And Just Like That: Can reboots ever out-do the originals?

Fans waited years for And Just Like That to finally hit screens, but after three seasons some are just as desperate for it to be over.

And just like that, Kim Cattrall appears to have been right all along. Cattrall was accused of being a cocktail party-pooper for refusing to reprise her role as Samantha Jones in the much-anticipated Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That … due to tensions with series star Sarah Jessica Parker.

Apart from a brief cameo (filmed without any of her estranged co-stars present), Samantha has been MIA from the three seasons of the refreshed series, her absence from her previously ride-or-die friendship with Carrie Bradshaw and co in New York explained by a move to London. In an interview with Variety, Cattrall admitted that, given the huge popularity of the series, it was difficult not to be bullied into returning by fans and the press.

“I haven’t deserted anybody,” she said, defending her choice to leave Samantha behind. “Can you imagine going back to a job you did 25 years ago? And the job didn’t get easier; it got more complicated in the sense of: how are you going to progress with these characters?”

The answer to that question, fans discovered, were storylines which generally seem to fluctuate between cringe-inducing and just plain boring.

And Just Like That Season 2. Picture: Supplied

But are fans, blinded by nostalgic affection, being too hard on the And Just Like That’s leading ladies? While the original Sex and the City was criticised for its lack of diversity, And Just Like That copped flack for being too woke. In particular, the character of Che Diaz (an embarrassingly unfunny stand-up comedian played by Sara Ramirez) became the target of vitriol. Ahead of their departure from the series, Ramirez sought to distance themselves from the divisive Che. “I am not the fictional characters I have played, nor am I responsible for the things that are written for them to say,” Ramirez wrote on Instagram. “I am a human being, an artist, an actor. And we are living in a world that has become increasingly hostile toward anyone who dares to free themselves from the gender binary or disrupt the mainstream.”

In an interview with The Guardian, Parker admitted she was shocked to learn there was so much hatred for Che.

“I’ve been an actor for 50 years, and I’ve almost never paid attention to peripheral chatter,” she said, adding that she had a good time on set with Ramirez. “I loved working with them.” Even now that Che has thankfully left the high-rise building — but although not before seducing Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) in the kitchen while a bedridden Carrie listened in and was forced to pee in a drink bottle.

Cynthia Nixon and Sara Ramirez. Picture: HBO.

And Just Like That’s writers have found new and unexpected ways to make viewers squirm and roll their eyes. Three seasons in, and many fans are also wishing they’d followed Cattrall’s lead and sat this one out after enduring a cringe-inducing phone sex session between Carrie (Parker) and Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) deflowering a nun, and Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) wetting his leather pants at a nightclub. Oh, and don’t get me started on that huge Strawberry Shortcake hat donned by Carrie for a stroll in the park. A guest appearance by Patti LuPone as a judgmental diva was unfortunately timed given the legendary performer’s recent cancellation for her snarky remarks about Broadway actors Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald in The New Yorker. Likewise, fans have noticed glaring continuity errors involving Aidan’s estranged wife Kathy (Rosemarie DeWitt) and the father of Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker).

DeWitt played a completely different character in Sex and the City before showing up as Kathy. While Lisa referenced her dad’s death back in season one – only to have him drop dead as a plot point in season three. After pointing out the double standards that see female-led shows more subject to scrutiny than those starring men, Parker has found silver linings in all the commentary about the series.

Yes it’s true, there’s a little known sequel to the classic Titanic.

“I ultimately think that all those feelings are pretty fantastic. That kind of connection and those kinds of strong feelings, both positive and negative, are pretty wonderful,” she told Huffpost UK. Let’s face it, a show like Sex and the City – which was so groundbreaking and beloved by its fans – was going to be a tough act to follow.

The same could be said for any sequel or reboot. Some, like the reimagined Heartbreak High and Cobra Kai breathe new life into an old favourite while retaining just enough nostalgic references to keep diehard fans happy.

Others, like the renewed Offspring, the Neighbours’ short-lived resuscitation of Neighbours or the meta-reboot of Beverly Hills, 90210, never quite hit the same high notes as the original. Or perhaps it’s just possible to have too much of a good thing. You be the judge with these titles: Check out these sequels and reboots streaming on Tubi, and you be the judge.

Rescue from Gilligan’s Island: Featuring all the original cast, this TV movie follows the famous castaways as they struggle to adjust back to regular life after being marooned on a desert island.

Backdraft 2: The son of legendary firefighter Bull McCaffrey investigates a new spate of arson attacks with the help of his uncle Brian (William Baldwin reprising his role from the 1991 original).

Titanic 2: Yep. There’s actually a sequel to the much beloved film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio where a century after the famous disaster a new luxury cruise liner sets sail.

Stream on Tubi now.

Originally published as And Just Like That: Can reboots ever out-do the originals?