And Just Like That premieres with death of character

The Sex and the City reboot has aired with the death of a star that is sure to break fans’ hearts. Warning: Spoilers

WARNING: Spoilers

And just like that … Big died.

Rumours had been swirling since the revival was announced that a major character may be killed off in the first episode. A big death – and it literally was – had been tipped.

It was a total sucker punch to the gut from the minute it became apparent with the contrasting scenes of piano concerto and Big (Chris Noth) pushing himself to his limits in a virtual peloton with the other woman in his life Allegra (purely platonic though she’s his peloton instructor).

The signs were there from the start, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Big the perfect picture of domestic bliss, embracing each other in their upscale New York City apartment.

The girls are back – minus one. Picture: HBO/Binge

Big greeting her with “Hey kid, let the wine begin” and already cooking dinner when she returns home from a long day of socialising with her friends and podcasting (because of course Carrie would be instagramming and podcasting in 2021).

Big staring adoringly at Carrie as she heads to Charlotte’s (Kristin David) daughter’s piano concert. Carrie wearing her blue Manolos that were her something blue on her (eventual) wedding day.

Happiness soon turns to sadness. Picture: HBO/Binge

But, wow, sensing it was coming did nothing to assuage the grief as Carrie cradles her dying husband in her arms. And Parker is magnificent in her grief. Calling Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) just as she did when she and Big were on-again, off-again.

There’s still plenty of light to go with the shade. And Just Like That is set in post-pandemic New York City, with characters navigating: when is it OK to hug? (When Carrie says, “Remember when we had to stand six feet apart?”, Miranda cracks, “Yeah, I miss it.”) or when Susan Sharon (Molly Price) quips at Big’s beautiful funeral, “Am I the only one who remembers what a prick he was to her?”

Mario Cantone and the late Willie Garson (who died at just 57 from pancreatic cancer only weeks after filming) reprise their roles as the married couple Anthony Marantino and Stanford Blatch, and a number of recurring characters from the TV series also make some cameos — all adding a link to the past.

Some familiar faces are back. Picture: HBO/Binge

Samantha (Kim Cattrall) was obviously AWOL – and it was a great gaping hole as I knew it would be. It was tough to buy that she would only send flowers and not return home, forgiving all the past slights.

But all the things we loved about Sex and The City were there to keep us glued to the screens, after all these years. And it will keep me coming back for the remaining eight weekly episodes to see how these three friends navigate the dark days ahead – perhaps with a new cocktail in their hands.

And Just Like That, Thursdays, Binge