And Just Like That desperately needs to let Samantha go

The attempts to diversify the show – Miranda's descent into an out-of-touch bumbler and Che Diaz, who unexpectedly became one of the most-contentious TV characters in recent years, and was supposedly a comedian, despite being the least funny person we'd possibly ever encountered, ever – also created their fair share of alienation among the returning viewership.

But it was the absence of one Samantha Jones that firmly cemented the fact And Just Like That is no Sex and the City, however hard it has strived to recapture its essence.

To explain her departure, we were told that Samantha had fallen out with Carrie and moved to London after the writer-turned-podcaster decided it didn't make sense to keep her on as her publicist.

"She said 'fine' and then fired me as a friend," explained Carrie.

But after not speaking to her for an unspecified length of time, the channels of communication were reopened after the death of Big, when Samantha sent Carrie flowers and a note that simply read, 'Love, Samantha'.

There were then some texts here and there as the pair settled into something resembling a friendship, before the mother of all announcements was made: Kim Cattrall would be reprising her role in the season 2 finale.

Cue dirty martinis being raised in jubilation up and down the land.

But while there were fears that showrunner Michael Patrick King was planning to use her brief appearance to kill off the character following somewhat ominous comments that he himself had made, Samantha's appearance proved to be a far less dramatic affair.

Samantha had planned to surprise Carrie by attending the last supper at her old brownstone, but her flight was delayed, so a deliciously sweet 90-second phone call would sadly have to suffice.

But of course just a sniff of Samantha reinvigorated viewers' hopes that we might see more of her in the future, prompting Cattrall to later confirm that she would not appear in the show's third season and once again relegating any future participation from her character to texting. Sigh.

And there was more of that in the latest episode when Carrie messaged Samantha to ask for info on Duncan Reeves, an acclaimed biographer and high heels-hater.

When Carrie explained that he's living in the apartment under her, Samantha couldn't resist one of her trademark quips.

"I wish he was under me," she responded.

A brief glimpse at Carrie's phone also revealed that they've been scheduling in time to chat, confirming that any residual animosity has been put firmly to bed. But we've not been present for any of those moments. All we get is crumbs.

Maybe, then, Samantha's previously rumoured death might have been easier to digest for two reasons. Firstly, it's an arguably less controversial development than Samantha falling out with Carrie for something that, let's face it, doesn't sound like something she would have taken quite so personally, to the extent of ceasing all contact.

But also, it's yet another reminder that Samantha, who was, for many, Sex and the City's winning ingredient, is not part of And Just Like That.

While King and his fellow writers have, after a couple of questionable seasons, settled into an imperfect sort of rhythm – tapping into the moreish watchability that Sex and the City had in abundance – every time a text from Samantha pops up on Carrie's phone, we're once again acutely aware that she's having fun elsewhere, dazzling others with her scandalous one-liners, her fearlessness, her particular brand of friendship and her singular outlook on life.

Of course, King, who would have welcomed her back in a heartbeat, can't control the fact that Cattrall didn't want any further involvement. That's a call she's entitled to make, for whatever reason. But what he can control is how the show moves forward.

It's not about erasing Samantha. Honey, no one could ever do that. But those infrequent messages are sort of like sitting in a shiny pink Cadillac and placing your hands on the wheel, only to be booted out a second later, or enjoying a slice of red velvet, only for the plate to be whisked away after a couple of bites.

King's commitment to sprinkling the odd bit of Samantha commentary here and there, while understandable, doesn't really add anything of substance to And Just Like That. No, if anything, it detracts from it, drawing attention back to real-world cast drama, while also highlighting what the show is missing: a character unlike any other.

Now that Cattrall and Samantha have both moved on, it's time for And Just Like That to do the same.

And Just Like That... season 3 is showing on Sky Comedy and NOW.

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