Editor's note: The below article contains major spoilers for the premiere of And Just Like That.
After one of their exercise bikes was the cause of a main character's death in And Just Like That..., HBO Max's sequel to Sex and the City, the fitness equipment company Peloton has offered an amusing response. According to Peloton, the company did approve the show’s use of their exercise bike, which allowed a real-life Peloton cycling instructor named Jess King to appear as the fictional instructor Allegra. Despite Peloton providing their consent to have their bikes featured, they were not aware of how their bikes would be incorporated into the show. Let’s just say they must have been speechless when they found out.
And Just Like That showed Chris Noth’s character Mr. Big collapsing and dying after a workout on a Peloton. Mr. Big was quite a significant part of Sex and the City, as a frequent love interest and the eventual husband to the main character, Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Peloton has created a new advertisement featuring Noth, presumed to be Mr. Big, alongside fitness instructor King. The pair make a toast in a cozy Christmas setting before considering another workout using the Peloton bikes.
“To new beginnings,” Noth says. “Shall we take another ride? Life’s too short not to.” The advert ends with a narration by actor Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), who runs through the health benefits that come with using Peloton equipment. Reynold says, “And just like that, the world was reminded that cycling stimulates your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases.” The ad ends with quite an abrupt declaration of “He’s alive.”
After the And Just Like That premiere on Dec 9, Peloton made a statement trying to highlight that Mr. Big’s quite liberal smoking of cigars and unhealthy lifestyle was the cause of his unfortunate passing. This suggests that the company is worried that viewers will blame Peloton for Mr. Big's death. This is understandable as the company’s stock took a tumble, with Peloton shares closing at -5.4% on Friday after the episode premiered.
If you are missing Mr. Big after And Just Like That and would like to see him again, Check out the Peloton commercial below: