So, it finally happened. We reached the end of the road with And Just Like That season 3 episode 12, and if you’re anything like the rest of the Sex and the City fandom, you’re probably sitting on your sofa right now with a very specific mix of "wait, that’s it?" and "I saw that coming from a mile away." It's weird. This show has always been a polarizing beast since it dropped back in 2021, but this finale really leaned into the chaos.
Let’s be real for a second. The third season has been a massive balancing act. We’ve had Carrie trying to figure out if she’s actually a "widow who dates" or just a woman who happens to have a very expensive apartment and a podcast history. Then there’s Miranda, who spent most of the season deconstructing every single life choice she made in the original series, and Charlotte, who is basically the only person keeping the original spirit of the show alive while her kids grow up at lightning speed. By the time we hit the finale, the stakes weren’t just about who ended up with whom. It was about whether these characters still make sense in 2026.
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The Big Payoff in And Just Like That Season 3 Episode 12
Everyone wanted to know about Carrie and Aidan. Again. It feels like we’ve been playing this game of romantic musical chairs since the late nineties, doesn't it? In this episode, the resolution—or lack thereof—felt intentionally messy. Sarah Jessica Parker plays Carrie with this specific kind of polished vulnerability that makes you want to shake her and hug her at the same time. The writers didn’t give us a neat bow. They gave us a question mark.
That’s the thing about this show now. It’s not a sitcom anymore. It’s a dramedy that’s deeply obsessed with the passage of time.
Miranda’s arc in this finale was actually the most grounded, despite how much fans have complained about her "new" personality. Watching her navigate the complexities of her career versus her personal identity felt honest. It wasn’t flashy. There were no big speeches on a bridge in Paris. It was just a woman in her late 50s realizing that maybe she doesn't have to be "fixed." She just has to be.
What Actually Went Down With the Supporting Cast?
Honestly, Seema is the MVP of this season. Total powerhouse. In And Just Like That season 3 episode 12, her storyline finally touched on something deeper than just being the "cool, single friend" who smokes. We saw a crack in the armor. It’s refreshing because, for a while, it felt like the new characters—Seema, Nya, and LTW—were just orbiting the original trio like satellites. This episode finally felt like they were part of the gravity.
Lisa Todd Wexley’s storyline wrapped up with a bit of a bittersweet note regarding her documentary work. It’s a classic AJLT move: give a character a win, then immediately remind them that the world is complicated. Her chemistry with Herbert remains one of the few stable things in this universe, even when they’re bickering about school functions or career sacrifices.
Why the Fan Reaction is So Split
If you check Twitter (or X, whatever we’re calling it this week) or Reddit, the divide is huge. One camp thinks the show has finally found its rhythm. They love the slow burn. They love the fact that Carrie isn't just chasing a man anymore. The other camp? They’re still mourning the 1998 version of New York City that probably never really existed anyway.
The pacing of the finale was... bold. We spent a lot of time on small, atmospheric moments. Think long silences over expensive wine. If you were looking for a high-octane cliffhanger where someone gets left at the altar or discovers a secret twin, you were probably disappointed. But if you’re here for the "vibe" of wealthy New Yorkers aging gracefully (and sometimes disgracefully), it hit the spot.
Michael Patrick King has always said this show is about the "layers" of life. Sometimes those layers are a bit thin. In this episode, the focus on the kids—Lily, Rock, and Brady—felt more prominent than usual. It’s a reminder that the "And Just Like That" of the title isn't just about sudden death or sudden change; it's about how quickly the next generation starts taking up the oxygen in the room.
The Fashion: A Character of Its Own
We have to talk about the clothes. You can't analyze a season finale of this show without looking at the textiles. The costume designers, Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago, really went for it in episode 12. Carrie’s final look was a deliberate callback but with a modern, almost architectural twist. It wasn't just "pretty." It was a statement about her standing her ground.
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- Carrie’s vintage archival piece in the final scene? Pure fan service.
- Charlotte’s "organized mom" aesthetic reaching its final form.
- Seema’s gold-toned power suit that probably costs more than my car.
The fashion serves a purpose here. It hides the insecurities of the characters. When Charlotte is spiraling about her family, her clothes are perfectly pressed. It's her armor. In the finale, we see a few moments where that armor slips, and it's some of Kristin Davis's best work.
Misconceptions About the Season 3 Ending
There’s a rumor floating around that a major character was supposed to be written out in And Just Like That season 3 episode 12. Based on the actual footage, that doesn't seem to be the case. Everyone is still on the board. The "departure" people are talking about is more emotional than physical.
Another thing people get wrong: the Aidan "wait for me" saga. Without spoiling the exact dialogue for those who haven't hit play yet, let's just say the "five-year plan" mentioned in previous seasons is handled with a lot more nuance here. It’s not a simple "yes" or "no." It’s a "what are we even doing?" which feels much more like real life in your 50s.
The Reality of Production
Filming in New York hasn't gotten any easier. You can tell the production leaned heavily into private spaces for this finale. There’s an intimacy to the scenes that feels different from the sprawling street shots of the original series. It makes the world feel smaller, which fits the theme of the characters' lives becoming more focused on their inner circles.
What This Means for Season 4
The finale definitely leaves the door wide open. Not a crack. A wide-open, double-entry door. We have unresolved career shifts for Miranda, a new phase of motherhood for Charlotte, and Carrie... well, Carrie is in a place of genuine independence that we haven't seen since the early days.
The show is leaning into the idea that there is no "happily ever after." There’s just "happily for right now." It’s a cynical take for some, but for others, it’s the most honest thing the franchise has ever done.
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Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you've finished the episode and feel a bit lost, here’s how to process the madness of the season 3 finale:
- Rewatch the first episode of Season 3. You'll notice some heavy-handed foreshadowing about Carrie's final decision that totally missed the first time around. The parallels in the dialogue are actually pretty clever.
- Check out the "And Just Like That... The Writers Room" podcast. They usually drop a deep dive into the finale's creative choices within 24 hours. It explains why they chose the "quiet" ending over a "loud" one.
- Audit the fashion references. A lot of the pieces in episode 12 were sourced from small, independent designers. If you’re into the look, searching for the specific costume breakdown can lead you to some incredible sustainable brands that aren't just the usual high-end labels.
- Give the "new" characters a second look. If you’ve been fast-forwarding through the non-original trio scenes, go back. The payoff for Seema and LTW in the finale only works if you’ve actually paid attention to their growth over the last ten episodes.
The ending of season 3 isn't a period; it's a semicolon. It’s frustrating, sure. But it's also exactly what this show is at its core: a messy, beautiful, expensive look at trying to stay relevant in a city that’s always moving faster than you are.