From executive producer Michael Patrick King, And Just Like That…, brings the iconic characters of Sex and the City back for exciting all-new series, which finds Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) navigating the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s.
For thoughts on And Just Like That…: Season 1, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
And Just Like That…:Season 1 comes to DVD with 10 episodes over 2 discs, which squeezes a couple more episodes onto a single disc than is usual for an hour-long HBO show. That being said, we did not spot any egregious compression issues. With Sex and the City getting a Blu-Ray release a couple of years ago, we are surprised and disappointed that this sequel series did not make the cut for a Blu-Ray release. Due to the limitations of the format, these episodes do not reach the visual peaks that they do in high definition streaming on HBO Max, but they are pleasant enough within the limitations of the DVD format.
Colors are a highlight of this series as vibrant hues sparkle with a nice vibrancy. Things especially stand out in some of the production design and fashion choices. This series never stays in darkness for too long, but shadow detail holds up well enough when it is put to the test. Skin tones are natural, and close ups look quite good with some texture within the setting and outfits. While it seems like a long shot, we can only hope Warner Bros. gives this series the HD release it deserves once the entire series wraps up. Until then, those who do pick it up should find it to be a suitable backup if you are unsure if Max is going to house it forever.
Audio Quality
This DVD comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that captures the soundscape accurately within its format limitations. Sound effects and ambient chatter in public spaces never overshadow the dialogue causing lost information. The rear speakers create a fleshed-out atmosphere which brings New York City into your living room. The music flows through the room with an unimpeachable fidelity at all times. The mix provides a firm sense of directionality so that nothing ever feels like it is coming from the wrong place. Dialogue comes through clearly with a focus on the center channel and some stretch into the surrounds when appropriate. While this show would work better with a lossless track, it delivers within its limitations on DVD. There are optional English SDH and Chinese subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this release.
Final Thoughts
And Just Like That… is a bit of a mixed bag for fans of the franchise. You get some extra time to hang out with these characters you love, but the writing does not always feel authentic or consistent. While we appreciate the determination to right the insensitive wrongs of the dated mothership series, the series goes overboard in trying to tackle every buzzy social issue without consideration for actual depth given to the topic. This new series brings out some of the most annoying tendencies of these characters, and its mere existence forces the writers to upend their lives for narrative fodder. Some narrative threads work, and many of the exchanges between the core three women still retain the old spark, but the series keeps these women separated physically and emotionally more than we would like. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has delivered a DVD with a great A/V presentation for the format but no special features. As rocky as this show is, we still like it more than we don’t, and Warner Bros. needs to give us a proper Blu-Ray release in the future to match our original series set.
And Just Like That…:Season 1 is currently available to purchase on DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.