And Just Like That's emotional Carrie and Aidan development finally answers big question

But while that wasn't without its challenges, there was another issue, simultaneously unexpected yet entirely predictable, that proved too great a hurdle to overcome, and in episode 9, Present Tense, they called time on their relationship – which, let's face it, had never really gotten going.

After desperately hoping that they would actually be able to spend some time together, they got their wish when Aidan turned up in episode 8, Happily Ever After, with more stuff than usual.

It turned out Wyatt had moved in with his mum – so, not exactly an ideal scenario for Aidan – but that did give him the green light to stay with Carrie "for more than two days" at a time, which would surely be the best thing for their relationship, right?

Particularly in light of the news that during their time apart, Aidan and his ex-wife Kathy had recently slept together?

Wrong. So very wrong.

No, by actually living together, for the briefest amount of time, Carrie and Aidan quickly realised that a long-distance relationship might actually have prolonged things because, in the most recent episode, Present Tense, they officially broke up.

The problems started shortly after Aidan's arrival.

When he suggested inviting Carrie's downstairs neighbour Duncan, the acclaimed biographer with whom she has been enjoying regular writing sessions, to dinner, she pushed back.

"We're living in the same house and I don't even know him," said Aidan.

"Yeah, I don't even know him... it's just all about our books, we just talk about work," she responded.

But Aidan was sceptical.

"I find that hard to believe," he replied. "So what, you two just sit there and look at each other and say what? Page 22 sucks?"

Carrie then repeated herself, more firmly this time.

"That's exactly right, page 22 sucks," she said. "That is our relationship in a nutshell, and I would prefer to keep it that way, so please, no Mister Rogers' Neighborhood needed."

But Aidan simply couldn't "keep it that way".

At the opening of a new art exhibition, Aidan was gently enquiring about Duncan during a conversation with Seema, which was a soft breaching of Carrie's very clear request.

But then, in episode 9, he obliterated the very clear line that she had drawn by striking up a conversation with Duncan in the garden, which Aidan initiated after patiently waiting on the terrace for him to emerge, during which he proceeded to needle him about his pipe, which Carrie was clearly mortified by. Not that Aidan picked up on her unease.

But Carrie was willing to cut him some slack given that she had cheated on him with Big (all those years ago, we should add), identifying that he was clearly feeling insecure about her burgeoning new dynamic with Duncan – which is very good of her, we should also add, considering he'd not long had sex with Kathy, and the fact that she's done every possible thing to try and make this iteration of their relationship work.

But giving him some grace, while empathetic of Carrie, didn't do anything to actually address the issue, which reared its head once more following her latest writing session with Duncan.

After Aidan interrupted them, before then continuing to push for a joint dinner, despite her repeated, very polite refusals, they ended up sleeping in separate beds after he very cruelly ordered her to go and shower off the smell of Duncan's pipe.

Fast-forward to the next day and, after some attempts to patch things up, the pair of them wound up having a huge fight in the middle of the street, like we were back in the early 2000s.

"How is it possible that I haven't earned your trust by now?" she cried. "I have done everything to show you how fully committed I am to you. I have moved mountains and apartments. I have agreed to arrangements that even you yourself couldn't live up to.

"I was 100 per cent in, 100 per cent."

Aidan paused. He then asked if she was still all in, or if that was no longer the case, which is when Carrie shook her head.

"I'm sad," he whimpered, a simple yet immeasurably moving statement.

Yes, "all the family stuff" had proved immeasurably hard to cope with, but when it really came down to it, the biggest hurdle for Carrie and Aidan was Carrie and Aidan.

"After what seemed like forever, the woman felt happiness had arrived at her doorstep, remarkably and quite unexpected, like a magnificent red bird that suddenly appears in the garden," Carrie wrote in the previous episode.

"You hold your breath and remain very still, not wanting it to fly away again."

But no matter how still she stood this time, Carrie had come to realise: some birds just aren't meant to stay.

And Just Like That... season 3 is showing on Sky Comedy and NOW. The previous two seasons are available to stream on NOW.

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Season 3 coming soon. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.