And Just Like That, HBO Max Set A New Record

HBO Max's "Sex and the City" sequel series is already breaking records. The Sarah Jessica Parker-starring show "And Just Like That..." debuted on December 9 and quickly helped the streamer reach a new milestone.

Per HBO Max's own data (reported via Deadline), "And Just Like That..." had the strongest showing in a 24-hour series premiere window of any new HBO or HBO Max series since the streaming service launched in May 2020. "And Just Like That..." immediately landed a spot in HBO Max's all-time top 10 viewership rankings, with only a handful of Warner Bros. movies ahead of it. Keep in mind that these carefully-worded records appear to exclude ratings for popular pre-existing shows like "Succession," which were not considered new releases within that time frame.

The immediate success of "And Just Like That..." demonstrates that die-hard "Sex And The City" fans are still committed to the story of Carrie Bradshaw (Parker) and her friends, which first began in 1998. The show also garnered an all-time-high number of "first views" for a new HBO Max series, meaning it was the first title many users ever clicked on. For HBO, this statistic might be even more worth celebrating, as it means the staying power of "Sex and the City" is bringing brand-new subscribers to the service.

It'll be interesting to see if HBO Max releases any data about the show's growth over time. A watercooler moment involving Mr. Big (Chris Noth) and a Peloton has already become a talking point on Twitter, and the season is bound to create more buzz as its soapy plotlines unfold over the coming months. "And Just Like That..." also made waves long before it aired thanks to the much-discussed exit of Kim Cattrall, who played sexually adventurous Samantha Jones for the span of six seasons and two movies.

TV lovers who are behind on the "Sex And The City" franchise needn't feel left out: HBO Max says that viewership of the original series is also up by 59%. Plenty of HBO Max subscribers are refreshing their memory of the original series, while others are surely digging into it for the first time.

Of course, any Carrie Bradshaw love story wouldn't be complete without a serendipitous twist of fate, and HBO Max's "And Just Like That..." data drop has one. The streamer also revealed that its second-highest-rated Thursday night program was the finale of Mindy Kaling's new series "The Sex Lives of College Girls," a fun-loving show about four freshman roommates that clearly takes inspiration from "Sex and the City" itself.

"And Just Like That..." airs Thursdays on HBO Max.