Lauren Sarner from the New York Post (thescholarlynote.com)
  • Patrick Ryan of USA TODAY (thescholarlynote.com)
  • Robyn Bahr from The Hollywood Reporter (thescholarlynote.com)
  • Hannah J. Davies from The Guardian (thescholarlynote.com)

'For a show that began as a fun examination of female empowerment and friendship to end on such a depressing note feels like a slap in the face,' she wrote, adding that while the show started as a 'comedy' it 'ended as a tragedy'

Some also took issue with the fact that the finale doesn't have even one scene of Carrie together with both of her best friends, Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis)

Robyn Bahr from The Hollywood Reporter said the season 'wasted potential and time' and saw Carrie 'go out with a whimper'

Carrie later comes home alone, and turns on her karaoke machine. She proceeds to eat pie while dancing

The episode ends with her changing the epilogue of her novel to read: 'The woman realized she was not alone - she was on her own'

It was not the glamorous ending many had envisioned for the beloved TV character's journey, which began with Sex and the City in 1998 (Parker seen in a still)

The Sex and The City reboot ended after three seasons, following years of fan backlash

Showrunner, writer, and director Michael Patrick King announced that the series would be ending earlier this month

Parker shared a montage of her favorite SATC moments with an emotional caption

Fans were left outraged by the show's about-face from SATC - In one of the most shocking and cringeworthy moments Carrie questioned whether Mr Big - the love of her life over six seasons, two movies and AJLT - could be a mistake

Fans were also left disgusted with her boyfriend Aidan in a season three episode which saw him licking his hand in his truck so that he could have phone sex with Carrie

AJLT saw Miranda cheat on husband Steve with non-binary comic Che (Sara Ramirez) - before starting to exclusively date women - even though in SATC Miranda had said she was 'definitely not gay'

The original SATC, starring Cynthia, Kim Cattrall, Parker, and Kristin was a cultural phenomenon but fanfare waned with the two movies