And Just Like That: What Improved and What Still Sucks
Spoiler alert!
Let There be More Light.
The writers took viewer’s notes and abandoned the idea of mid-50s Carrie and gang looking and acting older than their years.
Steve and Miranda exchanged an olive branch.
With the exception of some Carrie stylist faux pas the OGs looked fabulous, especially Miranda.
The special guest stars were a nice addition.
Overall season two was more satisfying than season one but many of the remaining problems stem from season one.
Shoulda Coulda Didn’t.
The OG women’s ages stayed consistent with the original show. Their kids’s ages should’ve also been consistent.
New characters should have been introduced slowly and built to last.
Stanny should have died on the show and been given a real and better sendoff.
Old Dog. Dumb Trick.
Aidan and Carrie lasted four episodes. Exposition told us Carrie traveled to Aidan’s farm in Norfolk, Virginia and didn’t mesh with his kids. Undeterred Carrie with the help of new Samantha, Seema, realtor extraordinaire, bought a mansion-sized apartment for Aidan and his boys to live with her. Aidan dumped Carrie, leaving her on the hook again for a real estate purchase.
To Real Estate Market.
In season one Carrie moved twice. This season Carrie moved three times. You would think five moves in a year on the heels of widowhood and almost step mothering would have Carrie in a stress heap on the floor. Nope. She recovered instantly from each move, and Aidan’s selfishness in wasting her time and (lots of Big’s) money.
Just Say Why.
The storytelling is rushed. There is too much exposition. At times it feels like a soap opera. It is a show that does not fully understand the assignment.
Unoriginal Sins.
The most hated character, Che was written only half as annoying this season. The disjointed writers seem to be in agreement that Che and all new characters with the exception of teen Rock and teen Lily are written as failures, after-thoughts and barely more than lamp post characters to move plodding storylines along.
We Don’t Love a Charade.
In a few episodes Che went from a successful Podcaster and standup comic with a sitcom possibility to working at a pet hospital, and unable to afford her luxury apartment. Che’s best onscreen minutes this season were when she unknowingly roasted Miranda during standup then did a mea culpa.
Podcaster Jackie’s wife, Smoke, an up and upcoming clothing designer promised Carrie the perfect Met Gala dress but there was no triumphant moment for Smoke. Carrie was “forced” to wear her Vivienne Westwood wedding gown when Smoke failed to produce.
Lisette, Carrie’s jewelry designer neighbor, was robbed at her first jewelry show. A few episodes later, Lisette was given notice to move out of her apartment. She was rescued by Carrie with greatly discounted rent and a gift of old bras.
In season one Lisa told Charlotte that her father was dead. In season two, Billy Dee Williams played Lisa’s very much alive father.
Into the Skillet.
If the viewers hate Che, it is the writers who hate Herbert and Lisa. Over two episodes this season, Lisa announced her geriatric pregnancy to Herbert at an important dinner, leaving him gob smacked before his speech. She miscarried afterwards. The next time we see Lisa and Herbert they are at Carrie’s Last Supper. The seriousness of Lisa’s miscarriage was diminished in rushed casualness. When Lisa had an emotional moment at the Last Supper, she and Herbert had to walk past Anthony making out with his boy toy, Giuseppe, on their way to Carrie’s bathroom. Sitting on the edge of a tub, Lisa asked Herbert if she had wished the baby away. That was deserving of more.
We have seen Lisa and Herbert’s son fail at playing piano at his recital. Lisa failed to book a ride to the Met Gala. A few episodes later, Herbert failed to send email invitations to their very expensive and fancy dinner party where Charlotte’s soon-to-be art gallery boss, Marcus Kasabian, said he stayed because he felt bad for them.
At Carrie’s perfect Last Supper dinner party, where she oddly invited people who have no lasting connection with her apartment, Carrie went around the room and asked all guests to use one word for what they want to let go of. Herbert the fledgling politician was at a loss to find one word and asked for Carrie to come back to hm. Carrie never went back to him.
Very Shortcomings.
After the breakup with Che, Miranda’s is staying with her one black friend, Doctor Nya Wallace. Last season Nya had a cheating husband for a few episodes. Nya freshly divorced and at the top of her career game is complaining about being manless. She spent the season swiping online and picking up guys at bars. Nya’s ex has been warp sped to pasture and is having a baby with his former side chick. He sent Nya a baby shower invite. Nya spent over a thousand dollars on a get-even gift for being dumped. Why?
Seema, a fan fave also has been knocked down a peg or two by the writers. Of all the Indians in New York, Seema’s father is the waiter who kissed Samantha over two decades ago. Who does this silliness play to? What is the payoff beyond a ridiculous and amateur written coincidence? Like Samantha, Seema unexpectedly fell in love but rejected the man because she doesn’t trust him and the idea of love is viewed as weakness.
A Most Imperfect Present.
The Samantha phone call gave hope for the character to return but was otherwise anticlimactic. Samantha called Carrie from a taxi to say she couldn’t make the dinner party she wasn’t invited to, because she lives in London and missed her flight. I would’ve preferred to see the three friends after the dinner party and the call with Samantha participating in the one word game. If Carrie had skipped Samantha, she definitely would’ve come back to ber.
