STANFORD BLATCH: ALTERNATE ENDING

And Just Like That fans were stunned and saddened at the Sept. 21 death of Willie Garson, who memorably played Carrie Bradshaw’s gay BFF, Stanford Blatch. The 57-year-old only appeared in three episodes before Stanford skipped town — and left husband Anthony (Mario Cantone) — for Tokyo. (At least Stannie left a letter and not a Post-it, à la Berger!) In a new interview, exec producer Michael Patrick King finally reveals how he intended Stanford’s storyline to play out, including a midlife crisis and, yes, his split from Anthony. All of which, says King, would have led the character back to Carrie for some “really fun, flirty, hilarious confidante scenes.” Stanford’s off-camera exit was an obvious necessity because of Garson’s illheath, says King, but it was also the only way the writer could handle his own heartbreak: “Life and death is one thing in fiction,” King told Variety. When it’s real, it’s not funny or cute.” ★