Carrie Bradshaw’s ex fiance’s return on And Just Like That falls flat

It was always going to be a hard sell to bring back Carrie Bradshaw’s ex in a post-Mr Big world but all it took was two words for him to become the most cringy guy on television.

Sarah Jessica Parker and John Corbett on location for 'And Just Like That' on March 07, 2023 in New York City. Picture: GC Images

Aidan lost me at “chello”.

Honestly Sex And The City’s wet blanket, the antithesis to Carrie Bradshaw’s Mr Big, has always grated.

It was always going to be a hard sell bringing back Bradshaw’s beige-flag ex-fiance Aidan in a post-Big world.

But all it took was a: “Hey stranger” … And Just Like That, Aidan has become the most insufferable, sanctimonious, cringy guy on telly.

Furniture maker Aidan has always been a wolf in sheep’s bad clothing (quick sidenote: what was with his belted-quasi-safari-jacket in the jump scare scene to reintroduce him in episode seven? That ugly jacket deserves a column in itself).

As a diehard fan of Sex And The City from back when it first aired, it’s interesting to note most of the hardened critics of the And Just Like That … reboot were not born when sex columnist protagonist Carrie Bradshaw and her girlfriends Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha first Manolo Blahnik-stepped onto the streets of New York in 1998.

Perhaps it is this new legion of fans who have binge watched the show decades after it was first released, that script writers were so determined to appeal to in the sanitised sequel some 20 years on.

Sex And The City sequel And Just Like That is now streaming on Binge.

The return of our much-loved characters was both delightful and difficult to watch in the first season of And Just Like That. Sure, the fashion was fabulous. But, unlike many of the storylines SATC used to cover, it felt flaccid. It lost its mojo worrying too much, agonising over all the diversive, inclusive and whatever-in- between boxes, hence the character Che Diaz.

It’s easy to look back with rose-tinted designer glasses and cry the show was too white, too privileged and what about the lack of representation. It may be all of those things now. But, in the late ’90s, it was seriously inclusive for just representing a woman’s point of view and – more importantly – what women talked about with each other.

It aired in an era when American Pie was the highest-grossing movie franchise and There’s Something About Mary was teaching us about other types of hair gel. We gals grew up watching a teenager’s wet dream and were groomed on sexualised concepts about consent and banging “Stifler’s mum”.

But when Sex And The City returned as rebooted And Just Like That … it got lost in its own quagmire.

Miranda, once fiercely independent, professional and ballsy, was reduced to a simpering doofus, buggering up pronouns and blustering her way through life. What a disservice. Charlotte and her slightly less overfilled face in season two is there for lols. Samantha is sorely missed but due to return in a cameo. Which brings us back to Carrie who has remained true to herself; somewhat selfish with neuroses, a tad judgey, but hard not to love and with a wardrobe to lust after.

Sarah Jessica Parker. Picture: Getty Images

(Another quick sidenote: How did Carrie become a sex columnist when she is the most prudish of them all? C’mon, who always wears a bra while in the throes? And what was with the prissy I-can’t-talk-about-my-vagina episode? Surely this was a ripe opportunity to debunk the many misconceptions about women’s health?) Gah, so much to unpack.

But we digress and are here to talk about holier-than-thou Aidan.

We were just enjoying not having to endure sad-sack Carrie. Carrie was getting her groove back and almost back in the nude tutu strutting her stuff, when in comes the furniture maker in his ugly jacket to ruin it all.

First going back to the ex-files post 50 has got to be an unbelievable storyline. Carrie really should know better by then. We women need to know Carrie knows better by then!

Because sorry, but please girlfriend, an ex might get a look-see during a rebound in your late 20s or 30s, but you very quickly remember why they were turfed in the first place.

But Aidan was the worst of all exes. He pretended to love Carrie for all her flaws, only to want to change her via passive aggressive manipulation. Big loved Carrie for Carrie. Wasn’t that the whole goddamn point?

Also, what grown-ass man says no to a bit of hanky panky because he doesn’t want to relive memories from her old brownstone? Uggh. Making a song and dance about not returning to the apartment she loves and adores is no longer a beige flag, it’s a red one.

There is one word for Aidan: BAGGAGE. Carrie should only be looking for the carry-on kind.

The show’s penultimate episode airs Thursday; I hope Carrie comes to her senses and breaks Aidan’s heart all over again. Even if it is just for using the salutation: “Chello”.

Alice Coster is a Herald Sun columnist