HBO Max is making a terrible mistake canceling And Just Like That

It's time to say goodbye to the Sex and the City universe all over again. On Aug. 1 following the drop of And Just Like That season 3 episode 10, showrunner Michael Patrick King released a statement announcing that the sequel series is ending. According to King, he made the decision to end the series while writing the last two episodes of season 3, which are now the two-part series finale.

In his statement, he explains that he realized the season 3 finale was "a wonderful place to stop" and that he made the decision alongside star Sarah Jessica Parker and HBO Max bosses Casey Bloys and Sarah Aubrey. However, even though he and Parker knew the show was ending ahead of the season 3 premiere, they opted to keep it a secret from fans until now.

While they didn't want the concept of season 3 being the "final season" to cast a shadow over the enjoyment of the episodes, perhaps that would have better contextualized the season's events. It's been a rollercoaster of a season that hasn't been without its criticism from fans, but I can't help but feel like HBO Max canceling the series now is a terrible mistake in the long run.

And Just Like That season 3 shouldn't be the end

Sarah Jessica Parker shared a video on Instagram with her unmistakable voiceover reading the poem she wrote effectively saying goodbye to Carrie Bradshaw. Kristin Davis reposted King's statement and wrote an emotional caption that began with "I am profoundly sad." Whether you were hate-watching And Just Like That or actually enjoyed it, this moment really is profoundly sad.

It's not to say that Sex and the City won't ever return again in some form in the future, but it sounds an awful lot like after And Just Like That airs its last two episodes, an era will officially come to an end. An era that for nearly 30 years included Carrie Bradshaw and her friends looking for love and finding their way, making friends with every single viewer who watched their ups and downs.

And Just Like That wasn't nearly as "good" as Sex and the City or its movies, but it was still special. What was even more special about season 3, even though Carrie's rekindled situationship with Aidan was maddening, was that it was truly finding its footing. I believe the show finally discovered its identity, and rather than building that up with an actual final season, tapping out now feels sudden.

King noted that though season 3 originally had 10 episodes ordered, he expanded the season to 12 episodes in order to write a proper ending. But it's difficult to imagine how all of the storylines will be wrapped up with a bow in just two more episodes. Miranda's dealing with her son's personal life struggles on top of her own, Charlotte's still a bit lost, Lisa's professional commitments continue to conflict with her home life, Seema's opening up to a new relationship, and Carrie...

Well, Carrie could have finally found a new love of her life in Duncan, a fellow writer who's heading back to London full time after they finally acted on their feelings. Will Carrie end up with him, and maybe even hop across the pond, or will she stay single in New York? What will happen with her debut novel? Will she return to her old apartment? We've reached the Carrie Bradshaw endgame.

There are many questions to be answered in the two-part series finale. Deadline reports that King informed the cast of the decision to end the series the day before making the public announcement. I hope they knew while filming that season 3 could have been the end and weren't shocked along with us all. I hope, too, that And Just Like That really does conclude with a series finale that honors the franchise's indelible legacy and isn't the reactionary mistake it currently feels like.

More And Just Like That from Show Snob: