Samantha Jones literally put the sex in Sex and the City and brought a special, irreplaceable spark to the show. So when it came time to create the reboot And Just Like That, and Samantha actress Kim Catrall turned the role down, the showrunners knew they had a problem: they’d have to find some way to fill that Samantha shaped hole if there was any chance of the show being a success. And over the reboot’s two seasons, there have been a few contenders trying to provide the sensuality, confidence, and fabulousness that the show was missing without Sam. So here are the characters that come the closest to filling her stilettos and the one that might actually have a chance at bringing the sparkle back to the show (even if no one can ever truly replace Samantha Jones.)
The Search for a “New Samantha”
In Sex and the City, each friend represented a different type of modern woman: Carrie was romantic and idealistic, Charlotte was conservative and traditional, Miranda was practical and cynical, and Samantha was self-assured and sexually adventurous – unapologetic about who she was and always willing to challenge the norms of monogamy and heteronormativity that women are expected to adhere to. Samantha was open to experimentation and exploring carnal pleasures, and as a result was the character that the other women would turn to for non-judgmental advice. Samantha brought the show’s sexuality and many of its laughs, but we also got to see her hidden depths. She had some of the show’s highest highs, but also got dealt some of its most difficult hands – from her unresolved issues around death and grief, to her aversion to commitment, to her battle with cancer in the final season. And it was this depth of feeling and fullness of character that made her such an iconic and deeply loved character.
Kim Catrall had already had issues with the way that the writers had begun changing Samatha for the worst in the movies, so it wasn’t that much of a shock when she declined to return for the reboot. But fans were still terribly disappointed, and also worried about what it would mean for the show. Everyone wondered how the show could possibly work without Samantha – and truth be told, it didn’t really. The showrunners clearly learned this lesson in the first season, and have been making a more concerted effort to have other characters fill the Samantha void in the second season.
One option wasn’t a new addition at all: Anthony Marantino, who has been around since Sex and the City’s third season. Anthony has always shared some traits with Samatha: both are brash and openly sexual, and unafraid to give their friends a kick in the pants. In And Just Like That, Anthony is occasionally used to bring the frank sex talk that Samantha did, once even taking the coveted fourth brunch spot. In the tenth episode of season 2 his sexual dilemma actually harkens back to one Charlotte encountered in season one of Sex and The City. A problem that Samantha had a very, well… Samantha answer to.
Lisa Todd Wexley has also helped to fill out the friend group in Samantha’s absence and has become a fan favorite in her own right. While she has gotten some fun storylines of her own and occasionally brings some Samantha-esque fashion and attitude, her ‘mom re-finding her sense of self outside of motherhood’ arc (and general demeanor) is much more Charlotte – so it makes sense that they became quick friends!
Che has also in some ways been positioned to take on some of the Samantha spotlight – they’re similarly sexually adventurous and always unafraid to speak their mind. But unlike Samantha, Che wasn’t initially loved as a character, mostly due to them never really getting to feel like a fully formed character for the first season of the show. They often felt like a walking stereotype and a megaphone for the writers to berate the audience with instead of like a real person we were supposed to relate with and enjoy. But in the second season thankfully they’ve finally been given the chance to blossom into their own character, separate from their romance with Miranda, and really begin exploring their story fully. Their growing friendship with Carrie has also been wonderful to watch, as Carrie needs friends who are self-assured and outspoken and not huge prudes.
While Anthony, Lisa Todd Wexley, and Che are great characters in their own ways, and certainly bring some Samantha-esque traits to the show, there is one person who the show has clearly started positioning as the Samantha replacement…
Seema Patel is a glamorous, confident, cut-throat businesswoman, who’s in charge of her sexuality, doesn’t take disrespect from anyone, and isn’t afraid to show off – sound familiar? She’s self-assured, always willing to speak her mind without sugarcoating her feelings, and has an active sex life. Seema’s a high-powered NYC real estate broker, and like Samantha she’s always at the most important events with the city’s hottest people. Sometimes her level of extreme wealth and power can make her feel unrelatable…But her unabashed pride in her success is always enjoyable to watch. And like Samantha she remains likable in spite of her flaws. Seema, too, has hidden depths that we’re getting to explore more now that she’s finally getting more screen time.
Seema and Samantha’s Similarities
Seema is indeed the most true to the original ethos of the show: she’s a grown woman living the single life well past the age people expect that you should be “settled down” by. This was the central conceit of Sex and the City – the friends weren’t young adults experiencing adulthood for the first time, they were all grown women finding their way in the world and looking for love. Samantha in particular was special because she was the oldest of the group and the most unashamed of her singledom – she was happy being sexually free and fabulous. Seema is the only character that really has this vibe on And Just Like That – while the others are all married or in situationships or dealing with the death of their partners, Seema is enjoying dating and sleeping around.
When she first meets Carrie, she comes off as completely carefree, perfectly content with her single life. But as we get to know her, we start to understand that she actually does crave a deeper connection with another person but isn’t willing to settle for less than what she knows she deserves, and so is afraid that it may never happen for her. Knowing her worth and what she really wants out of life, and refusing to accept any less is very Samantha. And much like Samantha, we see how beneath her glowing confidence Seema also has some deeper issues that she must work through to find happiness.
Seema’s friendship with Carrie is also similar to Carrie and Samantha’s in many ways. Seema becomes Carrie’s confidante, the person with whom she feels most open sharing all parts of her life without fear of judgment. The pair have a lot of fun together, and Seema is there to comfort Carrie when she needs it. She, like Samantha, also reminds Carrie that she doesn’t always have to take life so seriously. Seema is also firm with Carrie when she’s hurt her feelings, and holds her accountable for her at-times self-centered behavior. Samantha often found herself in this position on Sex and the City, having to remind Carrie that the world doesn’t actually revolve around her. While Carrie’s self-centeredness can often make her feel relatable in some ways because we all have moments where we lose focus of the bigger picture, it’s important that she has a friend around that can bring her back to reality.
The two friendships’ similarities also means that they run into many of the same conflicts. One particular parallel is Carrie’s relationship with Aidan in both series. When Aidan wanted to propose in Sex and the City, it caused a slight rift between Samantha and Carrie, as Samantha felt abandoned by her best friend choosing to get married. However, Samantha eventually came around and even helped Aidan pick out the ring he was going to get for Carrie, because above all she wanted her friend to be happy. And in And Just Like That, with Aidan and Carrie reuniting yet again, Seema similarly feels threatened by the fact that Carrie is no longer single. But, like Samantha, Seema eventually comes around and chooses to support Carrie in her relationship if it’s what will truly make her happy.
Seema has also begun to fit into the group dynamic with the other women in a Samantha-like way, bringing a similar energy to their classic brunch tableau scenes. And Just Like That’s brunch scenes can at times feel a bit stilted or awkward, but Seema brings a breath of fresh air into the conversations. Much like Samantha, she always has a quip reflecting her sex-positive beliefs, or an anecdote about one of her wild sexual or dating adventures.She’s definitely helping to bring some much needed fun (and sex) back into the franchise!
There is one major difference between Seema and Samantha: while Samantha was almost ideological about being single, Seema isn’t single by choice (or, at least, not totally.) Samantha was always very clear about not wanting to be tied down, and even when she does fall and love and gets married, she eventually has to end things because she knows that what she really wants is freedom. Seema, on the other hand, does want to find that special somebody and settle down – she just hasn’t found the right person. But because she, like Samantha, puts herself first, she isn’t willing to just get hitched to whoever just so that she doesn’t have to be alone.
Seema and Samantha VS Singledom
She is perfectly fine with engaging in more casual relationships and even investing in her relationships before she finds that person, but at the end of the day she does want to find the one. While this is different from Samantha, it does represent another important path that many women find themselves on: not necessarily actively seeking singledom, but choosing it over being stuck with the wrong person or having to give up parts of themselves and their lifestyle that make them happy. So while Seema’s trajectory will likely be different than Samantha’s when it comes to love, she’ll still be representing an important demographic. And she’ll continue to uphold Samantha’s important ethos of never letting herself be defined by a man, and never giving in to the pressure to accept less than what she deserves out of life.
Conclusion
No one will ever be able to replace the effervescent, unfailingly fabulous Samantha Jones. But And Just Like That absolutely falls flat without her charm and vivaciousness, so it’s important that the writers are at least trying to breathe life into the reboot by giving some of Samantha’s most important traits to new characters. Seema is wonderful in her own right, so hopefully now the show will start expanding her character and giving her the attention and story arcs she deserves – not so that she can replace Samantha, but so that she can continue to become her own fully fleshed out, fabulous person and not feel like she’s stuck in someone else’s shadow. Samantha is set to finally make an appearance in the final episode of And Just Like That’s second season (though only for a single scene) and so there’s a little bit of hope that she might feature more in season three and we’ll get something really amazing: to see a friendship blossom between Samantha and Seema! But even if we don’t end up getting more Samantha Jones on our screens, we are excited to see Seema’s funny, confident, and sexy story continue to unfold.