3 Ways ‘And Just Like That…’ Could Work Aidan Shaw Back Into the Story That Wouldn’t Be Cliche

Last year, John Corbett nearly broke the internet when he announced he would appear in season 1 of And Just Like That…, the Sex and the City reboot. Corbett was just having a little laugh. He never did reprise his role as Aidan Shaw. Things are reportedly about to change. With season 2 set to start filming soon, Corbett is once again in. Reportedly, Aidan is coming back, for real this time. Fans of the original series are worried that his return storyline will be cliche. There are, however, three storylines that could incorporate Aidan without it feeling like a tired trope. Each one requires a romance between Aidan and Carrie to be completely off the table. 

Aidan Shaw could return as a parent of one of Brady or Lily’s friends 

After his failed engagement to Carrie, Aidan met his wife, Kath, and had his first of three children in pretty short order. Aidan’s oldest son was an infant when Carrie ran into him on the street in season 6, meaning he would be right around Brady Hobbes’ age and a year or two older than Lily Goldenblatt. 

It isn’t inconceivable that Aidan would pop up in And Just Like That… as the parent of one of Brady or Lily’s friends. In fact, it’s possible for romance to be in the air between Lily and Tate Shaw. It doesn’t need to be Tate, though. One of Aidan’s other two boys should be around her age, too. Only Tate was born when Sex and the City ended. Aidan only mentioned Wyatt and Homer in Sex and the City 2. He never gave their ages. 

Aidan could return for a storyline about Steve Brady’s bar 

Carrie might have met Aidan first, but she wasn’t his only tie to the Sex and the City universe. Aidan and Steve Brady became friends after Aidan and Carrie broke up the first time and eventually went into business together. Aidan was a silent partner in Steve’s bar, Scout. When And Just Like That… opened, Steve still owned the company. Presumably, Aidan was still a silent partner, too. 

Given the drama between Steve and Miranda Hobbes in season 1, it would stand to reason he’d need a shoulder to lean on. Aidan could easily be incorporated into a storyline involving the bar or Steve’s feelings about being unceremoniously dumped. Perhaps despondent over his lost love, Steve takes a break from the bar, and Aidan steps in to make it all work. 

Aidan Shaw and Carrie Bradshaw could reconnect platonically 

The death of John James Preston was a pretty big deal. It was a death that would have gotten plenty of media coverage in New York City papers. Since Aidan revealed that his wife kept an “eye’ on Carrie, she surely would have learned about Mr. Big’s death and clued Aidan in. With that information, it’s reasonable that Aidan might want to extend his condolences to Carrie. That type of storyline certainly wouldn’t require a multi-episode arc like Deadline has reported the character will get, though.  

While any of the three options are possible, Sex and the City fans feel fairly certain that if Aidan returns, he will be a love interest for Carrie. Reddit users are lamenting the potential decision before it even happens, with several noting that Aidan actually deserves better than Carrie.

Regardless of everyone’s feelings on the matter, it will take a while to find out what the writers have in store, if anything, for Aidan Shaw and Carrie Bradshaw. And Just Like That… season 2 is set to start filming this fall but won’t premiere until later in 2023. Photos from location shoots, however, might offer a glimpse into Aidan’s storyline before anything premieres. We’ll all have to stay tuned.