Kim Cattrall's 74-Second Cameo Proves Samantha Jones Was The Heart Of 'Sex And The City'

And just like that… the hit HBO Max spin-off series of Sex and the City starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis has been renewed for a third season. But that’s not the only thing that had fans excited about the second season’s finale last week – the 74-second cameo of Samantha Jones stole the show. Maybe even the entire series.

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Kim Cattrall reprised her fabulous role in full glory, styled by the original Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field, in a scarlet dress and silver coat with a lime green Fendi First clutch in hand. 

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Die-hard fans from all over the world (and the Internet) cheered for the stylish queen’s return to the franchise, even overshadowing the farewell for Carrie’s apartment, leaving us all wondering: was Samantha Jones the true star of Sex and the City?

A wave of nostalgia definitely hit when Samantha came on screen with colourful language in tow, reminding us all about her iconic and profanity-filled lines on the original show, almost making up for the lacklustre character plots thus far.

After all, Samantha Jones was one of the most realised characters from the franchise. Often depicted as the “modern woman”, Samantha was independent and strong and embraced her sexuality with loads of gusto, using it to her advantage.

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As a public relations maven, she was the social battery for the foursome. Her hand was always on the pulse for the hottest spots which threw the best parties, giving the other three ladies an excuse to venture out of their comfort zones.

While Samantha was the obvious comic relief, spearheading hijinks that had us all cackling, her character arc was also a tear-jerker. The cancer plot in the last season of Sex and the City was novel for early 2000s television, with both the writing and portrayal taking refreshingly vulnerable approaches that were triumphant rather than depressing. 

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Samantha also knew her own boundaries inside and out, laying all her cards out on the table unapologetically. Come on, who has the gall to break up with their significant other citing how your love for them just wasn’t enough? 

But more than the character itself, Samantha’s exit changed the entire dynamic of the group – much like actual friendships in real life.

Carrie was the glue, but Samantha was the heart, the objective ride-or-die. There was no judgement with her, and she always expressed honest opinions which most could never admit to themselves. 

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With her absence, there's a palpable disconnect between the remaining trio. Carrie navigates her relationships on autopilot, Miranda’s sapphic love life is painfully chaotic and Charlotte’s mid-life crisis is just confusing, and all plots have zero witty commentary from one another. 

Seema Patel, Carrie’s newest confidant and real estate expert, tries to fill Samantha’s impeccable heels, but something is still missing. 

Perhaps it's the lack of Samantha’s signature crass humour (which serves as a guilty pleasure for our intrusive thoughts) or the lack of new friendships extending beyond the group which dilute Seema’s true potential as the realest character we’ve seen from the new show. 

Nonetheless, the series has drastically evolved, and while fans are hoping for more Samantha in the third instalment of And Just Like That, or even another spin-off about her post-Carrie life in London, it remains unlikely for Cattrall to return - but then again, never say never.

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With the current writer and actor’s strike in the United States, we won’t be seeing new episodes until late 2024 or 2025, leaving lots of time for HBO to negotiate with Cattrall once more for an elusive scene or two.