TV Romance

‘And Just Like That’ Shocker: Is It Really Over for Carrie & Aidan? (POLL)

[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for And Just Like That Season 3, Episode 9 “Present Tense.”]

The Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Aidan Shaw (John Corbett) saga has been going on for over 20 years. Aren’t they tired? They got together, Carrie cheated with Big (Chris Noth), and they broke up. Carrie and Aidan gave it another go and even got engaged, but Carrie’s refusal to wear Aidan’s engagement ring on her finger was an ominous symbol of their fate. Carrie and Aidan ultimately broke up a second time, and Aidan went on to get married and have three kids. Carrie, as we all know, ended up with Big.

Following Big’s death, And Just Like That reintroduced Aidan into Carrie’s life just when she needed him. As they basked in the nostalgia and familiarity, Carrie and Aidan embraced a revival of their relationship two decades later. However, just like in the past, problems plagued Aidan and Carrie. In the July 24 episode of And Just Like That, these two decided the future of their love story.

And just like that… Carrie and Aidan are over again. The whole long-distance attempt was a last-ditch effort to try to prove they could make it work. (Seriously, who breaks up three times?) As we can see, history often repeats itself. Carrie and Aidan love versions of each other that no longer exist. Carrie’s deepening connection with her downstairs neighbor, Duncan Reeves (Jonathan Cake), proved to be the trigger of Aidan’s emotional insecurity.

Craig Blankenhorn / Max

Following a fight at her place, which happened after Aidan kicked Carrie out of bed because she smelled like smoke (okay, she should have known better), they came face-to-face. “I do have trust issues about you with other men,” Aidan admitted. The use of the present tense, rather than the past tense, tipped Carrie off that Aidan didn’t truly trust her and probably never had completely, not since she cheated with Big. Even though Carrie got over him sleeping with Kathy (Rosemarie DeWitt), Aidan never moved on from Carrie and Big’s affair. Go to therapy, dude!

Carrie and Aidan both realized they need more from a partner than they can give. “I really thought we were gonna make it this time,” Aidan said. Cue the rare And Just Like That needledrop of Taylor Swift‘s “How Did It End.”

But we’ve seen this film before, Sex and the City fans. Is it truly over between Carrie and Aidan? Have they finally gotten each other out of their systems, or could they rekindle again at some point? (My take? Call the time of death on this relationship. It’s time. As Stephen King said, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.”)

What do you think? Are Carrie and Aidan done for good? Vote below and sound off in the comments below.

And Just Like That, Season 3, Thursdays, HBO Max