‘Sex and the City’ Teased That Shocking Death in ‘And Just Like That’ Way Back in Season 6 — ‘Are You Trying to Kill Me?’
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- Most of the cast of Sex and the City are back for the HBO Max reboot And Just Like That….
- In the series premiere fans were shocked when Mr. Big suffers a heart attack and dies.
- Mr. Big’s death was seemingly forshadowed way back in season 6.
The Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That… shocked fans at the end of the very first episode. In the final scene, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) found her husband, John James Preston aka Mr. Big (Chris Noth), dead from a heart attack. But fans might not remember that the original series teased Big’s shocking death way back in season 6.
The ‘Sex and the City’ reboot features almost all of the original cast
And Just Like That… picked up 15 years after Sex and the City left off — with Carrie, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) eating lunch together and sharing their personal drama. But this time, they are women in their 50s who are in new phases of their careers, marriages, and motherhood.
There was one beloved character who was noticeably missing — Kim Cattrall’s Samantha Jones. Cattrall refused to reprise her role for the new series, so they moved her character to London after having a falling out with Carrie.
Noth also returned, along with Evan Handler (Harry), David Eigenberg (Steve), Mario Cantone (Anthony), and the late Willie Garson (Stanford), who died in September.
‘And Just Like That’ killed off Mr. Big after a Peloton workout
When cameras caught the cast and crew on set in New York City earlier this year, it appeared they were shooting a funeral scene. But, it wasn’t known exactly who the show had killed off. Many speculated they were killing off the Samantha character, but it turned out the funeral was for Mr. Big.
The end of the premiere episode saw Big riding his Peloton before suffering a heart attack. Carrie walked in and found him after attending a recital for Harry and Charlotte’s daughter Lily (Cathy Ang).
‘Sex and the City’ teased the shocking death in season 6
Mr. Big’s death was an unexpected blow in the premiere. But Season 6, Episode 11 of Sex and the City — “The Domino Effect” — actually teased it. At the time, Big had just had heart surgery and he was staying at the Four Seasons while he recovered. When Carrie showed up at the hotel to take care of him, she was dressed as his sexy “candy striper.”
“Stop. – Put your coat back on. Are you trying to kill me?” Big says to Carrie. “I can’t smoke, I can’t drink, and I can’t get excited. About anything.”
For “PG fun,” Carrie suggests they play dominos. And Big replies, “Why don’t you just take off your dress and kill me now, get it over with?”
“Nobody wins with that kind of attitude,” Carrie says.
Peloton issued a statement about Mr. Big’s death
Fans weren’t thrilled with And Just Like That… killing off such a major character in the very first episode. Many took to social media to voice their disappointment, but it didn’t stop there. Peloton actually issued a statement about it, and the company even referenced Big’s heart issues from SATC season 6.
“‘SATC’ fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack,” Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a member of Peloton’s health and wellness advisory council and a preventative cardiologist told the LA Times.
“Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks — and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6. These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event.”
Mr. Big’s death on the ‘Sex and the City’ reboot had real-world consequences…for Peloton
After the episode dropped on HBO Max, Peloton faced a serious stock drop because their product was associated with Mr. Big’s death. In response, the company released a new commercial titled “Unspoiler Alert,” featuring Noth and real life Peloton instructor Jess King (who played Big’s favorite trainer Allegra).
It shows that Big is alive and enjoying a romantic evening with Allegra, as they celebrate new beginnings. Appearing in the voiceover is Ryan Reynolds, who reminds viewers that Noth is, indeed, alive.
“And just like that… the world is reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, resting pulse and reduces blood-fat levels,” Reynolds says before quipping, “He’s alive.”
New episodes of And Just Like That… drop every Thursday on HBO Max.