Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of And Just Like That.
Every streaming service has a few megahits, and for Max one of those is definitely And Just Like That. The Sex and the City spinoff has brought back beloved characters, as well as newcomers who are showing what it’s like to be a woman of a certain age in the big apple. But there are a few noticeable absences including Kim Cattrall’s Samanatha Jones. The show also had to write out Carrie’s friend Stanford due to the death of actor Willie Garson. And AJLT’s showrunner Michael Patrick King recently explained the character’s surprising ending that came during Season 2 Episode 10.
Stanford was featured in the first three episodes of And Just Like That Season 1, before the show found a way to write him off due to Garson’s passing. Stanford was spending time on a TikTok tour in Japan, seemingly leaving his husband Anthony in the process. But the new episode revealed that Stanford has been in contact with Carrie, and had actually given away his attachments and possessions to become a Shinto monk. Creator/showrunner Michael Patrick King spoke on the And Just Like That The Writer’s Room podcast about how this came about. He said:
Ever since Willie died and what we had to do last year was explain the loss of our really wonderful friend and actor, Willie Garson playing Stanford Blatch. The thing we came up with is that he went to Japan on a TikTok tour.
Stanford’s departure made way for Anthony to become a larger presence in And Just Like That, as he leaned on the women and insisted on being part of the “inner circle” of their friendship. And after he was absent throughout Season 2, Episode 10 finally offered some closure. Rather than Garson’s character being killed off, he got a happy (albeit surprising) ending.
Later during that same podcast episode, Michael Patrick King revealed how the story around Stanford developed as time passed, and he crafted how to honor Willie Garson through AJLT. As he put it,
It was a fast fix. It was a little bit, it was like thin ice. We skated over it ‘cause we had to, ‘cause he wasn’t in the show suddenly and we didn’t want Stanford to die. We wanted Willie to be alive as Stanford somewhere in the world. And here we are, and she says she got a letter from Stanford and he’s in Japan and he’s staying and he’s a Shinto monk.
King also revealed that Stanford’s fate as a Shinto monk was actually inspired by a trip he took with Sarah Jessica Parker while promoting the second Sex and the City movie. He was moved when entering the temple, which is why Carrie’s GBF ended up there.
I wanted to somehow pay tribute to Willie and put Stanford someplace where it was golden and filled with light because I hope Willie’s someplace that’s golden and filled with light.
How sweet is that? There’s clearly a lot of love shared between Michael Patrick King and the cast of Sex and the City/AJLT. There are generations of fans who feel connected with the legacy characters, as well as the actors who play them. And Lucky for us fans, Kim Cattrall’s Samantha Jones is expected to have a cameo in the finale. Aidan is also back, although Katie Couric had concerns over his fashion. It feels like the gang’s all back, either physically or in spirit.
And Just Like That is available with a Max subscription. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
