Spoilers below.
In the past year of her life, Carrie Bradshaw has said goodbye to Mr. Big, recovered slowly from her loss, and apparently already written and published a popular book about the experience. In episode 3 of And Just Like That… season 2, Carrie is entering another round of grief that might be worse than the first, even if she is making royalties.
As Carrie is tasked with recording the audiobook of her newest memoir, she struggles over Chapter 3, which recounts the night she found Mr. Big on the floor of the shower after a fatal Peloton ride. She would love to have an actress reading her words, like Julianne Moore or Julianna Margulies, but her publisher insists that readers deserve the author’s own voice on such a personal piece. The job brings up a lot of feelings about her husband that Carrie thought she’d already processed.
In a sweetly affecting scene, Carrie runs into her old friend Bitsy von Muffling (Julie Halston), the former wife of Broadway big shot Bobby Fine (Nathan Lane). The good news is that Nathan Lane is very much alive. The bad news is that Bobby Fine has apparently kicked it. As a fellow widow, Bitsy opens up to Carrie about how time moving on takes her further away from her beloved husband, bringing up the pain she thought was over.
She does offer Carrie some advice from her Kabbalah class, saying, “The hole never fills, but new life will grow around it.”
Encouraged by Bitsy to plant some seeds, Carrie goes on an optimistic shoe shopping trip—then she panics and lies about having Covid to stay out of the recording booth.
Carrie’s not the only one having difficulties with letting go this episode. Seema is missing her Birkin, which was ripped out of her hands right in front of her townhouse. To her dismay, no one in the street threw themselves on the thief to save her purse, which had enormous sentimental value. Stealing comes up again later in the episode with an extremely confusing incident at a Bryant Park Bulgari pop-up store, where Carrie’s lithe and lovely neighbor Lisette is selling pieces from her brand. A cater waiter starts shoving her jewelry in his pockets while everyone looks on. Carrie tries to scare him away by shouting she has Covid and the waiter runs off, but so does everybody else.
The lie doesn’t work to save Lisette’s baubles and it doesn’t save Carrie from having to confront her past. The publisher reschedules and she gets back in the booth after her fake virus has run its course. This time, she gets through Chapter 3. The thing that really seems to help Carrie accept her grief, and her embarrassment over her emotions, is comforting Lisette. The young art maker has taken to her bed after losing all her work, and Carrie curls up beside her and finally gives in to her sadness. It’s weird Carrie has a key to her place and is wearing her outside clothes on her bed, but Lisette doesn’t seem to mind.
Over in California, Miranda is still having a blast and considering getting a tattoo after meeting an incredibly thoughtful tattoo artist named Ricky. She wants to remember who she is in this moment after years of being a corporate lawyer robot. Che, however, is still super stressed over the upcoming taping of their pilot. They should be, because their girlfriend is about to screw it up big time.
Sara Ramirez as Che and Tony Danza as himself.
While waiting to get into the audience, Miranda gets a call from her son Brady, who has been M.I.A. in Europe with his girlfriend. Sobbing, he tells his mom he got dumped in Amsterdam and almost walks in front of a car. She tells him to get back to the hostel and call her when he arrives. The only problem is that security is making people lock up their phones.
Miranda lies to the security guards about being free and easy after losing her phone and sneaks it in. Inevitably, it goes off during a pivotal moment between Che and Tony Danza in which Che is finally leaking some tears. The only professional in the room is Danza, who tries to get everyone to cool down and go back to one. The show’s writer, BD, nastily shouts that they’ll never get the moment back because Che is a STAND UP, not an ACTOR!
Outside, Miranda apologizes profusely, but tells Che that she’s headed back to New York to meet Brady when he flies home from Amsterdam. Che is pretty offended Miranda would bail for “real” family stuff, and thinks Miranda is over reacting to the situation. It’s an ugly parting, and when Miranda is sitting back in her Brooklyn living room waiting for her heartbroken son, she gazes at her new wrist tattoo reading “MH” wistfully.
When Brady walks into the house and his mom’s arms, it’s clear he’s not only grieving his first love, but also the separation of his parents, which is still fresh despite his world travels.
Nicole Ari Parker as Lisa and Kristin Davis as Charlotte.
The C Plot unfortunately involves Charlotte and Lisa finding out that a student at their children’s school has made a “MILF list” ranking the hottest moms. Obviously, they are in the top three. They’re even more titillated when they find out the list was created by Milo H., a hunky teenager. Is he handsome? Yes. Is it extremely uncomfortable to watch? Also yes.
The show is trying hard to weave together all of the main cast’s friends, so Lisa is now inexplicably interviewing Nya for her documentary. While on set, she meets the hunky sound guy and he asks her out to dinner after feeling her up for her lavalier mic. We shall see how that develops, but it’s about time Nya got some action.
The episode ends on a high note when Seema finds her Birkin under a bush after the thief grabbed the wallet out of it and tossed the purse itself. A classy old fashioned mugger! The city is back, baby. She and Carrie celebrate at dinner and end up seated at a communal table with some sexy Australian rugby fans.
And just like that…Carrie really gets Covid.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.