Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Peloton got some major air time during the premiere of And Just Like That, but that's not necessarily a good thing.
On Thursday, fans were shocked by HBO Max's decision to kill off Carrie's husband and longtime love interest Mr. Big, a.k.a. John James Preston (Chris North) in the first episode. And they didn't just remove him from the show's storyline with your stereotypical illness or accident, but rather while on a luxury Peloton bike.
In the first episode, Carrie and Big are planning a trip to the Hamptons, which is delayed so Carrie can attend Charlotte's daughter Lily's piano recital. Carrie attends the event, while Big stays home to complete his 1,000th ride with his favorite instructor Allegra. Shortly after finishing up his workout, he suffers a fatal heart attack.
Later, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) mentions to her husband Steve Brady (David Eigenberg) that Big had heart problems, but that his cardiologist cleared him to exercise. However, Peloton's in-house cardiologist Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum disagrees.
"I'm sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack," said Steinbaum in response to his death. "Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle— including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks—and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in season 6." She continued, "These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event."
"More than 80 percent all cardiac-related deaths are preventable through lifestyle, diet and exercise modifications," the cardiologist explained. "And while 25 percent of heart attacks each year are in patients who already had one (like Mr. Big), even then they are very, very treatable. The lesson here is, KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!"
What's more is that Peloton didn't know the context in which their bike was being used in the show. "HBO procured the Peloton Bike on their own," the company's Senior Communications Lead Denise Kelly told Buzzfeed. "Peloton was aware that a Bike would be used in the episode and that Jess King would be portraying a fictional Peloton instructor."
She added, "Due to confidentiality reasons, HBO did not disclose the larger context surrounding the scene to Peloton in advance." Somehow, this might even be worse than the brand's 2019 holiday ad.
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