Sex and the City’s Middle Age Jack Berger Might Be the Spicy Storyline ‘And Just Like That …’ Needs
Hear me out. Yes, Jack Berger was the Sex and the City villain for countless violations, including the most egregious one of breaking up with Carrie Bradshaw on a Post-It hours after telling her he wanted to give the relationship a shot.
And sure he let his ego trash what could have been a promising relationship. But weren’t the majority of Berger’s misgivings rooted in immaturity? Plus, the relationship ended mainly because of Berger’s fragile ego, as Carrie’s writing career exploded while his career sputtered.
When Berger and Carrie met as thirtysomething writers, they were both finding their way through love and life, completely unevolved. Now that Carrie is a widow on And Just Like That … and middle-aged, what would a relationship, or even a friendship with Berger be like in 2022? Or would Berger be the same thin-skinned Lothario who never progressed?
Adding Berger, even for an episode of And Just Like That …, could be compelling peek into his trajectory. And seeing him again could answer a slew of unanswered questions.
‘And Just Like That …’ could explore how (or if) Jack Berger grew up since ‘Sex and the City’
John Corbett, who played Carrie’s other main love interest, Aiden Shaw is rumored to return to And Just Like That… Season 2. Other characters from Carrie’s past like Natasha, Mr. Big’s ex-wife made a cameo in season 1. And while Carrie had unresolved business with Natasha, she had the most unresolved past with Jack Berger on Sex and the City.
While some fans may never want to see Berger back in Carrie’s life, finding out if Berger eventually evolved beyond his ego could be a juicy exploration in And Just Like That … Season 2. Maybe Berger finally learned from his mistakes. And that he felt the burn of being too cowardly to admit he struggled in his relationship with Carrie because of his self-imposed emasculation. Most importantly, did Berger learn how to respectfully end a relationship or is he still the same weasel who broke up with someone via a Post-It?
Did Carrie move on since Berger’s ‘I’m sorry. I can’t. Don’t hate me’ Post-It breakup?
The other aspect is, did Carrie truly move on since the Post-It breakup? She went on to marry Big and was devastated when he died. So now that she’s single, does that break-up even resonate with her or hit very differently after decades passed?
According to Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw, Carrie may still harbor a lot of resentment towards Berger. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Parker said Berger was her “worst” boyfriend. “He stayed too long,” she said. “I didn’t think Carrie enjoyed that relationship. I thought it wasn’t one of those relationships where it’s meant to be good for you. Like taking iron tablets or something.”
Actor Ron Livingston doesn’t think ‘Sex and the City’ fans want to see Jack Berger return
Actor Ron Livingston, who played Jack Berger on Sex and the City doesn’t think fans have the appetite for another Berger. “There’s something about being in the age of texting, and Tinder where, like, a handwritten Post-it note is actually kind of old-fashioned and quaint,” he told Today. “You put some effort into that.”
So what killed the couple?
After weeks of banter and chemistry, Carrie’s scrunchie comment about Berger’s new book was likely the nail in the couple’s coffin. Livingston acknowledged that the comment was essentially the beginning of the end for Berger and Carrie.
Livingston joked about the moment. “I think scrunchie stock plummeted after we did that,” he said. “Some people, like, lost their shirts on that. I got death threats from, like, you know, scrunchie nation. It’s all right. It’s come back in somewhere.”
Love him or hate him (as many Sex and the City fans do), it is hard to not wonder what happened to Jack Berger post Sex and the City … and did he ever evolve?
