I do believe CN to be the main driver for the changes to Miranda, as a condition for her returning for AJLT. CN is an executive producer, and that is a powerful position for any actor in a production, it affords them a lot of influence should they choose to exercise it. Writers on long running shows are supposed to use history bibles to ensure they don’t create inconsistencies in the characters. So in my mind, I can’t see how Miranda could have ended up virtually unrecognisable in AJLT without deliberate decision making going on in collaboration with CN.
CN in real life went from a heterosexual relationship with children to leaving her husband for a woman. CN has gone from actor to would be mayor of NY with an extremely woke manifesto. Miranda was a cynical, hetero woman and a hard nosed, ambitious career woman in a profession built around logic and reason, who would have mocked the illogical world of gender politics and the causes AJLT Miranda became involved in. Old Miranda made fun of Samantha’s dabble with lesbianism (despite Samantha being someone completely open minded about sexual encounters). She even said if Sam could be a lesbian, she, Miranda, could be a fire hydrant. Well she may as well have been a fire hydrant in AJLT for all she resembled the original character. AJLT’s Miranda was just a version of CN, complete with denial of her own sexual history and preferences, and apologising constantly for her privilege and not being woke enough.
Was that done in collaboration with MPK or as a condition for CN returning? Or both? Whatever happened, it killed the show from the outset, because it destroyed the legacy of a beloved character, loved for her cynicism and relationship with her husband, and gave us 2 seasons of the despised Che Diaz.
The show lost over 70% of its viewers from the beginning of season 1 to the current season. Most programmes will go to at least 4 or 5 seasons, despite viewer drop off, to make it a more valuable asset on syndication. Unless it is so beyond the pale it’s actually doing more harm than good. AJLT was meant to revive interest in SATC as well and get a new young audience for that show. I don’t know if AJLT will do anything other than put viewers off from seeking out the old show, knowing that much of the lore in SATC is portrayed as lies in AJLT.
I also think Carrie in AJLT is too entwined with SJP’s own identity and ideas for the character. Carrie was always flawed, messy, badly behaved, infuriating but ultimately a fun and relatable character you rooted for. Carrie in AJLT was dull and joyless and was never portrayed as anything other than perfectly prim and proper and in control. She was no longer relatable or even likeable.