‘And Just Like That’ Explained Why It Appears Lisa’s Dad Died Twice on the Show

Many diehard Sex and the City fans know that while the iconic HBO series was known for its groundbreaking takes on female friendship dynamics through the lens of single women in their thirties, a concept unheard of when it aired in 1998. However, the show was also known for its plot holes that transpired.

SATC often enjoyed recycling actors like Justin Theroux, who played two different characters in the series, as well as writing characters off without any explanation (justice for Carrie's "BFF" Skipper, played by Ben Weber!)

It appears Darren Star and co. recreated SATC's notorious plot mistakes on And Just Like That. During Season 3 of the spinoff, fans noticed a significant error on the writers' end when Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) seemingly mourned the death of her father twice. Here's what to know.

In Season 3, episode 6 of And Just Like That, "Silent Mode," Lisa discovered her dad, Lawrence Todd (Billy Dee Williams), had died after having a stroke. The episode followed her receiving support from Charlotte (Kristin Davis) while battling with her father's theater's general manager, Lucille Highwater (Jenifer Lewis). Lisa also battled with regret, as she was working on her documentary during his final moments.

The emotional episode showed the character grieving a loss that the audience was made to believe only happened once. However, avid AJLT watchers recalled Lisa telling Charlotte that her father had died years before it played out on screen. Multiple fans took to social media to share a video of her in a scene from Carrie's (Sarah Jessica Parker) husband, John "Mr. Big" Preston's (Chris Noth) funeral in Season 1.

During the service, Charlotte told Lisa Carrie was a mess, and she lent her support by saying, "I was exactly the same when my father died last year."

Several viewers couldn't help but wonder how the writers could have missed such a significant plot regarding Lisa's father. Some questioned if the writers were using ChatGPT to create Season 3, while others opted for wild theories, because that's always more fun!

"She had two gay fathers and they both died," one fan suggested on X (formerly Twitter).

"Girl, just mind your business! Y’all never heard of reincarnation?" a second explained.

"Maybe it's a flashback or something?" another hoped. "Otherwise, man, that’s some lazy stuff."

According to Entertainment Weekly, the truth of when Lisa's dad died is simpler. Amid fans' confusion, the outlet confirmed that Lisa's biological father, Lawrence, who also appeared in Season 2 of AJLT, did indeed pass away in Season 3. The man she was referring to in Season 1 was her stepfather.

While the stepfather angle makes sense, it's worth noting that LTW never mentioned having a stepparent in the series. However, fans know her parents were divorced, as Jenifer Lewis's character, Lucille, was also Lawrence's lover, stating on the show she spent the "best years of my life" with him.

Lisa's two fathers' flub isn't the only plot hole And Just Like That has experienced since it premiered in December 2021. Fans have noticed others, including how several Sex and the City characters returned to the spinoff as different characters. For instance, Rosemarie DeWitt played Miranda's colleague, Fern, on SATC before she became Carrie's longtime beau, Aidan's (played by John Corbett) ex-wife, Kathy, on AJLT.

Much like Carrie's questionable personality traits, plot holes will persist in the SATC universe.

Stream And Just Like That on Thursdays on HBO Max.